A Basic Principle To Chose By
DAY 5
A Basic Principle to Choose By
Read 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 14:7-8.
The Christian faith isn’t a long list of do’s and don’ts you must observe. And you should beware of people who try to give you such a list. Instead, the Bible gives you a simple principle to follow in making all of life’s choices. You’ll find that principle stated in 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Read 1 Corinthians 10:31 to discover the principle. Then write the principle in your own words.
The words you used for your answer may not be exactly like someone else’s. And that’s OK because it’s your answer. Whatever you said is correct as long as you expressed the idea that the correct choice is the one that brings the most glory to God.
Now turn back a few pages in your Bible and read Romans 14:7-8.
The apostle Paul wrote these verses, as well as the verse you read from 1 Corinthians. In both cases he was dealing with activities that are doubtful for Christians. And in both cases he made two points very clear.
1. Our conduct is a statement of the life we now have in Christ.
2. All we do should bring glory to God.
Let’s look at some choices people in the Bible made and decide whether those choices brought the most glory to God. The Book of Acts says early Christians sold their personal possessions so that they could use the money to meet the needs of other Christians.
Read Acts 4:32–5:2 to learn about a choice that a couple named Ananias and Sapphira made. Then choose the action you think would have brought the greatest glory to God.
Ananias and Sapphira were justified in their choice because it was their possessions they sold in the first place. They were unjustly punished.
Ananias and Sapphira should have given everything and shouldn’t have misrepresented what they were doing.
Ananias and Sapphira should have asked permission to hold back a portion of the offering to meet their own pressing needs.
John 4:4-42 tells about the Samaritan woman who chose to trust Jesus. Then she ran back to the city and told everyone there about Him.
Read John 4:4-42 and choose the action you think would have brought the greatest glory to God.
The woman should have recognized her place in the social structure and consulted with the elders in the city before making a decision.
The woman made the choice that brought the most glory to God.
The woman should have respected Jesus’ religion and at the same time realized that each person must work out her own faith.
Acts 10:9-16 tells about Peter’s vision in which God commanded him to eat animals that his Jewish tradition forbade.
Read Acts 10:9-16. Then choose the action you think would have brought the greatest glory to God.
Peter was correct in his choice to refuse to eat forbidden meat. For all he knew, God could have been testing his obedience.
Peter should have obeyed God’s command without any hesitation.
Peter should have asked God to explain the meaning of the vision so that he would understand what he was supposed to do.
I hope you checked the second choice in each of the examples you studied. Since the moment you became a Christian, you’ve constantly faced choices about how you’ll behave as a Christian. Choosing to respond in a way that most clearly reveals Christ’s indwelling presence in your life is always the best response. But knowing which choice is the right one isn’t always easy.
Recall a difficult choice you recently had to make.
Briefly describe that choice.

(Examples: I had to choose whether to accept another responsibility at church. I had to choose whether to engage in a gossip session with friends. I had to choose whether to withhold my offering because of pressing bills.)
Now list at least three choices you could have made. Record the choice you actually made first
1.
2.
3.
Now highlight the choice that would have brought the most glory to God. If you’re unable to highlight the actual choice you made, take time now to ask for God’s forgiveness and ask Him to show you a way you can still glorify Him in that decision.
Remember, God is a loving, understanding Father who loves you in spite of your mistakes. He wants to help you use your mistakes to grow and become a stronger Christian.
What’s a choice or a decision you’re struggling with right now?
Talk with God about that struggle. Tell Him you truly want to make the choice that will bring the most glory to Him and ask Him to help you know what that choice should be. When you feel that the indwelling Christ has given you the answer, record it here.
You’ve already learned what a help the Word of God can be in making choices between right and wrong. By now you should have Psalm 119:11 committed to memory. Record it here.
The memory verses in Survival Kit are quoted from the Christian Standard Bible. If you prefer memorizing from another translation, feel free to do so. You may create your own Scripture-memory cards, using the translation of your choice. Be certain to write the verses word for word.
Review This Week’s Study
By this time you should be able to record what should appear on the palm of the hand drawing. Record it if you can. If you need help, review 2 Corinthians 5:17. More important than being able to record the words is actually feeling and knowing that Christ’s indwelling presence is more in control of your life now than He was a week ago.
