“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Col 3:16 KJV)

Some times it is hard as a Christian to know what we should or should not do. There are all kinds of questions that arise in the decisions of our daily lives that make us ask that question. It may be the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the places we go, or what we do to and with our bodies.

To some of these questions there are very clear and direct answers. For instance “Should I shoplift that Bible that I can not afford?” The answer is very clear in Ex. 20:15  “Thou shalt not steal”

Many year ago as a young Christian I was given the following set of Question to help me with such decisions, the ones in the what many call the Gray areas of Christian life and liberty.

We must remember that we are not under the law, that as Christians we are not constrained by the Laws of Moses, but We are constrained by the Love of Christ. II Cor. 5:14

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:” (2Co 5:14 KJV)

But we also recognize that none of the questions we propose nor the answers will keep you from sin, if you do not regard Christ and His Word highly in your heart and life. If you desire only to live for yourself and your pleasures you are sure to disregard the truth presented in these question.

It is not enough to “Just Say No!” your reason behind why you say no must be strong enough to keep you from falling.

Not let’s consider these 10 questions.

I. Do I Belong to Christ?

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1Co 6:20 KJV)

A. If the answer is Yes, then all the rest of the Questions will have a bearing upon your decisions.

B. If the answer is No, then all the rest that I have to say to you this morning will mean nothing.

C. Now Consider this Scripture.

1. You are bought with a price. The Death of Christ on the Cross.

2. The death of Christ is no small matter. He who was sinless, became sin for you.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Co 5:21 KJV)

3. By Trusting Christ as your saviour, he made you righteous. In fact it is the righteousness that God requires.

4. In the previous verse we are told that we are not our own, we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1Co 6:19 KJV)

a) We would not think of throwing cow dung inside a Church building,

b) But what kind of dung are you putting inside the temple of the Holy Spirit by what you think, read, listen to and etc.

II. Will what I want to do glorify Christ.

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1Co 10:31 KJV)

A. To glorify-worship, adore, exalt, elevate, praise

B. Will your actions say, Christ is great, and I love him, are will they say something else.

C. Will others see your actions and declare, “Christ has sure made a difference in her/his life”

D. Notice the scope of the actions involved.

1. Eating,

2. Drinking

3. Whatsoever ye do. This would Include all are actions.

E. If you would be ashamed to have your mother find out you were doing something, there is no doubt that it would not bring Glory to your Lord either.

III. Can I thank God as I do this thing?

“Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1Th 5:17-18 KJV)

A. How can you be in prayer with stopping if you are doing things that do not please the Lord.

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” (Ps 66:18 KJV)

B. We are to give thanks for everything, How can we thank the Lord if we are doing something he would not approve.

C. Can you honestly say “I thank you Lord for this ‘cigarette, illegal drug, illicit relationship’ that I am about partake?”

IV. Does the things that I want to do make me better spiritually, mentally, physically?

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.” (1Co 10:23 KJV)

“How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” (1Co 14:26 KJV)

A. The Word edify means to “build up” or to “build”.

B. These verse can be applied to the friends you have as well, if they are not building you up, they are not your friends at best they are your mission field.

C. There is not such thing in the Bible as Missionary dating.

D. This is not just the spiritual as we might think for chapter 14, but in Chapter 10 we saw all thing eating, drinking and whatsoever you do follows this.

V. Can this thing that I want to do enslave me?

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (1Co 6:12 KJV)

A. There are activities that can enslave us, bring us into bondage.

B. To make it sound better the world has adopted a different term “addicted to”

C. The word addicted is only used once in the KJV and it is found in relationship to serving the saints

 “I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)” (1Co 16:15 KJV)

D. How many have tried to kick a “habit” that thing has enslaved you.

E. We are to be servants, slaves of Jesus Christ.

 “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Ro 6:11-23 KJV)

F. An we can not serve two master,

 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt 6:24 KJV)

VI. Does this actions have the appearance of evil?

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1Th 5:22 KJV)

A. Remember that the world’s standard for a Christian is higher that what you may think.

B. How many of us have done something and some unsaved person said, “I Thought you were a Christian”

C. Some things that are no longer done in the darkness and closet, should still be done in darkness and the closet, because they are still vile, and wicked.

D. Remember men love darkness because their deeds are evil.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (Joh 3:19 KJV)

E. What you think if you drove by a tavern and saw me come out with a brown paper sack in my hand, and as I walk over the threshold, I stumbled. You my turn to a friend and say “Why Pastor Miller came out of that bar stumbling drunk!” when all that was in the sack was fried Chicken and I had had nothing to drink. My action would have the appearance of evil.

VII. If I do this thing is there a possibility that I will cause someone else to stumble.

“It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” (Ro 14:21 KJV)

 “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” (1Co 8:9-13 KJV)

A. What would you think of a person who purposefully caused a runner to trip and fall during a race, No Good I am sure.

B. How about your kids leaving the toys on the floor to be tripped over during the night

C. How about some fool leaving a man hole cover off in the middle of the street to drive into.

D. You see it may be alright for me to Go into a “bar” to buy a burger, but what if a weaker brother sees me and says, “Pastor Miller, just came out of the tavern it must be ok for me to go in have a drink” You see the trouble I get into.

VIII. Do I have a question about whether I should do this thing? Am I in doubt about right or wrong?

“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Ro 14:23 KJV)

A. If you have to question whether a thing is right or wrong, it is best not to do it and be safe.

B. If you don’t believe that you know that God would be please with the action, don’t do it. It is best to find out you did not do something good, than to find out you did something evil.

C. God’s Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth, and he will guide you away from error.

“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.” (Joh 16:13 KJV)

IX. Would I be embarrassed if Christ came while I am doing this thing?

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2Co 5:10 KJV)

“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1Jo 2:28-3:3 KJV)

A. We do not know the hour in which he will come but you can be assured that when he appears and we are not living for him, we will be ashamed.

X. Will I receive a “well done” for what I want to do?

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Mt 25:21 KJV)

A. This life is short, but a vapor James says,

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” (Jas 4:14 KJV)

B. Eternity is for ever

C. Therefore we would be better off to hear a “well done” from the Saviour, than “you’re a good ole gal” from the Gang now. They if unsaved are not going where you are when we die.

XI. Why should I be Concerned

“Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:” (2Co 3:2 KJV)

A. Lost men everywhere you go can see you.

B. The only Bible some of them have is you.

C. You will have to give an account for them in eternity

“Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” (Eze 33:1-9 KJV)

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