NOT
EXPEDIENT!
1
Cor 10:23
23
All
things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are
lawful for me, but all things edify not.
In
all seven occurrences
of the word “expedient” in the New Testament it is translated from the Greek
word sumphero which, curiously, means “to collect together.”
Think of it this way. Of all the things on the table that you might collect
together, which is better?
In John 11:50, Caiaphas declared, regarding Jesus, that it was
expedient (the best of all things on the table) that one man should die for the
people and that the whole nation perish not. He probably had no idea how right
he was!
Jesus said in John 16:7 that it was expedient or better for him
to go away [die and return to heaven] so that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit,
could be given to us. While He was “in the flesh” he was local but in the form
of the Spirit He could indwell and be with every believer. We must agree that
is better.
Paul said in 2 Cor. 8:10 that it is expedient or better to gather
together the offering to send to the poor saints in Jerusalem. Systematic
giving always garners more than casual or haphazard giving that is emotionally
driven. Yes, that is better.
In 1 Cor 6:12 and 10:23 Paul says that grace has made most things
“lawful” but all things are not expedient. Essentially, he is saying that just
because you CAN does not mean that you SHOULD. Of all the lawful things on the
table expediency gathers together what is best and chooses that one thing.
Of
all the choices
presented to us today we must gather together those opportunities and choose
what is better. Happy sorting!
No comments:
Post a Comment