The phrase “all things are lawful unto me” appears twice in the New Testament, both times spoken by the apostle Paul. The first occurrence is in 1 Corinthians 6:12, which says, “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.” The second occurrence is in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
In both cases, Paul seems to be quoting a slogan or motto embraced by some in the church at Corinth. This slogan asserted that Christians have freedom in Christ to do anything. However, Paul qualifies the meaning of this phrase in order to correct those who may have been abusing its intent.
The Corinthians were evidently using the motto “all things are lawful unto me” to justify engaging in behavior that was not truly profitable or edifying. Since they had freedom in Christ, they reasoned that no activities should be considered off-limits. But Paul makes it clear that just because something is lawful (or permitted) does not mean it is beneficial or constructive.
So what did Paul mean when he wrote “all things are lawful unto me”? A fuller examination of the context yields some key insights:
1. Christian freedom is not the same as license to sin. In Christ, believers are free from sin and death. However, this does not give permission to sin at will. Paul confronts this directly in Romans 6:1-2, asking rhetorically: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Freedom in Christ is freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.
2. All things may be permissible, but not all things are beneficial. Just a few verses earlier in 1 Corinthians 6, Paul chastises the Corinthian church for lawsuits among believers. He concludes that it would be better to be wronged than to take a fellow Christian to court. So while they may have had the legal right to sue one another, doing so was not profitable for believers. The principle applies to the slogan as well – lawful does not automatically equal helpful.
3. Freedom must be limited by love. In the passage after the slogan in 1 Corinthians 10, Paul uses the example of meat sacrificed to idols. Some Corinthian Christians claimed the freedom to eat such meat, since idols weren’t real gods anyway. But Paul cautions that doing so could damage a weaker brother’s conscience. Out of love, the stronger believer should voluntarily limit freedom to avoid causing spiritual harm.
4. Rights should be relinquished if they do not build up others. As Paul expands on the slogan in 1 Corinthians 10, he concludes by saying he does not seek his own good but the good of others. If exercising one’s rights does not edify others, it is best set aside for their benefit. Pleasing oneself is secondary to caring for others and pursuing their growth in Christ.
5. Everything must be done to glorify God. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul repeatedly calls them to live in a way that glorifies God, not themselves. The slogan “all things are lawful” had become an excuse for selfish behavior that did not honor God. Paul makes it clear that the ultimate question is not “is it lawful?” but rather “does this glorify God?”
6. Freedom must follow inner convictions based on faith. In Romans 14, Paul addresses a conflict between Christians with different standards of conscience. He concludes that each person must follow their own convictions, which come through faith. Exercising freedom without faith is sin, because it goes against what one believes is right before God. The slogan did not override individual convictions.
7. Christians must not let their liberty cause others to stumble. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 8:9, “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.” One’s freedom should never be flaunted or used carelessly in ways that could spiritually harm a fellow believer who has a sensitive conscience.
In summary, “all things are lawful unto me” is best understood to mean that Christians have been set free in principle from all external religious laws and restraints. However, this freedom is to be exercised responsibly, with loving deference to fellow believers, and to avoid any sin against God’s moral law. As Paul sums up nicely in Galatians 5:13 – “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” The Christian’s freedom must be guided by faith, love, and wisdom – not utilized as a license for sinful indulgence.
Paul’s dealing with this slogan also provides some important principles for Christians today as we seek to live out our liberty in Christ:
1. Christian freedom is incredibly precious – we should be careful not to let legalistic rules rob us of the liberty for which Christ set us free.
2. Freedom is not the highest value – love, unity, and godliness should shape how liberty is exercised.
3. Stand firm in your convictions based on faith – don’t be pressured to go against your conscience.
4. Be wise – carefully consider how actions affect others, not just whether they are technically permissible.
5. Edification over gratification – limit freedoms that prove spiritually unprofitable or dangerous.
6. Avoid abusing freedom – do not try to remove moral restraints on sinful behavior and lusts.
7. Be willing to surrender your rights for the good of others – don’t let exercising liberty become more important than caring for fellow believers.
8. Keep your eyes on Christ – true freedom means living to please and glorify God.
The fact that Paul had to address this slogan indicates that some of the Corinthian Christians were abusing their liberty, living selfishly, and not acting in love. This was likely tied to the rampant disorder Paul needed to address in the church – divisions, immorality, lawsuits, chaotic worship, and drunkenness at the Lord’s Supper.
Paul provided necessary course-correction, reminding the Corinthians that their Christian freedom was not unlimited. It still operated under the constraints of God’s moral law. It required selfless care for others. It necessitated living in a way that honored Christ and lifted others up through edifying behavior. For the Corinthians, “all things are lawful” had become a free pass for fleshly indulgence. Paul deftly clarified that their rights needed to be guided by higher aims – faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5:6), glorifying God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and building up others (1 Corinthians 14:26).
While the context was necessary course-correction for wayward Corinthian Christians, this principle has timeless relevance. In every age, believers must use discernment to avoid using their liberty in Christ as a cover for sin or selfishness. Christian freedom should never be twisted into license. Mature followers of Jesus understand that their choices and behaviors always matter tremendously. They strive to exercise wise restraint, living not merely within the letter of the law, but according to the Spirit (Romans 14:17). Their rights take a backseat to the greater call to faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Paul’s handling of this controversy models the balance and discretion believers today need as well. On one hand, he affirmed that all things were indeed lawful for Christians, who are not under law but grace (Romans 6:14). Yet on the other hand, he immediately put “guardrails” around this principle, to avoid antinomian attitudes and prevent practical abuse. Paul proved committed to Christian liberty, but refused to preach an unqualified message that would open the door to licentiousness.
In the end, the freedom Christians have is not like that of the world. It is shaped by the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21), producing fruit that leads to holiness (Romans 6:22). As Peter wrote, “as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16). This captures well Paul’s thrust when correcting the Corinthians’ abuse of the slogan “all things are lawful unto me.” Christian liberty must never become a covering for sin. Believers should walk in the freedom Christ purchased through His blood, while also honoring His sacrifice by steering clear of what is evil, loving others, thinking of their needs first, and living in a way that lifts high the name of Jesus.
Paul’s teachings make it apparent that his words “all things are lawful for me” were never intended to yield the meaning “I can do whatever I want.” Such self-centered application was what the Corinthian church had slipped into, and the very error Paul needed to correct. Christian freedom, while incredibly precious, does have responsible boundaries around it. Paul articulated these as he reined in the Corinthians’ misuse of their liberty. His instructions serve well to clarify for believers today what this popular slogan was originally meant to convey.
