“EVERYTHING IS PERMISSIBLE”

Dearly Beloved,
“EVERYTHING IS PERMISSIBLE”
“‘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 NIV).
“‘Everything is permissible’ — but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’ — but not everything is constructive” (1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV).
One of the problems that the controversial Corinthian church faced in the first century was the fact that they thought that they could do anything. It seems there was a popular slogan in the town to justify that. Twice, Paul addressed the issue in his first epistle to the church. It is a fact that everything and anything may be permissible or lawful, but not everything is beneficial and constructive.
Recently, I learnt this lesson in the aspect of daily quotes of my online ministry in two ways. One, I used to use any “good” quotation from anybody until one day I used a quotation of a renown unbeliever whose views are totally against the teachings of the Bible. Interestingly, I could get a Bible verse to support that quotation in the corresponding “Bible verse for the Day” aspect of the ministry. Many people that read the quotation that day wondered why a pastor would be quoting an unbeliever. Two, that incident made me to be more conscious of what I will use as my daily quotes. I, especially, now take more care in using the verses of the Bible to support any quotation. My extra care made me discovered that not every quotation no matter how good it may seem has a corresponding Bible verse. Most of these quotations are wishful thinking of the originators with no scriptural backing. This exposes the danger that the current motivation speakers pose for their unsuspecting audience. While I do not condemn these motivation speakers, one has to verify what they are saying and see whether they are in line with the word of God.
This is applicable to other areas of life. What are you doing presently? No matter how good that thing may be, can you substantiate it with undiluted word of God? How beneficial and constructive is that thing to you and others around you? “Everything is permissible.” However, beware that your “good” acts or words are beneficial, constructive and supported by the word of God.
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).
NB
Let me use this medium to invite you to join my Yahoo group created purposely for daily quotes http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spiritualdigestdaily/ or give me your full email address to be added to the group. If you are not checking your mails regularly, please ignore this because I send quotes daily to people in this group by email. You may visit http://inspirationaldailyquotes.blogspot.com/ and bookmark it for the daily quotes. Also visit http://bibleverseofthedaybypastorbayo.blogspot.com/ for corresponding daily edifying Bible verses. Bookmark or save it and be visiting it every day. God bless you!