“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16 ESV).
1 Peter 2:16 employs the word “servants” to identify those who devote themselves to the interests of others, even to the detriment of their personal interests. (1) This definition offers an important perspective to consider for servants of God as they face the challenge of choosing between different courses of action. The following directives from the New Testament epistle of 1 Corinthians provide further insight into that challenge…
“You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything.’ But I reply, ‘Not everything is good for you.’ And even though ‘I am allowed to do anything,’ I must not become a slave to anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT).
“You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’–but not everything is helpful. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’–but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10:23 NLT).
Although we may have the liberty to pursue a particular course of action, the real question is, should we take that course of action? There are several test questions that can help us make good decisions as we encounter these waypoints on the road of life…
- From a Biblical perspective, is anything good likely to emerge from a particular decision? While God can certainly bring good from a poor decision, that does not bestow us with a license to make inappropriate choices. If nothing good is likely to come from a particular course of action, then we would do well to consider an alternate path.
- Will this course of action set a good example for others? If we are headed in a direction that sets a poor example for others to follow, we would be wise to change course.
- Finally, we should consider how our choices may reflect upon Christ. If the path we are considering leads to a place that reflects poorly upon Jesus, then we should seek an alternate route.
As one source observes, “Christian freedom does not mean being free to do as we like; it means being free to do as we ought.” (2) Therefore, it’s important to remember that others will often judge Christ by those who claim to represent Him. Since people typically associate Jesus with the actions of those who claim to follow Him, it’s important to consider how our choices and decisions will ultimately reflect upon Him.
As we’re reminded in the New Testament book of Colossians, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5 NIV, see also 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
(1) G1401 doulos https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1401/kjv/tr/0-1/
(2) Barclay, William. William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible, “The Duty Of The Christian-In Society” (1Pe_2:16).