44 Days Through the New Testament- Day 24

1 Corinthians 6-8

Paul, exhorting the Corinthian Church, makes an amazing statement in 1 Corinthians 6.

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12, ESV)

I love this reality!

People have often asked me for my opinion or advice on a potential sin issue. The question typically sounds something like this, “As a Christian, can I ______?”

My response is always the same. I think it is a bad question. A better question would be, “As a Christian, how can I give God maximum glory through my life?”

All things are lawful for us, but not all things are helpful.

1 Corinthians 9-11

Paul continues to give incredible insight and advice to the Corinthian church throughout 1 Corinthians. Another one of my favorite passages from this letter shows up in chapter 9.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. (1 Corinthians 9:24, ESV)

Salvation is a FREE gift from God! It is not by anything that we have done, but by what Christ has done on the cross that we can receive eternal life from God. We are saved by simple faith -believing that Christ paid for our sins when He hung on the cross!

Getting on Team Jesus is completely free! It costs you nothing. Becoming a “starter” on Team Jesus, however, will require a lot of work! We need to be trained and equipped if we are going to be receive the prize. This is what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 9.

We don’t work (or “run”) for the prize of salvation -that was a free gift from God! We work for the prize of being a faithful steward of the gifts and talents that the LORD has generously blessed us with.