Titus 2

We discovered last week that, contrary to popular opinion, self-control actually results in personal freedom. For “us Americans”, anything that smacks of true liberty has appeal. I think we can safely say that desire for liberty is fairly universal!

With personal freedom comes a new dilemma: how do I determine what I should choose to be doing with this liberty? God, in His infinite wisdom, didn’t give a bunch of rules that would soon be outdated, but gave us principles to guide us in our choices.

“Everything is permissible for me”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”–but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6.12 NIV

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

When checking your level of self-control, ask a couple of pointed questions: Am I free to choose this? Am I able to say no freely, to stop at any time, to honestly regulate this activity?

Many people, for instance, will tell you that when they walk into a room with a TV on they are drawn to it. Conversation halts, focus changes, and the TV consumes their energy and attention. That is symptomatic of a real problem. Food, spending habits, gossip, flirting — these are some common trouble spots. You may have other addictions, like my friend who couldn’t read books without being controlled by them. She would be up until 4:00 a.m., unable to put down her current novel to get a good night’s sleep. In the morning, her young children and husband would be greeted by a less than enthusiastic wife and mother. It soon became a habit that needed to be dealt with. (How? Read the previous posts on this topic, “Not Given to Much Wine” parts1&2.) Assess your habits honestly with these questions. You will discover whether or not this is an activity that will enslave you through fleshly weakness. If it is, you should probably choose to not participate.

Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants. Romans 8.5 Good News Translation

Does this activity agree with God’s will and character? In other words, is it Godly? Or will God need to be left out of this? (Just how does one do that since He is inescapable? Let me know how you make out with that one…) Enough said. I think you understand.

So you make it through the first few questions. You find that this activity is something you can freely walk away from at any given moment. You also determine that God could be there with you and you wouldn’t even blink. Good for you! Now let’s delve into motivation.

“Everything is permissible”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive. 1 Corinthians, 10:23 NIV
Or as the NKJV says, “…not all things edify.”

Next set of questions: Does this build me and/or others? Is this activity helpful? Does it edify?

“Come on! Now you’re really messing with my plans for the night! I was gonna put on a DVD and kickback big-time. Not fair!!”

Am I implying that we shouldn’t have fun, that we can’t do something just for entertainment, that everything has to be good for us, like a One-A-Day Vitamin? Not exactly! You’ve jumped to wrong conclusions!

Can’t fun be edifying? Don’t you need R&R for good health? Of course you do! Eat your vitamin and have your cake tonight, too… if cake passes all those other tests. But be honest with yourself and make sure that tenth game of online Scrabble in one hour isn’t crossing the line into indulgence. Okay?

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.
But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Romans 14.22-23 NIV

Or as the Good News Translation says:
Keep what you believe about this matter, then, between yourself and God. Happy are those who do not feel guilty when they do something they judge is right!
But if they have doubts about what they eat, God condemns them when they eat it, because their action is not based on faith. And anything that is not based on faith is sin.

Last question: Am I acting out of faith right now? Have I asked all the questions so that I now have confidence to believe that I have judged correctly? If not, search out the Word until you have faith. But do not act apart from faith. Better to hold off for a season until you can, with true faith and conviction, participate. Because, as we just read, “anything that is not based on faith is sin.” That’s the black and white of it all.

This week’s thought: let’s learn to gauge our self-control and use our liberty for sincere service to Christ. May real liberty truly reign!