“Is It Okay?”

Guidelines

People often ask what is okay in the Christian life, especially with entertainment. Here are some questions to ask yourself!

• Does this make any change in my attitude or thoughts?
• Is it holy? If I were perfect, would I do this?
• Does it draw me closer to God or farther from Him?
• Does it help me love other people?
• Is there anything better I could be doing?
• Am I truly surrendered to God? Have I waited in prayer?
  - Pray about God’s will and ask for wisdom (James 1:5). Spend time quietly waiting in prayer.

Considering a higher standard

What if it doesn’t “feel wrong”? Doesn’t that mean it’s okay? We could apply Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8, but we need to keep these things in mind:

• Romans 14 talks about freedom in the context of serving God and giving thanks to God. It’s not about living independently but seriously making choices based on what God wants.
• When the Bible speaks of a “weaker brother,” it’s about someone who is weak in knowledge (1 Corinthians 8:4–7). In that passage it says we know an idol is nothing — that’s something we can prove, not only from this passage, but even from the Old Testament.
  There are some things that are not mentioned in the Bible, so I believe conscience alone doesn’t apply to every area of standards. Whenever someone has a higher standard, especially if they have a close relationship with God, I take it seriously. It could be that I’m desensitized by the culture.
  Some Christians are more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, so I never want to assume I’m stronger or more spiritual, especially in areas that the Bible doesn’t speak about.

Our purpose in life

Whatever we do, we’re called to love God and love others. Christian liberty is not simply about us enjoying life; it’s always in the context of love.

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” — Galatians 5:13