“Everything is permissible for me”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”–but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12)
The Corinthian church was a very interesting church. From what you read in 1 Corinthians, they were apparently a group of believers that loved to spout off their biblical knowledge, liked to focus on spiritual gifts, talents and abilities, stood up for their “rights” and did not like to back down to anyone, and felt proud of their tolerance of immoral behavior. Quite a bunch! Because of their arrogance and immaturity, the church was constantly battling one another–arguing over who was more spiritual, who knew more, which Christian teacher was better, who was baptized by whom, and who should speak more on a Sunday morning. Trying to get this church back on track was a major challenge and heartache (and headache!) for the apostle Paul.
In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul has to deal with the issues of lawsuits between believers and a loose view of sexual immorality within the church.
In verse 12, Paul apparently quotes a saying that was often used in the Corinthian church–”Everything is permissible for me.” In other words, in Christ, I am free from sin and condemnation therefore I can do what I want. They were partially correct. In Christ, we are free from condemnation. We are under grace not law. Thus we do not want to get caught up in legalistic “do’s and don’ts.” However, the Corinthians missed one key point. We are not freed from sin’s condemnation to sin more; but rather freed from sin’s condemnation to sin less.
Paul hammers this point home in Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
It’s almost like the person who is pardoned out of prison. They are now free. But their freedom should not be an occasion to go back to a life of sin and crime. That would be foolishness. Instead they are free to begin again, free to live righteously, free to now use their time and talents for the benefit of others not themselves.
In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul emphasizes this point in a different way. Everything is permissible for me. I am free in Christ. But not everything is beneficial. Some things I am free to do may actually harm myself, others, and/or the testimony of Christ. And furthermore I will not be mastered by anything. Some things I am free to do actually bring me into more bondage.
Why do we avoid sin? Not because we have to. Not out of guilt or duty or legalism. Why do we avoid sin? Because it destroys us and others and always brings us into bondage. That is why Paul goes on to say, “Flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). When we give into pornography, lust, fornication, prostitution, or adultery, we harm ourselves, harm others, harm the testimony of Christ, and find ourselves addicted and in bondage.
Sin is not to be played around with. It is a cancer that destroys us, a prison that enslaves us. Christ died to set us free from sin. He washes, sanctifies, and justifies us so that we can live a new life filled with joy, satisfaction, and love…a life free from the impact of sin.
Lord, may I not take sin lightly. May I see it for what it is, flee from it, and instead pursue You and Your joy with all my energy and strength.