LAWFUL BUT NOT EXPEDIENT

LAWFUL BUT NOT EXPEDIENT

“When she went from the harem to the palace, she could WEAR WHATEVER SHE WANTED…When her turn came, she wore just what Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem, advised her to wear”

                                                                                         Esther 2:13, 15 Good News 

There are things that we do as believers that are legitimate and not out-rightly sinful but could negatively affect us if we are brought under its power or it has taken over our lives that we are hereby subjected to it. 

“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities” 

                                                                                                                       1 Tim. 5:23

 

We are quick to say that Paul told Timothy to take wine because it is medicinal to the infirmity that was affecting him then but if he is brought into bondage by imbibing wine to the point of overuse, he will be drunk to stupor most times and will constitute what is not beneficial or expedient to his spiritual walk. It is called alcohol abuse!

Disciplining of our children is lawful and we were told not to spare the rod but overly chastising them with rod is what is called child abuse. Looking good is allowed in Christendom but a woman who uses too much make up, dress provocatively with too much perfume will look like an harlot. 

Moderacy is essential and important for all believers.

Whatever we do must be agreeable to modesty, decency, order, and purity. It is contrary to the established usages of the best and most enlightened believers, and should not be tolerated in the Church of Christ.

“And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king…But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” 

                                                                                                                          Dan 1:5, 8 

Some things are abominable, hereby forbidden by the law of God such as eating meats offered to idols, will almost necessarily lead to bad moral consequences and we should not partake of it just like Daniel purposed not to defile himself with the King’s delicacies sacrificed to idols [the meat were of unclean beasts which were forbidden by the Jewish law]. Like Daniel we must rather obey God than obey our appetite hereby satisfying our earthly craving, bodily pleasure and indulgence. We must not eat certain things though we have knowledge that it is nothing so that we should by this not offend and grieve many weak minds.

A man is brought under the power of anything which he cannot give up. He is the slave of that thing, whatsoever it be, which he cannot relinquish; and then, to him, it is sin. Sex is ordained by God between a man and woman that are married but it is either fornication or adultery when it is done outside wedlock or between a married man with an unmarried woman or vice versa. Even too much indulgence in sex between married folks is not the best. Much time should be allocated to spiritual matters else we will be earthly, sensual and if care is not taken demonic.

Esther came into an influential position and a beneficial or profitable change from living in a shanty with Modecai to living in the palace where everything were at her fingertip or disposal, and for her using pleasure but these things did not get to her head nor did she loose spiritual decorum because of them. She maintained her sanctity and not yield to the pressure of the world system in walking in the flesh and fulfilling the lust thereof. Her ears were opened to obey the dictates of the Spirit and so she did not fall off from serving God in truth and the Spirit.

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you…”

                                                                                                                     1 Cor. 6:9-11

Believers must not be subject to impure influences. Our affections, likes and cares must not be defiled. When our morality and integrity loses its authority to keep us on the path of godliness, there will be nothing to prevent our souls from becoming the slaves of the most debasing influences or evil powers. Such performances must be inconsistent with truth and righteousness, once truth that sets free is negated then all that is left will be bondage, slavery, oppression, depression or captivity to powers of darkness because these unrighteous acts will negate such persons from inheriting the kingdom of God.

“Someone may say, "I'm allowed to do anything," but not everything is helpful. I'm allowed to do anything, but not everything encourages growth” 

                                                                                         1 Cor. 10:23 God’s Word Bible

Paul a man full of wisdom speaking about godliness and piety said it is not everything that seems good that will help our Christian Life or will hasten our spiritual growth. And we know that we will be stagnant, stunted or even retrogress if we are not growing in the things of the spirit.