Welcome to the For the Gospel podcast where we're all about providing sound doctrine for everyday people. I'm your host, Costi Hinn, and on today's episode, I want to give you eight questions for Christian decision making. Here's what I mean by that. People always ask, is it a sin to get a tattoo? Is it a sin to drink? Is it a sin to do this, that, or the other? Fill in the blank with whatever you want to fill it in with. These are Christian liberty decisions in many cases. Now the Bible is clear about certain things, like, is it a sin to get drunk? Of course it is. Ephesians 5.18 says, do not be drunk with wine. That's dissipation. Is it a sin to be sexually immoral outside of marriage? Of course. Is it a sin to commit adultery? Of course. All these things are very clear in the Bible. But there are some areas in which Scripture doesn't say an explicit do or don't. It's left up to the believer to use wisdom, to use discernment, and of course to filter those decisions through the Word of God. Romans 14, one of the most helpful passages you could ever read or keep in your tool belt, if you will, biblically, where Paul references principles of conscience. He says, Now there are those who are weak in the faith, there are those who eat this or eat that, or don't eat this, or don't eat that. In verse 5 of Romans 14, he says, One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He goes on to say we need to be really careful with passing judgment on one another. But here's what we all must do. He says in verse 13, therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this, not to put a stumbling block or an obstacle in a brother's way. His point, when we make decisions as Christians, we don't just think of ourselves, we think of others. Now that might mean you make a decision with regard to your Christian liberty to move forward in a specific context with that thing that you do. It may mean in other situations to abstain from that thing in a certain context because you don't want to cause someone to stumble. Other people may make the decision not to do something entirely because it's just something they don't want to do. Someone else may choose to make a decision to engage in that, and it's not sin, but you don't feel comfortable with that. We must all remember that our personal convictions cannot be the commands of others, only what is commanded in Scripture. So what is commanded, don't be a stumbling block. But there are many things that aren't made clear. And so how do we make decisions? Well, I want to give you a list of questions that I use personally. We use these in our home and in our lifestyle when we're deciding what to do or what not to do. They're from a book called Ethics for a Brave New World by John and Paul Feinberg. They are the same Feinbergs as the older, elder, now passed away family member, the Feinberg who mentored and taught John MacArthur at Talbot Seminary. The Feinbergs have written a book called Ethics for a Brave New World, and in a chapter on moral decision making and the Christian, they offer these questions regarding Christian liberty. Here's the first one. You and I should be asking, am I fully persuaded that it is right? Paul says in Romans 14, 5 and verse 14, of course, and verse 23, some of the references have already given you that whatever we do in areas of our life, we must be persuaded it is acceptable before God. If we're not fully persuaded, we doubt rather than believe that we can do this and stand acceptably for before God, then we shouldn't do it. If there's doubt, we should not move forward. If we are fully persuaded that something is right and it is okay to do in the sight of God, then we could move forward. It's an important thing to begin with what would or wouldn't be acceptable to God. If you have a doubt about a decision you're making and whether or not God would be pleased with it, search his word. If there's still doubt, they would recommend you refrain. I would recommend you refrain and pray about that decision before moving forward. Because one thing you could always do is make the decision after praying, discerning, and reading God's word and see that it's not displeasing to the Lord. What you can't do is take back the decision once it's already been made. Number two, we should be asking when we make a decision with Christian liberty, can I do it as unto the Lord? Whatever we do, Paul says, we do as unto the Lord. That's Romans 14, verses 6 through 8. And so we do it as unto serving Him. If you can't serve the Lord in the doing of an activity, then you should refrain. This is pretty obvious to us, isn't it? When we think of certain activities that might fall under Christian liberty, there is a time and a place to do that thing or those things, and then there are times and places in which we would not do those things. Number three, can I do it without being a stumbling block to my brother or sister in Christ? Much of Romans 14 actually centers on watching out for other brothers and sisters and their walk with the Lord. And so we may be able to indulge in something, but somebody else may have a more sensitive conscience or a lack of understanding. Maybe he or she is a new believer, or it's someone who isn't able to discern their right hand from their left hand, if you will. And you are more careful in what you indulge in. You're more careful in the way you speak, you're more careful in the places you go with them because you don't want to offend them. You also don't want to cause them to stumble. The genuine believer genuinely cares about how their decisions are impacting other people. You may exercise your Christian liberty privately in some ways, but you may refrain to exercise your Christian liberty publicly because you're thinking of that question. Can I do this without being a stumbling block to my brother or sister? Number four, does it bring peace? In Romans 14, 17 to 18, Paul says the kingdom of God is not about things such as the meat we eat or what we drink. Instead, it's about righteousness, peace, and joy in the spirit. And so, isn't that a big question? Does it bring peace? I've got a personal story for you I could share. There are been times and that they were mostly early in our marriage in which I had certain decisions that I wanted to make, and my wife and I had discussions about them, and there was no peace. In fact, there was great conflict. Now, we worked those things out, and at times we came to the decision that I had proposed, and other times we came to the decision that she had proposed. I'll tell you what the point of the matter is, though. Peace was found in every single situation before we made the decision. Because when something is bringing conflict, maybe you do move forward with it eventually, but clearly God wants you to work that out. Or if something is not bringing peace, it's causing conflict or division within your marriage, it means more discussion has to be had and also is a mechanism of the spirit to keep us from making certain decisions at certain times. Sometimes it's not a matter of if you'll make that decision, it's a matter of when. Also, does what you're doing stir up others and cause strife? Well, we need to think about what brings peace. Number five, we need to ask, does this edify my brother? And so whatever you're doing at that moment, is it edifying? That's the command in Romans 14 verse 19 to do what edifies. It's the same idea as doing what brings peace in a way. And so Paul's making a really clear point here. Some activities may not create strife with another Christian, but may not edify him either, Feinberg says. I think that's a really helpful point. We need to choose activities and make decisions that accomplish both peace and edification. Is it profitable? In First Corinthians 6 12, Paul addresses the issue of Christian liberty and he basically reminds Christians that morally indifferent practices are all lawful. He says all things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. It may be unprofitable for you to do something at a certain time or in a certain place. Even if there's no biblical command that prohibits you from doing it, you may want to think, is this is this a good time for this? And does it profit what we are trying to accomplish right now? If your indulgences or your Christian liberties cause someone issue or derail the purpose of what you're doing and wherever you are, well then it's unprofitable. I think of this personally as well through the lens of pastoral ministry or parenting or marriage. There are meetings I'm in that it it would never ever be appropriate to do certain things that Christian liberty would allow. There's certain contexts, maybe in the counseling room, or maybe on a date night with my wife, or maybe when I'm sitting at the dinner table with my children who are young, that uh a decision of Christian liberty is not appropriate in that moment. And maybe in some homes they do it different, but in our home we do it that way. All of these things are important to think through. Is it profitable right now? Maybe at some point it will be, but right now it's not, or right now it is, but there'll be other times where it's not. A very, very key question. Is it profiting you to make that decision right now? Here's a really, really convicting one. Number seven, does it enslave me? First Corinthians 6 12 makes this so clear. Look, for a lot of people, there are going to be a lot of activities and decisions and liberties that they can enjoy, and it is not an enslavement to them. There are many other people, though, who, when they engage in certain activities, become enslaved to it. Typically, this is why I tend to be more careful with my Christian liberties, is I have a very all or nothing personality. Maybe you don't. Maybe you're a very balanced person. God bless you. I'm thankful for the way you are. I'm I'm like two speeds, walk or kill. I'm trying to be more balanced. I'm trying to find the middle. But when I go all in on something, I'm all in and I'm all there. And it's why I love the Jim Elliott quote: wherever you are, be all there. And so, whatever we do with for the gospel, it's always to the max of our ability. Whatever we do at Shepherd's House, our church, we do it to the max ability in our marriage, our parenting, in our home, in sports, I was the same way. My wife has a similar personality. We always think, well, if something's worth doing, you might as well do it really well. And so I tend to be more cautious and more careful with my liberties because I know that in my former life, even I know I didn't have the Holy Spirit and I wasn't a believer, that enslavement or obsession or drive is there. And if you understand Galatians 5, you know that the flesh is waging war against the spirit all the time. That's why we don't walk according to the deeds of the flesh. We walk according to what? The spirit, capital S, the Spirit of God. And so I want to be preoccupied. That's what the word means. The Greek word parapeteo for walk means to be preoccupied or directionally set somewhere, going about, walking about, busy about something. Well, for my personality and the way God has wired me, I don't want to be busy with the deeds of the flesh or even busy dabbling with certain liberties. That's a personal conviction. I want to be really busy with other things. It keeps me on track and it helps me live for an audience of one. For you, you've got to ask yourself, how am I wired? What's my personality like? Does it enslave me? Do I tend to pursue things at a level 10? Once I'm in, am I all in? Well, then assess your life, assess your liberties, talk to your wife, pray and ask the Spirit to guide you and lead you, go to God's word, and make sure that you're not enslaved to anything or obsessed with anything except with that that centers on Christ. He is the one we are quote unquote enslaved to. We're no longer slaves to sin, we're slaves to righteousness, or now we're children of God. We're adopted. We wear the name on our jersey now, not our name, but his name, and we follow after him. These are important things to think through, and I hope that those have given you some thoughts to consider. The last one is this does it bring glory to God? When Paul discusses Christian liberty in First Corinthians ten, he summarizes everything in one of my favorite passages. It's first Corinthians 10 31. He says, Whether you eat, whether you drink, do all for the glory of God. Is what you're doing bringing glory to God? Is the way you're doing it bringing glory to God? How does it bring glory to God? Does it make his name more hallowed? Does it lift him up and exalt him? When you do it, does it does it declare of his wonders? Does it showcase his artistry and his handiwork? Does it bring glory to God? There are some helpful final thoughts here that are offered by the Feinbergs. They say in some scripture distinguishes between actions covered by moral absolutes and those that are not. Believers must make up their own minds under the Holy Spirit's leading on what to do in matters of Christian liberty. Personal preferences must not be imposed on others. Very important to remember. How are you wired? In deciding what to do, one should use these eight tests taught by Paul. Each one must answer those questions honestly before God. Whatever decision stems from that process of questioning, each must have the integrity to obey. I am especially thankful for John Feinberg and Paul Feinberg. I'm thankful for this book, Ethics for a Brave New World. I had to read it in seminary. It's one that I pull off the shelf time and time again on different issues of life. And I hope that this particular episode on Christian liberty and asking big questions to assess your heart would help to guide you in your decision making. Thanks for listening. 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