{"id":40288,"date":"2023-04-29T15:11:46","date_gmt":"2023-04-29T13:11:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/the-bible-says-that-everything-is-permitted\/"},"modified":"2023-09-07T17:44:36","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T15:44:36","slug":"the-bible-says-that-everything-is-permitted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/en\/the-bible-says-that-everything-is-permitted\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bible says that everything is permitted"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Everything is allowed to me<\/h3>\n

The Bible says that everything is permitted:<\/p>\n

“Anything goes for me!”<\/em>
\n1Cor 6,12<\/p>\n

“Anything goes for me!”<\/em>
\n1Cor 10,23<\/p>\n

In both verses, the statement is repeated. Accordingly, it is written 4 times. These are words of the apostle Paul in his first letter to the church in Corinth.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”151068″]<\/p>\n

Contradiction among believers<\/h3>\n

Not a few believers get into deep distress by such a statement. I spoke about this once in a home group and one participant had to go to counseling with the pastor the next day. She was deeply shaken.<\/p>\n

Of course, I had put the statement in a larger context, balanced the statement, as Paul himself did. The text is not one-sided. However, this woman was no longer receptive to this. Only this one “Everything is allowed to me!” remained in the memory and it disturbed the image of faith sensitively. That was too much of freedom!<\/p>\n

The pastor then, in his authority, calmed the situation and reintroduced rules of faith and legal thinking. Everyone needs guardrails in life, don’t they? Believers must abide by rules. In other words, the freedom from Christ was frighteningly free and the pastor immediately curtailed that freedom. This calmed the woman down again and she was allowed to nurse her own fears again. As quickly as possible, she returned to the familiar image of faith. I understand that, but still wonder if it can’t be done better?<\/p>\n

I have experienced situations like this and similar again and again. When absolute freedom is spoken of, people in evangelical circles immediately think of gross aberrations, moral decay and the end of the known world. However, this also shows how little free many Christians are and how little is said about the meaning and impact of grace.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”170309″]<\/p>\n

The text read in context<\/h3>\n

In direct context, both texts state the following:<\/p>\n

“Everything is allowed to me,<\/em>
\nbut not everything promotes me!<\/em>
\nEverything is allowed to me,<\/em>
\nbut I will not let anything<\/em>
\nHave it placed under their power of attorney.”<\/em>
\n1Cor 6,12<\/p>\n

“Everything is allowed to me, <\/em>
\nhowever, not everything is beneficial.<\/em>
\nEverything is allowed to me, but not everything builds.<\/em>
\nNo one seeks his own, <\/em>
\nbut that of the other.”<\/em>
\n1Cor 10,23-24<\/p>\n

If one reads the text more completely, then in the same verses the statement is balanced. We haven’t even talked about the larger context and concern of Paul in these chapters yet. Also, we have not looked at the situation in Corinth, which Paul is addressing here. So there are still many unanswered questions. Even this small expansion of the context, however, shows that Paul was not concerned with letting believers drift into licentiousness.<\/p>\n

Everything is allowed – but not everything is useful, not everything builds.<\/p>\n

Let’s pay attention to the first part of this statement first. The apostle says it plainly: Everything is permitted. This is what grace does. There are no limits. The freedom is 100%. Just one verse earlier, Paul addressed believers as follows: “But you have been washed away, you have been sanctified, you have been justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”<\/em> (1 Cor. 6:11). Right after that he tells these people: “Everything is permitted to me!<\/em> This is what is meant for these believers. It is just as true that believers are sanctified and justified “in the name of Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” as it is that they hear in the next verse that everything (without exception) is permitted.<\/p>\n

Now, in the second part of the statement, several things are mentioned about how we should handle this freedom. While everything is allowed, not everything edifies, not everything is useful. Paul describes how he himself deals with this freedom.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=”157662″]<\/p>\n

Paul himself is the example<\/h3>\n

Paul does not say, “All things are lawful for you<\/strong>,” but “All things are lawful for me<\/strong>.” He leads by his example (cf. Phil 3:17). He shows how he implements this himself – with responsibility and a goal in mind. Readers of the letter could take their cue from this. The apostle does not seek an excuse for a moral lapse, but grace educates to a life pleasing to God. “Thinking like Paul” is an adventure of grace.<\/p>\n

“Thinking like Paul” is an adventure of grace.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Freedom is not curtailed by Paul. It is communicated to the municipality without any deductions. He does not say: you are free, but<\/strong> please keep the 10 commandments (and all present nod eagerly and say that this is very useful and must be kept, otherwise the world will perish). Nothing of the sort happens. However, a few additions follow. It’s not rules, it’s not laws, it’s not closets, but Paul is talking about how he handles it himself and that not everything is for building. In other words, everyone should consider where their decisions lead.<\/p>\n