12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
It may be lawful for me to take my brother's wife after he dies so that she may bear him a Son, but I don't think I am going to do that. (Maybe because I do not have a brother.) There are many things that could be lawful, but not very helpful.
Probably one of the things that I would think about these days especially with regards to may be lawful but not beneficial is "Abortion" "Gay Marriage" or various other things. It may be legal within the country you live, but it will not benefit you at all. It may be legal for you to live a life of sexual immorality, but it is not to your benefit. It may even be legal for you to perform a murder, but that does not make it morally right.
I am not talking about what should or should not be legal. I am talking about what is SIN. To join with another human being (or animal I guess) sexually is pollute the temple of God with such an act. St Paul is using the argument, "If you wouldn't do it in the middle of the Sanctuary of Church, than Don't DO it!"
There are many things that we do that are of no benefit to you. But the greatest thing of the greatest benefit for you is not something that you have done. It is what God has done for you. God redeemed you from all your sins. God joined himself to you, so that you may become perfect. God has made you his living temple. The Sacrifice of Christ is of great benefit for you.
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