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Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Godly Decision making that truly profits

1 Corinthians 6:12a  All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable.

Yesterday we began exploring ways in which we can make informed godly decisions in areas that can be deemed debatable areas.  We also discovered that using a principle - a universal standard from God's word that can be applied to specific situations - is the best way to approach decision making.

The first principle we looked at was: Choose according to what builds up and promotes Christian harmony

Today we look at the second principle, gleaned from the text above: "Choose based upon what is the most profitable" 

Choosing what is most profitable in the area of food and drink
I find it interesting that Paul uses food and the area of physical relationships as his test cases for applying this general principle - since it is those areas that many people are challenged with in today's world in the realm of godly decisions.  When it comes to eating or drinking - too often people choose according to their desires, rather than according to what is most profitable or beneficial.  Other scriptures speaks of the Christian's body as "the temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19).  If Christians looked at themselves not as mere physical beings - but as God's temple - we would change what we take into our bodies, as well as how we use them.

Choosing what is most profitable in the area of physical relationships
Likewise in the realm of physical relationships- the scriptures make it clear that in marriage is found to be of sole benefit to both man and woman as a husband and wife.  Once again, many people will chart their moral course in this area based upon what feels good.  What about what is most beneficial?  Outside of the marriage relationship, physical relationships are frought with emotional and relational problems, as well as medical disease.  Whenever we live in the revealed will of God as it pertains to marriage - we will find that what He deems most beneficial is what leads to the best benefit.

Taking this principle along with the last principle as the building blocks for godly decision-making
Now if we take what we learned today and combine it with our last lesson - choices based upon what builds up and promotes godly peace, we begin to build a solid - biblical foundation for Godly decision making.  For instance - is what I am eating or drinking going to lead to building up and promoting harmony, as well as benefiting others?  If not - then I need to conclude that I can't pursue that course.  Likewise - biblical marriage is the only context in which I can have a relationship wherein the highest benefit is attained for the other person.  Finally, marriage, as biblically followed, will achieve the building up of the other person as God originally planned. 

Tomorrow we will look at the second part of 1 Corinthians 6:12 as we continue in this blog series - "Principles for Godly decision making".