All
Things Are Lawful – Not Everything Is Beneficial
1 Corinthians 6:12-13
All things
are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for
me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and
the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is
not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
My Experience, Strength & Hope
First Corinthians 6 is a
powerful scripture when it comes to breaking free from addiction. As a reminder
I will speak on the issue of food addiction, however, please hear me on this.
It is not limited to food addiction. This can be applied to any area where
there is a stronghold in our lives. As one who struggled with many addictions
and obsessive/compulsive behaviors, I understand what it is like to allow the
flesh to dominate our thinking. In the case listed above, Paul was speaking to
the Corinthian church about sexual immorality.
But we can apply this to any idolatry or addiction because it all bears
the same meaning within these verses. If it is sin, the born-again Christian
should have no part of it.
Taking this one step
further, Paul said in essence that he was free to do anything (within reason
that is). He was not bound up by laws and religious traditions. The only thing
Paul was bound by was the gospel and the grace of God. There are many things
that we can do if we were to choose to, and it would be OK, if it didn’t lead
us to sin. But those things that may seem to be O.K. could be harmful in the
end.
Let me give you an
example from my own life and issues with eating. Back in 2007 the Lord placed
me on a food plan. I have told you about this already. It is a 1300 calorie
diet that is well balanced. It covers all the basics of a low carb (not carb
free) eating plan and gives me the nutrients I need to lead a perfectly healthy
life. One of the things the Lord has asked me to give up was sugar – even the
‘so-called’ healthy sweetener substitute Stevia.
At first giving up sugar
was terribly difficult because it is so addictive – known to be about 8 times
more addictive than cocaine. In fact, it was easier for me to stop using
cocaine than it was the sugar! I have been allowed to eat just about anything.
The Lord has been gracious to me. He asked me to follow a plan that He provided
through a registered dietician (one that helps diabetics to get their blood
sugars to normal ranges) and He knew that it would keep me healthy. I struggled
many times with sticking perfectly to my plan. When I stuck with it, I saw
great progress. But when I ‘slipped’ here and there, eating things that were
not the best for me, my weight loss would slow down and hinder my progress.
Anything that hinders our progress really needs to go.
We have to remember that
what we do for the Lord must be done willingly. Whatever He is asking us to
give up or quit is for our own good. Remember, God’s reasons are out of love –
and His love is never selfish. To some it may sound like a death sentence and
well it should be. We need to crucify the desires of the flesh every day. There
are many things that while they may be permissible – they are not beneficial
for us to partake in. For example, I can choose to have pizza if I take a
notion to, but it really isn’t on my food plan (per se) and would not bring
about the best results.
I can make a homemade
pizza that does fit within the boundaries of the plan and occasionally I can
enjoy some restaurant style pizza; as long as it is done right and controlled.
If we handle things right and show the Lord that we can be trusted, in reality,
we end up having far more freedom than others who are out there throwing
themselves to complete overindulgence in many things and it is slowly but
surely killing them. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
As I began to take the
word of God more seriously in my life by saying it out loud over myself every
day in faith, I have begun to notice an even deeper change in me. I have always
been a hearty eater, but lately I find myself not being able to eat as much.
The more I have stuck with my food plan, the less food I am able to comfortably
hold at one time. Hallelujah!
So how can we apply this
to what Paul is saying today really? I like what the opening verse this week
says when it talks about “food for the
stomach and the stomach for food.” The more I let go of allowing myself to
desire certain foods, the more I have come to realize that following God’s food
plan for my life is working extremely well for me. I am getting stronger,
healthier and more peaceful with it all. I started looking at food like it
should be looked at – it is only fuel for my body. It is not meant to be a
comforter or anything else. It is just fuel.
Think about pouring
gasoline into the tank of our cars. When talking to people about what they are
putting into their bodies, this question seems to be a real ‘game changer’.
Think about this. Would you pour a can of Coca Cola into your automobile’s gas
tank? I can almost hear your reply. You would look at me like I am crazy and
say quickly, “No way!” If we did something like that, we might as well take
that engine out and toss it to the junk yard – it would break down and not function
correctly. It is the same with our bodies where food and water are concerned.
