All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
In Middle School, we were required to memorize and recite the preamble to the Constitution; We the people… etc. It would be great if we were required to memorize this passage from Paul to the church in Corinth. There would be far less stress on individual rights and more focus on what is for the best of the community. What a nation we would have if we coupled these verses with the Great Commandment, to love the Lord and love our neighbor! Sadly, Americans have written their own code of conduct and it goes something like this. I am right! Listen to me! I want what is mine! Sadly, “We the people” has become “I the person”.
Come to Cape Community Church tomorrow to see how the church in Corinth got to the point where Paul needed to write this and how we can use it today to make, not only disciples, but our nation into an example of brotherly love and self sacrifice. We will learn how Jesus modeled it for us and how we can model it for the rest of society. It will not be easy but it will certainly be lawful. It will be helpful to society. It will build up our neighbors and our nation. Let’s recite a new preamble!
Dear Lord, thank you for these words and this charge to be Christlike. May the Holy Spirit guide us when we fail at this. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church