Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
1 Corithian 6:12 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 Corithian 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
Why is it that Paul speaks as though we can do whatever we want?
Well, I believe it's because of the New Covenant.
Let me ask you a question.
What changes first in salvation, the behavior or the relationship?
I would have to say the relationship..
1 John 3:6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
So why is that we are so concerned with behavior? I can change someone's behavior very easy but still have no relationship.
Let me put it this way. Let's say I made a big dinner for my wife with flowers, music and candles, the whole works but she does not want to join me. I could force her to join me but what good would that do because I would still know that in her heart, she does not want to be with me.
God says we are free from the Law, period.
But why?
Because what good would it do for God to force behavior change through laws and punishment if there is still no relationship?
How does all this work out in the end?
God desires and longs for a people He can call His own. A holy people He can love and call His family. A family who freely loves Him for no other reason other than because He first loved them.
When we see a brother or sister behaving in an unchrist like manner it does no good to correct the behavior by treating them differently or by bringing upon them guilt and condemnation because the wrong behavior is only a symptom of the relationship. If you want to change the behavior you must restore the relationship and how you restore the relationship is by loving them and accepting them where they are. This goes for the lost too.
Romans 2:4 Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
But why not just try to change the behavior?
Because in the end, behavior is not going to matter if the relationship is sour.
John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
This is why a person, who is in a right relationship with God, can fall into sin and yet still inherit eternal life because our inheritance is based on a son and daughter relationship with God, not behavior. Behavior is secondary to the relastionship and changes with growth and maturity in the relationship. Behavior changes all the time with different situations, God can work, correct and teach right behavior as long as there is a relationship.
John 14:5 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."
John 15:10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
God is more concerned with our relationship with Him than He is with us keeping His Law because He knows that if we fall in love with Him we will freely keep His Law without burden. But if we don't love God or neighbor, yet we keep God's Law, what good is it?
1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
1 Corithian 6:12 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 Corithian 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
Why is it that Paul speaks as though we can do whatever we want?
Well, I believe it's because of the New Covenant.
Let me ask you a question.
What changes first in salvation, the behavior or the relationship?
I would have to say the relationship..
1 John 3:6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him.
So why is that we are so concerned with behavior? I can change someone's behavior very easy but still have no relationship.
Let me put it this way. Let's say I made a big dinner for my wife with flowers, music and candles, the whole works but she does not want to join me. I could force her to join me but what good would that do because I would still know that in her heart, she does not want to be with me.
God says we are free from the Law, period.
But why?
Because what good would it do for God to force behavior change through laws and punishment if there is still no relationship?
How does all this work out in the end?
God desires and longs for a people He can call His own. A holy people He can love and call His family. A family who freely loves Him for no other reason other than because He first loved them.
When we see a brother or sister behaving in an unchrist like manner it does no good to correct the behavior by treating them differently or by bringing upon them guilt and condemnation because the wrong behavior is only a symptom of the relationship. If you want to change the behavior you must restore the relationship and how you restore the relationship is by loving them and accepting them where they are. This goes for the lost too.
Romans 2:4 Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
But why not just try to change the behavior?
Because in the end, behavior is not going to matter if the relationship is sour.
John 17:3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
This is why a person, who is in a right relationship with God, can fall into sin and yet still inherit eternal life because our inheritance is based on a son and daughter relationship with God, not behavior. Behavior is secondary to the relastionship and changes with growth and maturity in the relationship. Behavior changes all the time with different situations, God can work, correct and teach right behavior as long as there is a relationship.
John 14:5 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him."
John 15:10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
God is more concerned with our relationship with Him than He is with us keeping His Law because He knows that if we fall in love with Him we will freely keep His Law without burden. But if we don't love God or neighbor, yet we keep God's Law, what good is it?
1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
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