Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial.

This statement by Paul is one of my favorites, because it is one of the most mis-used statements in the New Testament.

Lets explain it like this:

When you file your tax return, you are allowed to take certain deductions and credits.

On the other hand, when file your tax return you are allowed to opt to NOT take those deductions and credits.

It is completely permissible for you to not claim deductions, but it is not beneficial in the slightest.

Take one of the big ones, the Child Tax Credit. $1000 per child (for most parents). If you have children, you can claim it and get $1000 per child.

You can opt to not take it, but doing so means that you miss out on the $1000 that is available to you.

It’s that simple.

Things are the same in your Christian life. There are things that God tells you that you should do. You can opt to not do them but it really doesn’t benefit you to say no.

It is perfectly OK for you to say no to God – there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ – but saying no is definitely not beneficial!

God knows what’s best for you – really He does. God also rewards the faithful.

So why would we ever want to play the ‘Everything is permissible for me’ card either to do something or not do something?

If God really is who He says He is (and I assume you think He is, otherwise you wouldn’t be following His Son) then we can trust Him to know what’s right and to not call us to do something that is not right.

You don’t play the ‘Everything is permissible for me’ card to say no to money that the IRS wants to give you so stop playing it with the blessings that God wants to pour out!