Living For Christ (1 Cor. 10:23-30)

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake; FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS. If one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake. But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake; I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?
(1 Corinthians 10:23-30, NASB)

God established the law to help His created beings know how to live. As Paul wrote to the church in Rome: “I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COVET’” (7:7, NASB).

But those of us who have accepted the gift of grace and salvation through the sacrificial death and resurrection of our Savior are no longer under the law (see Galatians 3:13; 4:5). Instead of focusing on a list of “do’s” or “do not’s,” we should instead focus on living as Christ did. We should strive to love our God—heart, soul, mind, and strength—and love our neighbors (see Mark 12:30-31).

Think of it: If each of us really focused on living the “fruit” of the Spirit, how different would this world be? If only we were people of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23a, NKJV). Why? “Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (5:23b-25).

However, even if we're not under the law, just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should do something. We’re not all gifted the same way, and each of us is called to serve God in the way He’s called.

Certainly, we need to live righteously, but more importantly, we need to seek God’s will in all things. striving to glorify our Lord.