Immediate Word

Paul opens this week’s epistle text with a sentence that ought to be a motto for our freedom-loving society: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial.” While that certainly applies to the advance of science and technology -- with its myriad benefits often balanced by questions about whether we have adequately pondered the ethical and practical implications of new discoveries -- Paul’s real concern is whether the Corinthian Christians have adequately considered the effects their behavior has on both themselves (the body) and the members of Christ (the Body).