“All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable; all things are lawful, but not all things build up.” – 1 Cor 10:23
One thing that I got from the last Bible study session is the four basic principles for regulating the New Testament believers’ conduct. The Bible says that whatever we do, as to the thing itself, must be profitable; as to ourselves, must not bring us under the power of anything; as to others, must build up in love; and as to God, must glorify Him.
Many times in my experience, even though I do things that are lawful, not sinful, and legitimate, these things may not necessarily be profitable. At other times, things that I do enslave me, bringing me under its power. I have no liberty to stop doing it because it suppresses me and even consumes me. I realize that God is no longer in control over me; because I have given myself to be under something other than God. This could be hobbies, job, money, and even education. Through the Bible study, I was helped me to repent and ask the Lord to remove all other things that has taken away His position in my heart. As the heart is cleared from anything other than God, I still need to conduct myself in a way that will not stumble other believers, but to build up one another in love. Eventually, through conducting myself in such a way, God can be glorified.
~Joanna W.