‘All things are lawful’, but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful’, but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbour.
‘All things are lawful for me’, but not all things are
helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me’, but I will not be enslaved by
anything… Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then
take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do
you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? …
But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual
immorality…
1 Corinthians 10:23-24
& 6:12-18
If Paul’s use of ‘all things’ includes everything
that can possibly be included, what did he mean by ‘lawful’? The literal
meaning of the Greek is right or correct but it derives from the idea of being
out in public. In other words, they are things not shut away and access restricted to
certain groups of people – the rich or those with the right social connections.
Neither are they disgraceful and disreputable, needing to be done in secret.
They are things to be enjoyed, openly, by everyone.
I think we see the distinction in the way Paul had
previously quoted the phrase ‘All things are lawful’ in connection with sexual
immorality: see the second passage at the start of today's Reflection but for a fuller picture read 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 & 6:12-20. He used it of the prostitution
common in Corinth but not when referring to the man living with his father’s
wife which, he wrote, was fornication ‘of a kind not tolerated even among
pagans’.
I do not think that Paul meant to imply that sexual relations
with prostitutes was lawful; I am sure he was clarifying that sexual relations
were natural and lawful but only in the
right context, which is why he then gave good reasons why Christians should
abstain from sex with prostitutes.
It is not uncommon for Christians who are able to
live comfortably to justify a degree of extravagance and self-indulgence as
God’s blessing, especially if they give generously to their churches and are
not as extravagant as their relatives, neighbours or work colleagues. But that can
be the problem! A degree of generosity and moderation can create false
security. Just as logic about what is ‘lawful’ led the Christians in Corinth to
wrong conclusions about lifestyle, so it can mislead us.
While Paul agrees that ‘all things are lawful’, he adds two important ‘buts’: ‘but not all things are helpful…but not all things build up’. Not helpful or constructive for us, however, but for our neighbours. We can therefore ask ourselves these questions.
While Paul agrees that ‘all things are lawful’, he adds two important ‘buts’: ‘but not all things are helpful…but not all things build up’. Not helpful or constructive for us, however, but for our neighbours. We can therefore ask ourselves these questions.
- Is what I want something most people could enjoy and not elitist or discriminatory? Or disgraceful or disreputable, to be kept secret? Is it helpful and constructive for others?
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