Mission FireFly » Devotionals » Could but won't

Could, but won't

A devotional by FireFlighter

Christian liberty is something either neglected or flaunted. On one end of the church pew you have the legalists who perpetually hold up signs that read something like: “No smoking!” “No mixed swimming!” “No going to movie theaters!” At the other end of the pew are the libertarians who wear heavy metal tshirts, chain smoke, and excuse their absence from Sunday School because they were out until late last night watching an R rated movie.

So … where do you draw the line? Is there even a line to draw?

You can argue all you want—even until your eyes pop out and your face turns blue—but that’s just your opinion. What we really want to know is what does God have to say about the subject.

We can find that in I Corinthians 10:23:

“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.

God tells us to decide daily where to draw our line based on how our decisions will impact those around us. If you are a believer, one of your goals is to build up other believers around you and to be a positive influence in bringing the lost to Christ. If, by your life decisions, you detract from helping others draw closer to God, then you’ve stepped across the line and are throwing yourself to the winds of selfishness.