We often wish there were clear directions, maybe a list, to help us make all the right decisions. As a result, many fall prey to legalistic standards that propose these kinds of things. They promise that if you wear the right clothes, say the right things, follow the proper rules, and pay homage to the right people, you will make the right decisions, and God will bless you. Unfortunately, legalism doesn’t work. Following man-made rules does not lead to correct decisions or God’s blessing.
However, as we stated at the outset, God’s Word contains everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). This means that God’s Word contains everything we need to make wise decisions and develop wise convictions. Over the last several months, we have looked at various principles found in scripture that can help us in this endeavor. Not every principle applies to every situation. And there are principles that we did not cover. The goal was to demonstrate how to study scripture, mine out the principles, and apply them to our lives. Further, we observed that two Christians who love the Lord can approach the same situation, use the same principles, come to polar opposite conclusions, and both be correct.
The first principle we observed was the principle of sin and Christian liberty. As God’s children, we must take sin seriously. Rather than play games with scripture to make gray what God declared in black and white, we should endeavor to obey God in all things. If God says it is sin, don’t do it! However, there are many gray things in scripture. In those cases, Christians have the liberty before God to work through His Word and arrive at their own conclusions about what is best. Having said that, just because it is not a sin does not mean that we should go ahead and act.
The second principle we observed was the principle of expediency. We should not sacrifice what is best on the altar of what is ok. Observing two texts in 1 Corinthians, Paul encourages us that not all things are best. Some things control us, and we should not be controlled by anything other than the Holy Spirit. Some things do not serve to further our relationship with God and instead hinder it. As believers, we should value our relationship with God above all else. So, just because you can does not mean that you should. If that action or decision controls you or hinders your walk with God, don’t do it!
Third, we observed the principle of love. We should love our fellow believers more than our desires. 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14 reveal that when Christians disagree on an action or conviction that is not black and white in scripture, they should rush to serve one another, not judge one another. When the issue becomes a dividing line, the church is hurt. However, sacrificing for one another in this way requires humility. It requires admitting that both sides can be correct with polar opposite conclusions. And it requires that I love God and His church more than my desires. Sadly, we often see man-made standards (regarding clothing, music, and activities) mean more to Christians than the souls of their fellow believers. These things ought not to be. Christian love will deny self. If this action or decision does not serve or demonstrate love to your fellow believer, don’t do it!
The fourth principle looked inward to our conscience. As Paul concluded Romans 14, he challenged us that anything that is not of faith is a sin. Anything we cannot do with a clear conscience, believing we are right before God, should be avoided. Beyond the usual temptation we face, Christians often struggle as they see fellow believers acting in a way they do not understand. Concluding that these actions must be permissible before God, Christians violate their conscience and, in doing so, sin. Thus, training our conscience by the Word of God is essential. Yet, until we are fully convinced from scripture that the action or conviction is not sin, we should avoid it. If your conscience bothers you with the decision or action, don’t do it!
We next turned to the principle of God’s glory! The purpose of life is to make God look as good as He really is. Thus, this desire should drive every action and conviction. Rather than live life for our prestige, we live to proclaim Christ! I am convinced that the better part of most Christians’ day-to-day lives would be drastically altered if they lived with God’s glory in mind. If the action or decision does not lead to you fulfilling your purpose of bringing God glory, don’t do it!
Finally, we looked at the principle of the gospel. We should make it our goal to declare the gospel in everything we do. From 1 Corinthians 9, we observe that we should be willing to give up our rights because we love the gospel. We should be willing to give up our rights because we love people. And we should be willing to give up our rights because we love eternity. If this action or decision will hinder gospel opportunities, don’t do it!
Scripture contains many more principles that you can use to help make wise biblical decisions. However, you cannot know them if you do not search the scripture yourself. God’s Word must be present in every part of your life. If you claim to be a Christian and do not spend regular time in God’s Word, you cannot expect to make decisions that please God. It is like attempting to assemble a pressboard dresser without the instructions. Search God’s Word and bring its lessons to your decision-making. When you do this, you will find peace as you navigate difficult decisions.