Does it pass the “Good Test”? Philippians 4:8, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” So, when you consider your belief about a particular issue is it true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise? Does it pass the “Love Test”? 1 Corinthians 16:14, “Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 13:2, “But do not have love, I am nothing.” As much I would like to do so, probably not a good idea to blast music at my neighbor’s home this morning to get them back for their loud party that when until 3 am. Does it pass the “Conscience Test”? 1 Timothy 1:19, “Keeping faith and a good conscience.” There is so much in Scripture about being careful to never violate our conscience. For example, everyone in the church can talk about watching a certain movie, but if you begin watching it and you begin feeling spiritually uncomfortable, regardless of how innocent the movie many be intended, you must not go against your personal conscience because the more you compromise your personal conscience, the more you will sear the spiritual sensitivity of your heart. Does it pass the “Profitable Test”? This means, just because something is not expressly commanded or forbidden in Scripture, it does not mean that action is necessarily profitable for your walk with Christ. We avoid legalism, but we also avoid the “can’t find anything against it in the Bible” to support all our decisions. 1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” And 1 Corinthians 10:23, “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.”
Randy Smith