A Basic Principle to Choose By
Read 1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 14:7-8.
The Christian faith isn’t a long list of do’s and don’ts you must observe. And you should beware of people who try to give you such a list. Instead, the Bible gives you a simple principle to follow in making all of life’s choices. You’ll find that principle stated in 1 Corinthians 10:31.
Read 1 Corinthians 10:31 to discover the principle. Then write the principle in your own words.
The words you used for your answer may not be exactly like someone else’s. And that’s OK because it’s your answer. Whatever you said is correct as long as you expressed the idea that the correct choice is the one that brings the most glory to God.
Now turn back a few pages in your Bible and read Romans 14:7-8.
The apostle Paul wrote these verses, as well as the verse you read from 1 Corinthians. In both cases he was dealing with activities that are doubtful for Christians. And in both cases he made two points very clear.
1. Our conduct is a statement of the life we now have in Christ.
2. All we do should bring glory to God.
Let’s look at some choices people in the Bible made and decide whether those choices brought the most glory to God. The Book of Acts says early Christians sold their personal possessions so that they could use the money to meet the needs of other Christians.
Read Acts 4:32–5:2 to learn about a choice that a couple named Ananias and Sapphira made. Then choose the action you think would have brought the greatest glory to God.
Ananias and Sapphira were justified in their choice because it was their possessions they sold in the first place. They were unjustly punished.
Ananias and Sapphira should have given everything and shouldn’t have misrepresented what they were doing.
Ananias and Sapphira should have asked permission to hold back a portion of the offering to meet their own pressing needs.
John 4:4-42 tells about the Samaritan woman who chose to trust Jesus. Then she ran back to the city and told everyone there about Him.
Read John 4:4-42 and choose the action you think would have brought the greatest glory to God.
The woman should have recognized her place in the social structure and consulted with the elders in the city before making a decision.
The woman made the choice that brought the most glory to God.
The woman should have respected Jesus’ religion and at the same time realized that each person must work out her own faith.
Acts 10:9-16 tells about Peter’s vision in which God commanded him to eat animals that his Jewish tradition forbade.
Read Acts 10:9-16. Then choose the action you think would have brought the greatest glory to God.
Peter was correct in his choice to refuse to eat forbidden meat. For all he knew, God could have been testing his obedience.
Peter should have obeyed God’s command without any hesitation.
Peter should have asked God to explain the meaning of the vision so that he would understand what he was supposed to do.
I hope you checked the second choice in each of the examples you studied. Since the moment you became a Christian, you’ve constantly faced choices about how you’ll behave as a Christian. Choosing to respond in a way that most clearly reveals Christ’s indwelling presence in your life is always the best response. But knowing which choice is the right one isn’t always easy.
Recall a difficult choice you recently had to make.
Briefly describe that choice.

(Examples: I had to choose whether to accept another responsibility at church. I had to choose whether to engage in a gossip session with friends. I had to choose whether to withhold my offering because of pressing bills.)
Now list at least three choices you could have made. Record the choice you actually made first
1.
2.
3.
Now highlight the choice that would have brought the most glory to God. If you’re unable to highlight the actual choice you made, take time now to ask for God’s forgiveness and ask Him to show you a way you can still glorify Him in that decision.
Remember, God is a loving, understanding Father who loves you in spite of your mistakes. He wants to help you use your mistakes to grow and become a stronger Christian.
What’s a choice or a decision you’re struggling with right now?
Talk with God about that struggle. Tell Him you truly want to make the choice that will bring the most glory to Him and ask Him to help you know what that choice should be. When you feel that the indwelling Christ has given you the answer, record it here.
You’ve already learned what a help the Word of God can be in making choices between right and wrong. By now you should have Psalm 119:11 committed to memory. Record it here.
The memory verses in Survival Kit are quoted from the Christian Standard Bible. If you prefer memorizing from another translation, feel free to do so. You may create your own Scripture-memory cards, using the translation of your choice. Be certain to write the verses word for word.
Review This Week’s Study
By this time you should be able to record what should appear on the palm of the hand drawing. Record it if you can. If you need help, review 2 Corinthians 5:17. More important than being able to record the words is actually feeling and knowing that Christ’s indwelling presence is more in control of your life now than He was a week ago.