Do you realize that you can know if you are doing what is good or bad because life is black and white, right or wrong for everyone?

You might say, “God does not outline every thought or action of my life in His Word, so how can I know if I am sinning or not in each thought or action of my life?” For example, many believers have wrestled with dancing, playing cards, drinking alcohol, etc.

How Can You Know?

First, it is clear that God says that there are two options (Romans 6:13) – you will present yourself to righteousness or unrighteousness. In the Old Testament, God refers to blessing and cursing, life and death (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Second, God has clearly stated those things that are unrighteous or righteous. Just read God’s Word to see what He says is clearly right or wrong – like the 10 Commandments, Sermon on the Mount, and basic things like husbands loving their wives or wives respecting their husbands.

Third, God provided a simple principle to follow for everything that He did not list. The Apostle Paul provided this truth in Romans 14.

19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. – Romans 14:19-23

The Principle

Here is the basic principle, whatever God has not listed, IT IS SIN

• if what you do causes a fellow believer to stumble (don’t do it, at least not in public), or
• if you do not have a clear conscience that doing it is okay. Romans 14:23 states, “…for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

When you take the clear things in God’s Word and the Principle of Responsible Liberty, you can now know when you are self-absorbed and when you are self-controlled. You can know if what you are thinking is sinful or not. You can know if what you are focused on is sinful or not.

Think about the issues in your life – job, career, relationships, decisions, decisions, decisions. Think about the above and apply it to each and see if it answers any of your questions and how you would make your decision.

Finally, do not trust me on any of this, go to God’s word and study to find the answers. Plant His word in your life, and it will change you.