6 Guiding Principles in Doubtful Situations
Can I go clubbing? Is smoking wrong? What about drinking? These are few examples of questions often asked by Christians. Some would call them the 'grey areas'. Oswald Sanders listed 6 questions which we could ask ourselves when in doubtful situations like these, in his book 'Problems of Discipleship'.
1. Will it bring glory to God?
"So whether u eat or drink or whatever u do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31)
2. Is is profitable?
"Everything is permissible"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"-but not everything is constructive. (1 Cor 10:23)
3. Does it edify?
"...for building u up rather than pulling u down..." (2 Cor 10:8)
4. Does it tend to enslave?
"...Everything is permissible for me"-but I will not be mastered by anything"
(1 Cor 6:12)
5. Will it strengthen me against temptation?
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
(Mat 6:13)
6. Is it characteristic of the world or of the Father?
For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he does-comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:16)
Lets take clubbing for instance...Will I, by going clubbing, stumbles another brother? Will I be exposing myself to temptations (ie lust of the eyes, drunkeness)? Could I possibly be addicted? How can I benefit from it? Am I bringing glory to God in anyway, or just merely satisfying my worldly cravings?
I could not give a direct 'yes' or 'no' answer to whether we should go clubbing or not. But ask yourselves those questions, and make a wise decision. You may find that the world is not so grey after all.
3 Comments:
this is nothing related to what u posted.
just wanna say Happy Birthday..hehe.
hey bro! Your photo looks very authentic hehehe...
Good to see u thinking thru an issue of life thru biblical eyes... Keep blogging for His glory and our good!
may I add that the seventh question is to ask, what resides in the heart of God? I was once asked what if my non-Christian parents refused to allow me to go to church to worship God, what should I do? What if my fervent prayer and devotional life stumble another fellow Christian because they feel discouraged rather than be encouraged by your ferventness, do you then stop what you are called to do? What if my non-Christian relatives cannot understand how one can give up their lives to enter into full-time ministry, do you then give it up too?
We struggle with dishonoring/disobeying our parents if we do or displeasing God if we don't. Sometimes, I feel that Christians live too much in other people's judgment.
While some argue that Christians should not go clubbing as it may stumble others (more likely Christians than non), I see it as an opportunity for faithful and responsible Christians to witness to the world that they can be in this world but not of it.
I think that pursuing the heart of God really helps me answer many of these questions. Of course, this in itself is a hard thing to find answer too. Maybe OT David can help us with it. What does it mean to be truly after God's own heart?
This is for me, the question which decides for me. Though much harder to practice in reality than in theory. Nonetheless, we can still try.
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