Freedom and Responsibility

Here's a passage I ran across--1 Corinthians 10:23,24--that explains "The Believer's Freedom Through Grace" (like the sound of that!). Think about this one for a bit...how much better would your life be if you lived this ideal? And how about your home, your family, your friends, your workplace? We're big on freedom around these parts--it's the American way!--but just maybe a little weak on responsibility? Hmmm...


"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. (NIV)

You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is helpful. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial. Don't think only of your own good. Think of others and what is best for them. (NLT)

Looking at it one way, you could say, "Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well. (Message)


You've been prayed for today...