What does "All things are lawful" mean in 1 Corinthians 6:12? Historical-Literary Context Paul writes to a young church in Corinth—an affluent port city steeped in sexual immorality, pagan worship, and libertine philosophy. Chapter 6 addresses lawsuits among believers (vv. 1-11) and sexual sin with prostitutes (vv. 13-20). The phrase “Everything is permissible” was almost certainly a Corinthian slogan the believers had adopted from the surrounding culture, then baptized with a distorted view of Christian freedom. Paul’S Rhetorical Device: Quoting A Slogan Twice Paul repeats the slogan and twice he counters it. Greek manuscripts place the phrase πάντα μοι ἔξεστιν (panta moi exestin, “all things are lawful/permissible for me”) in quotation-like syntax; his rebuttal begins with the particle ἀλλά (“but”). Thus Paul is not granting unlimited license; he’s confronting a misuse of liberty. Continuity With God’S Moral Law Paul upholds the abiding moral character of God’s Law (Romans 13:8-10). “All things are lawful” cannot abolish God’s commandments but refers to adiaphora—matters morally neutral in themselves—yet even these must be evaluated by love (1 Corinthians 13) and holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16). Christian Liberty Vs. License 1. Liberty is granted (Galatians 5:1) but its purpose is service (Galatians 5:13). 2. License yields bondage; habitual sin enslaves (John 8:34). 3. Liberty is limited by: a. Profitability—does it build up? (1 Corinthians 10:23) b. Mastery—does it enslave? (Romans 6:16) c. Witness—will it cause another to stumble? (1 Corinthians 8:9) d. Purpose—does it glorify God? (1 Corinthians 10:31) The Body As Temple Verse 13 transitions: “The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” Because God will raise our bodies (v. 14) as He raised Christ (historically attested in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8), the physical is sacred. Hence sexual sin uniquely violates both the temple imagery and the covenant design for marriage (Genesis 2:24). Parallel Passages • Romans 6:15-18—Grace does not license sin. • Galatians 5:16-24—Walking by the Spirit curbs fleshly indulgence. • 1 Peter 2:16—Use freedom as servants of God, not as a cover-up for evil. • Titus 2:11-14—Grace trains us to renounce ungodliness. Patristic And Manuscript Witness The slogan-response structure appears in P46 (~AD 200) and Codex Vaticanus (B). Church Fathers (e.g., Clement of Alexandria, Stromata 3.12) cite the verse to condemn libertinism in Gnostic sects. The uniform manuscript tradition shows no variant that broadens the statement into genuine apostolic permission of sin. Ethical Applications Today • Sexual ethics: cohabitation, pornography, and gender confusion cannot be justified by “God accepts me as I am.” • Substance use: legality (e.g., recreational marijuana) does not equate to spiritual benefit. • Media consumption: permissible platforms may still dominate attention and erode devotion. • Financial practices: lawful taxation strategies can still foster greed. Pastoral Counsel 1. Examine motives: seek edification over indulgence. 2. Cultivate self-control—a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). 3. Submit habits to accountability within the local church. 4. Remember the purchased price: “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Summary “All things are lawful” in 1 Corinthians 6:12 is a Corinthian slogan Paul quotes only to qualify sharply. Freedom in Christ never nullifies God’s moral order; it empowers believers to pursue what is profitable, avoid enslavement, protect the body-temple, edify the church, and glorify God. |
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