NOTE:
My manuscripts are basically my thoughts on paper. Typically, I use them as a guide, not verbatim. Very rarely do I preach my message exactly the way I wrote it. If you would like to hear the message preached, please visit Abundant Life Fellowship’s multimedia page at http://www.abundantlife-lompoc.org/multimedia.html
Our scripture passage this morning is not the sole basis of my message. However, it does lay a good foundation to begin our look at dealing with life’s gray areas.
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. – Daniel 1:8 NKJV
We must remember that Daniel was forced from his native land, and held in captivity in Babylon. One would think that being away from “home” that Daniel would be free to live anyway he chose. Instead, he purposed in his heart to live a life that would not cause the other Jews in captivity with him to stray from living the way God expected.
One thing that you will quickly find among Christians is that not everyone agrees on everything. I have actually heard about church splits because of the color of the carpet in the sanctuary. But along those lines, not all Christians agree on what is right and what is wrong. For one, the matter may be black and white, and to another it may be gray. One may feel that a person should not go to a certain place, whereas another sees nothing wrong with it. One may feel that doing a certain thing is wrong while another sees nothing wrong in doing it.
So what is right and wrong? This morning I want to present to you four questions that I hope will assist you in making that determination for yourself. The references to “it” in this case refers to activities, hobbies, habits and the like that may be a “gray area”.
1. Does it promote edification?
So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. – Romans 14:19 NLT
The word for edification in the Greek means “to build up; the act of one who promotes another’s growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness and holiness” (The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon – Strong’s number 3619).
In the context of our passage here, Paul is once again addressing the issue of “gray areas”.
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too. – Romans 14:17-18 NLT
In essence, don’t get wrapped up on the “gray area”. Instead, ask is this building or burning the Kingdom of God? Is what I’m doing contributing to unity among the saints, or is there a possibility it could divide it?
2. Can it lead to bondage (addiction)?
You may say, “I am allowed to do anything.” But I reply, “Not everything is good for you.” And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. – 1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT
Addiction could be captured in the statement, “when you want to say no, but can’t”.
I knew a guy when I was in Minot that told me, “I could never become a Christian.” When I inquired as to why, he said because there is no freedom. I’d have to give up this and that. I asked him if he was so free, then stop doing those activities that he felt we liberating. He looked at me with a disheartening look because he knew he couldn’t. So I asked him, “You’re not as free as you thought you where huh?”
Addiction is a physical and psychological dependence on a substance or behavior. It begins by using something to feel good. The addiction seems to "help" the person to avoid painful feelings (Arnot Ogden Medical Center). We look to things, substances or behaviors to make us feel good. This could be a emotional or physical need. But sadly, the thing that people turn to hoping to make them feel better often turns into bondage.
Remember from last week that we are to be enslaved to righteousness (Romans 6:18). So if the “gray area” could possibly place hooks in you that will bind you to itself, rather than allowing you to be bound to righteousness, maybe you should walk away from it.
3. Do you have any uneasy conscience about it?
The purpose of my instruction is that all the Christians there would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and sincere faith – 1 Timothy 1:5 NLT
Now we need to understand that our conscience is not necessarily the Holy Spirit. Paul really uses the concept of conscience in his letters, beginning with the book of Corinthians. And if we study the concept of conscience as outlined in the scriptures we will find that it is an aspect of self-awareness that produces the pain and/or pleasure we “feel” as we reflect on the norms and values we recognize and apply. Instead it is an inward capacity humans possess to critique themselves because the Creator provided this process as a means of moral restraint on His creation. (Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology).
Everyone has a conscience, but not everyone has the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells within us when we come to Christ. There are many “good” non-Christian people who have a sense of morality.
As we look at 1 Timothy 1:5, we see that there are three elements that are necessary to have an “agape” love are a pure heart, a clear conscience and a sincere faith. Even if we have a pure heart and a sincere faith, but an unclear conscience because of things in our lives, we will have extreme difficulty growing into an unconditional love for one another. Often we wonder why there is so much contention in the church. It may just be because there are things in our lives that we know we shouldn’t be involved in.
Another indicator that you have an unclear conscience about your gray area is that you try to hide it. A good test to give yourself is this: Whenever you are doing something, from watching TV to eating, ask yourself, “If someone knocked on the door right now, could I open the door without scurrying around or checking the peep hole?” If you are afraid that someone whether inside the fellowship or even outside were to find out, odds are it isn’t right for you to do.
4. Can it cause someone else to stumble?
Now let’s talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.
So now, what about it? Should we eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God and no other. According to some people, there are many so-called gods and many lords, both in heaven and on earth. But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we exist for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life.
However, not all Christians realize this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t miss out on anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. But you must be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble.
You see, this is what can happen: Weak Christians who think it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating in the temple of an idol. You know there’s nothing wrong with it, but they will be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been dedicated to the idol. So because of your superior knowledge, a weak Christian, for whom Christ died, will be destroyed. And you are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong. If what I eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to make another Christian stumble. - 1 Corinthians 8 NLT
You probably guessed I’d get to this sooner or later. But this is perhaps the true test of the “gray area”.
Imagine that you had invited someone over to your home. Let’s suppose there was a skunk outside and something scared it so that it gave off its scent. The smell begins to enter the home. You immediately reach up for your favorite air freshener and start to spray the room. Your guest begins coughing and can barely breathe. You recognize the person is having an allergic reaction and their airway is quickly closing, what would you do?
A. Keep spraying the house until the skunk sent is all gone.
B. Stop spraying the house with the freshener and help your friend whatever means necessary to get them to the hospital.
C. Look at your friend and wonder why he or she does not have enough faith to overcome the air freshener. Or
D. Let your friend know you are sorry the air freshener offends them, but you have every right to spray your house to make it smell good. (Borrowed from Rick Gillespie-Mobley (contibutor ID 5503))
Now, I believe that in this situation, prayerfully, we would get our friend to the hospital as soon as humanly possible. But, unfortunately, this sort of thing happens all the time, because of a twisted perception of being “free in Christ”.
Just because we are free in Christ, doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want. For example, I have the freedom and the right as an American to go out on the street corner and burn the American flag. While doing so, I also have the right, under the first Amendment, to shout obscenities and racial slurs to every one of other ethnic groups. But just because I have the right, doesn’t make it right.
Paul instructs the saints of Corinth to “be careful with this freedom of yours” (v 9). Underline this is your Bibles.
I have heard many people say, “I am free to do whatever I want to. If other people don’t like it, that’s their problem.” I am here to inform you that is not a Biblical perspective to maintain in your Christian walk. We are to always be mindful of others. If Jesus was self absorbed, we’d be in bad shape. Be very mindful, that your “freedom” can cause someone else to sin against Jesus Christ. Your “freedom” could lead someone else to be bound by addiction and sin.
Closing
Looking at these four questions, if you can say yes to one or all four of them, then you shouldn’t be involved or partake of the “gray area”.
But after looking at these things, and you realize that there are some areas in your life that are not what they should be, I want to pray for you.
Remember, the life that you lead may be the only Bible some people ever read. What version, or perversion of the scriptures are they reading?
