Should I smoke? Should I drink? Should I watch that movie? Should I listen to that music? These are just a few of the questions asked when it comes to the gray areas of the believer’s life. They are good questions to ask and should be prayerfully and carefully answered. How you move forward will determine your spiritual health, and quite possibly the spiritual health of those closest to you.
The Bible is filled with many black and white issues. Areas where you can ask the question and the Bible will answer it directly. However, much of life is lived between black and white – in what many call the gray areas of life. Here lies many decisions that can be made one way or the other without blatantly sinning. How we choose to live in the gray areas of our lives will either make us stronger or weaker believers.
Over the years, I’ve seen people make poor decisions with their Christian freedom that has sunk their faith, or even worse, stumbled another brother or sister and destroyed theirs. Many have started down a very destructive path by exercising their liberties in Christ away from Him. Combined with plenty of justifications and explanations, men and women – once strong in faith and godliness – have withered away from holiness as they choose to exercise their liberty in very unlovely, ungodly, and unholy ways.
The road of the backslider is filled with lame excuses.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14 (NKJV)
In your spiritual walk, make up your own mind to live as closely to Jesus Christ as you possibly can. I have seen too many people do the opposite. They want to see how close they can get to sin without losing Jesus. Friends, if that’s your attitude, you’ve already lost! You’re missing out on the thrill of holy living – on the thrill of living in the Spirit, being led by Him in freedom and liberty!
This would be a great time to share with you 8 questions you can ask while choosing how and when to exercise your freedom in Jesus Christ.
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Corinthians 6.12 (NKJV)
“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” 1 Corinthians 10.23 (NKJV)
Asking a few simple questions and letting God’s Word through His Spirit answer them will help us greatly in understanding the heart of God for our lives and decisions.
#1 – Will this help me honor God?
#2 – Will this sanctify me, set me apart for God?
#3 – Will this help my usefulness for the Master?
#4 – Will this prepare me for every good work?
#5 – Does it build me up spiritually?
#6 – Can it bring me under its power?
#7 – Does it give me an uneasy conscience?
#8 – Could it cause someone else to stumble?
As you pray over your decisions, using some or all of these questions, the Holy Spirit will lead you into the decisions that will most benefit Him and you!
Excellent blog & questions to ask! Thanks for sharing!