We must pour healthy food and water into our bodies in order for them to
function properly.
Too many people in the
world today have made food a center focal point. It is the center of holidays,
birthdays, and well, you name it; just about any gathering that people have
centers around the food. When we see a family at a park having a celebration
for example, what do we see them focusing on? You guessed it! The food! Very obese
people are just standing around the food table nibbling this and nibbling that.
When we see such a thing, we are never to judge them. Most of us have been
there and done it ourselves. But if we turn to something other than the Lord to
comfort us, we will miss out on the only true Comforter that we have.
God alone wants to be
our Comforter. He will not share His glory with another. So it is sin when we
turn to food, alcohol or anything else to comfort us. Another example of all
things being lawful would be drinking. Did the Lord ever tell us in His word
not to touch alcohol? The answer to that is no. But is it beneficial to be
drinkers in the body of Christ? Not really. Why? Because it can easily lead to
drunkenness and all kinds of evil behavior. In addition, it can set a poor
example for others who are observing us and even cause them to make an excuse
to sin. Even Jesus said He was no longer going to choose to drink of the fruit
of the vine until the wedding feast. He made a willing choice to forgo that
until a better time. We can do the same.
Back in 2006 the Lord
asked me to quit alcohol altogether and I replied, “Yes, Lord, I would be happy
to do that for You.” I have kept my word ever since. For me, it was easy to
give up because I wanted to honor the Lord and I despised the things that
happened in my life as a result of drinking. But the food was another deal.
Why? Because we have to eat it every day to live. The sugar had such a hold on
me that I truly could not put it down in my own strength. I was completely
powerless to help myself with that.
Another example could be
cigarettes. The Lord did not specifically say that we cannot smoke in those
exact words. However, He is telling us in many verses to honor Him with our
body. We all know that smoking causes lung cancer as well as other diseases.
So, is it beneficial for us? Certainly not. Is it necessary to sustain life? No
again. These vices are not really beneficial to our health, are they? Not even close. Both of my parents, otherwise
healthy, passed away from lung cancer long before they should have. They smoked
for many years. One had quit for many years and still passed away from it.
Friend, I could talk for
hours on the subject of addiction because it has been a land filled with many
tall mountains in my life. But the thing we have to remember is this – when we
gave our life to Jesus, we were saying, “Lord, have Your way in my life. My
life and my body are no longer my own. I am offering myself up to You as a
living sacrifice – holy and pleasing to You. Show me what You want me to do and
I will obey.” We may have the freedom to do many things, but if we really are
Christ’s, then we have decided to leave our own passions and foolish desires behind
so that we can follow Him and do the work He has called us to do. Our lives are
really no longer our own if He truly is our Lord and Savior. Many Christians
might say, “It’s my life and I will do whatever I want.” If they are saying
that, then Jesus is not their Lord.
In the end, we will
discover that it was not the big mountain we thought it was. It will become as
level ground, and we will look back and shout about God’s grace that helped us
to make that mountain as a flat place so we could walk right over to the other
side – hallelujah! We will get to the
point where we wonder why it ever seemed to be such a big deal. When we
discover the ‘peaceful stream’ of obedience, we will enjoy how we feel on the
inside so much more.
Remember my precious friend
– that God’s word never fails when we apply it to our hearts by faith. I am
seeing it like I have never seen it before. We cannot leave our tools (The
Bible) in the tool shed!
Scriptures from This Message…
Colossians 3:2
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
John 6:38
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of
him that sent me.
Romans 6:1-8
What shall we say then? Shall we
continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead
to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so
many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore
we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his
death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that
our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed,
that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Things to Meditate on This Week:
·
Will you take the time this week to consider what
you have been allowing yourself to indulge in that is not necessarily a good
thing for your spirit, soul or body?
·
What will you change immediately to correct this?
·
Will you take the time to review this message and
speak out the verses we have covered and make them your own?
·
Will you go to the Lord in prayer and seek Him to
find out if there is anything that you are doing that He sees as not beneficial
for you?
The3rdJohn2Program@yahoo.com
Be blessed!
Hanny
Hanny
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