"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient/edify not".
A popular interpretation of this is that "all things"
include sin, for which the Christian will only suffer a loss of a few jewels in his crown of life, but not suffer loss of eternal life...the "carnal Christian", as identified by Dr. Charles Stanley. A similar verse is found in 2 Corinthians 5:18 KJV:
"All things are of God..."
So, is adultery, theft, lying, Satan worship, etc., "of God" and we may freely engage in such? No, as the previous verse 17 qualifies verse 18:
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
Old things are passed away,
behold all things have become new."
Does that mean
"God's old opinion of our sin has passed away, and His new, tolerant, condoning, indulgent opinion toward our sin has replaced it" as many Christians cling to as an unprosperous cover for their presumptuous sins, of which they refuse to confess
and forsake? Anyone can see it's referring to both our thinking and our actions, which become upright and holy by virtue of the "law of a new creature in Christ Jesus".
It's easy to see what "all things" refers to in verse 18 because the qualifier is right there in verse 17. However, sometimes we must look elsewhere to qualify a text in front of us, such as "All things are lawful for me...":
Galatians 5:19-21 KJV
[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:
of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
I don't know how popular that is. In all my circles it is not popular at all. The all things spoken here, is things like eating and drinking things forbidden by the law and enjoying non- sinful activities. I know th ebible is a unified whole, so there is the caveat that overt sin is excluded from this
Keeping it in both context:
! Cor. 6:
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
and 1 Cor. 10:
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: