Expedient - The Greek word (sunphero) is a combination word. It comes from sun (which means "together") and phero (which means "to bring"). We get the English word "sum" as in adding up things from this Greek prefix (sun). So, the idea is to bring things together in one place. The concept is to profit from some addition. Paul is saying that while everything is available for the Christian who is no longer a slave to the Law, not everything adds up to making life better. Some things that might seem acceptable or even unacceptable, we avoid just because they do not add to our lives.
Paul is making a great point about the freedom that comes under Christ. God no longer holds our sins against us. We have been forgiven. We are seen as though we have the holiness of Christ. The demands of the moral law have been met in Christ's atonement his death for us. Technically, this means that we no longer live under the law. But even though we have technical freedom, we realize that there are aspects of freedom that are not beneficial for us. As believers, we are called to grow into the character of Christ. Some things we don't do just because they don't take us on the growth path.
After we experience the release of guilt, after we know the joy of forgiveness, we sometimes discover that old patters and relationships interfere with our desire to become what God intends us to be. Some activities need to be set aside, not because they are technically "wrong" but because they don't add up for our new way of living. Paul tells us to keep careful track of the addition. Make sure you are getting the right totals. When you add up things in your life, bring the combination before God and let Him sort out the answers. He will tell you what to subtract. Let God do the math!
7 comments:
oh man, the freewill argument. i remember when had that in the meeting =P
i like the part where we as Christians grow in the character of Christ and is/are able to do it freely. I see it as a buffer, the sinful nature of man. If we have God, our paths are through the Grace of God and all of its goodness and it'll help us differentiate the good and the bad. Sins will come less but remain a sin and God will help us through that.
let us not add up our sins but add on the glory of the Lord in our lives.
-kim
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Am I missing something? What are the verses that we're supposed to read?
I am going to assume 1 Corinthians 10:23 - 33. :)
In which, I can proudly say, no matter what you do...do it for the glory of God.
i don't know, the person who posted didn't post his response
-kim
I kinda wrap my head around the issue differently, but more or less is the same. I see it more as, I've received eternal life through the blood Jesus shed on Calvary, i oughta do what I'm told, or do my best to please God, in a sense. I know he doesnt "need" it but its how I kinda see it.
- jacky
So Jacky wrote this?
i wasnt sure
it's so true. There are soo many things that we can do or even say that aren't necessary 'wrong', but they don't add up or are beneficial to our spiritual growth or walk. One of these examples that I have encounter was going to a friend’s bday this past weekend. It was singing k with drinks. Sure, if we don’t get drunk is it necessarily wrong? No. However, is it an activity that helps me with my spiritual growth, probably not. Even tho I didn’t get drunk.
These are the simple choices we make day in and day out. I hope that I can remember to do ‘God’s math’, not my own.
Brian Yee
how does school do anything to add to our lives? some of us may end up not doing anything related to our program of study in university.
i often remember the verse of 1 Cor 6:12 where it says "everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial" ... (and then something along the lines of i will not be mastered by anything) but in anycase, i feel that everything done in moderation.. is okay, but sometimes things that are not done at all... is better.
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