Surprisingly, Christianity is the most liberty-loving religion on earth: “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12).
The author of this verse said that he could do anything he wanted. This is the liberty of the Christian faith.
However, the author limited himself because he knew actions had consequences. Sure, you can do what you want. But some things you won’t do because you don’t want to go to jail. You are voluntarily limiting yourself. You deliberately refrain from driving on the wrong side of the road. You accept the trade-off because you understand the reasonableness of the restriction – it promotes safety and order in society.
So it is with Christians. They may smoke, drink, and wear tattoos, but many don’t because they know these things can have adverse effects on themselves and their family. And engaging in immorality will harm their walk with God and may harm others.
Some Christians find life rich enough that the pursuit of fun is not a high priority. They find great satisfaction when helping the elderly or poor. While many secular youth are bored, life is full of meaning to the young Christians who know that God has called them to serve others. Why should we constantly seek out the latest fad when we can be happy with the knowledge that God loves us and has entrusted us with important responsibilities for the kingdom of God?
What Do You Think?
a. Do you make time for serious pursuits, like a career, and still have time to enjoy other activities? Why would someone think Christians cannot do this?
b. If someone doesn’t drink, smoke, dance, or watch movies or sports, but enjoys spending time with a whole church company of friends, is he really missing out?
