1 Corinthians 6:12a, Lawful and Expedient

1 Corinthians 6:12a All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient:…

A good paraphrase is “All things are permissible but all things are not profitable”. “Lawful” in the sense that “it is possible, referring to moral possibility or propriety in that it is lawful, right, permissible”. The word “expedient” means “to be profitable, advantageous, to contribute or bring together for the benefit of another.”

All things are permissible does not mean that the believer is free to do all things. It means to do the things that are morally permissible. And although an action may be morally permissible but it may not be beneficial for others, it may stumble others. As such, it is needful that the believer exercise restrain.

William MacDonald illustrated well, “For example, the question as to whether a Christian should eat pork was a very real issue among believers in Paul’s time. Actually, it was a matter of moral indifference. It did not really matter to God whether a man ate pork. Paul is simply saying that certain things might be legitimate and yet not profitable. There might be certain things which would be permissible for me to do and yet if someone else saw me doing them, he might be stumbled by my action. In such a case, it would not be at all suitable for me.”

May God grant His people to abstain from the unprofitable! Amen.