IDENTIFYING SIN ... continued

It is sin if ... you think it is a sin. "I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean." Romans 14:14. If you do something that you think is a sin, even if it is not intrinsically a sin, you are guilty of rebellion against God. Your doubt makes it a sin. However, the reverse of that is not true ... lack of doubt does not negate the sinfulness of a sin. A seared conscience can confuse your understanding about sin, 1 Timothy 4:2.

It is a sin if ... it is a negative influence rather than a positive influence. Build up. Do not tear down. Strengthen. Do not weaken. Help. Do no hurt. "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify." 1 Corinthians 10:23. Ask yourself, "Is this profitable?"

It is a sin if ... it offends a nonbeliever. Do not offend non-believers. "Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved," 1 Corinthians 10:32-33. The message of the Gospel may offend a non-believer … but the messenger should not be the cause of offense. It is appropriate to be bold with the Gospel, Ephesians 6:19-20 and Proverbs 28:1. However, boldness without sensitivity to the listener is sin. Boldness and sensitivity are not mutually exclusive.

It is a sin if ... it puts an obstacle in a brother's way. At times, we must modify our behavior for the sake of other believers. "But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak," 1 Corinthians 8:9. "Determine this - - not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way ... For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died ... for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit ... All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense," Romans 14:13-21. Use your Christian liberty carefully. Freedom, as a believer, to eat a particular food or to drink a particular beverage is not freedom to eat or drink those in every situation.

It is not sin ... to modify your behavior in different situations and with different people. Modifying your behavior to maximize ministry is not hypocrisy. Jesus took on a different form ... He became a man. Jesus "emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men," Philippians 2:7. Paul modified his behavior to witness to nonbelievers. "To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews … so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law … so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some,"  1 Corinthians 9:20-22.

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IN THE WAR 11    PAGES: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15    
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Disciplemaking 1, copyright 2003, is available free from www.MyDisciplemaker.org where you can study online or print free copies. You may copy this course, any any part of it, for free or at-cost distribution ... without change to the content ... and with this copyright policy attached. Published by www.ActsOneEight.org. Bible Quotations are from the NASB unless noted.