If you are to tell a legalistic person about the Grace of God and the freedom in Christ here is the question you may expect from them:
Are you saying I can live anyway I want?
Well, the answer is ‘Yes’.
This is what Apostle Paul says about this issue:
"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive (but not all things edify – NASB). - 1 Corinthians 10:23
"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
No matter how a person behaves or what he does, God accepts Him unconditionally in Christ. Nothing will separate him from the love of God. (Romans 8:38-40)
Everything is permissible for a child of God, but the question prompted by Holy Spirit to our mind is this, is it profitable? Is it constructive?
Does it edify? Will it cause problem to my relationships? Will it cause harm to my body? Will it cause harm to Christ’s body? Will it master my mind? Will it produce addiction? Will it cause damage to someone else?
The reason why Paul said “Everything is permissible” can be found in 1 Corinthians 15:56.
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Sin gets its power from the law. So, do we want it? As long as we are operating under the law, we are under the power of sin.
Law can bring only one type of righteousness which is self-righteousness. That's what Pharisees and Sadducee's had.That is not what we need; we need Christ-righteousness, which Christ alone gives us free as a gift. That is the only righteousness acceptable to God. Thats the righteousness we can stand firm on. It's nothing about "me" or my doing or my obedience, it's ALL about Him, and what He did on the cross.
When we are faced with a question, “Can I do this?” we know the answer is ‘Yes’ but listen to the voice of the Spirit which is in you... but, ‘Do you want to?’, ‘Is it profitable?’
