Place Yourself Under God

all to me is acceptable, but not all beneficial. All to me acceptable but I will not be under the authority of any -1 Corinthians 6:12

This verse is often translated as "all things are lawful for me." What is Paul saying? We are released from the Law and are under grace, are we free to sin? No matter how we look at the first part the second part puts things into perspective, "I will not be under the authority of any." As a child of God can I place myself under the authority and power of darkness? "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh..." (Galatians 5:13). What happens if we do use our freedom as an opportunity to sin? What we do in the body will determine whose authority and influence we place ourselves under, either the power and authority of God or of darkness.

not knowing the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God... and some of you existed these but you were washed, sanctified, justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God! 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

How did some of you exist? Some of us were "sexually immoral, idolators, adulterers, prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, drunkards, greedy, slanderers, swindlers..." but God saved us and transferred us from the kingdom of darkness. "Do not be deceived [none of these] will inherit the kingdom of God." None of these things will be in heaven and if we say we are going to heaven to be with God then we are called to put away these things. Can someone who becomes a Christian still struggle with these things? Paul speaks of this in Romans 7, there is a law that exists for the believer when he wants to do good he can't.*  Besides the internal testimony of Spirit and blood, which we often can't see in a person, what characterizes this person is they will be in a wretched state, because inwardly they delight and want to do good but they keep doing the things they hate, not finding the ability to practice what is good. They are still under the power, authority, and influence of darkness which takes advantage of them through the carnal mind. The key to freedom is the renewal of the mind through the Word and Spirit of God. 

now, if any lacks wisdom, ask God... ask God and it will be given... - James 1:5-8

A person who keeps going back to sin is a double-minded person, his mind is not renewed so that it approves of the things of God and accepts them as good and pleasing. This is truth, "all to me is acceptable but I will not be under the authority of any" it is wisdom from God, so that you might endure. If you continue in sin you put yourself under the authority and power of darkness. Or said as John does, if you walk in darkness, you are not doing truth and in the Light. "Now, this is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, 'God is light and exists of no account darkness in him.' If we say we have fellowship with him but walk in the darkness, we are deceived and not doing the truth. But if we walk in the light like as he exists in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:5-8). This is the message proclaimed to us, God is light! "Do not be deceived [none of these] will inherit the kingdom of God." Do not be deceived, if you walk, do, practice things of darkness, you are not in the Light. 

We can boldly approach the throne of grace because of what we have received in Christ but also because of the continued work of Jesus as our high priest. As children, we boldly approach to receive grace and mercy because we have sinned. We repent, confess, get back into the Light, out of the darkness that we have put ourselves under because of sin. How many times does it take? How many times did Jesus tell the disciples to forgive when someone repented and asked for forgiveness? As we mature we will learn to boldly approach his throne of grace to receive power to help in time of need. Jesus said we can not serve two masters because we will be devoted to one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24). Paul writes we will rule over sin not under the Law but under grace, and whomever you present your members to, this is the one you will obey, "either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness" (Romans 6:13-16). This wisdom is very important for freedom in the life of the believer, thus Paul calls it our "reasonable service or worship" and the "sacrifice" acceptable to God that brings about the renewal of the mind (Romans 12:1-2).

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul - 1 Peter 2:11

The devil takes advantage through the flesh. As believers when we give in to its deceitful and sinful desires it will wage war against our soul which is contrary to the goal of faith; the salvation of our souls. This really defines the wretched state of the believer that Paul talks about, the evil which is near wars against your mind to bring you into captivity to sin which exists in your members, and this wars against your souls. When we are a new creation in Christ we are now indebted to live according to the Spirit and righteousness, if we do not we go against our new nature, thus it wars or tears our souls apart. When we walk in darkness we walk in the realm of evil. The devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may destroy. If we walk in darkness do we expose ourselves to his authority and influence? To destruction? What are we to do?

But He gives us more grace, this is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." So place yourself under God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded... humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and he will lift you up - James 4:6-10

Submit means to "place under," so true humility places oneself under the mighty hand of God. So many have been abused by authority that the word submit can carry a negative tone, but I assure you it is a positive thing, we have a heavenly Father who loves and cares for us. As a child of God, this is where you belong, under his providence and protection, in the Light. Can one live in sin and be a child of God? yes. Though there might be fleeting pleasures of sin a child of God can not be happy living in sin. Does living in sin expose the child of God to darkness and the devil who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy? yes. Though you are ultimately under the authority of Christ if you walk in darkness you willingly walk in the realm of the devil, you put yourself under his authority. That is why the scriptures say we must resist the devil, by not placing ourselves under the authority of darkness, and draw near to God, by placing yourselves under God, walking in the Light, and the devil will flee from you. This stresses that living in sin puts the child of God under the authority of the devil. To think I can walk in darkness and at the same time be under God's protection, which is in the Light, is to be deceived.  Though "all is acceptable to me" all is not good for me in that I will come under the authority and power of something. But "I will not be under the authority of any," this is wisdom for the double-minded, the one who needs to endure unto maturity. If Christ is in you, you exist of the Spirit. Though we walk in the flesh, we do not walk according to the flesh, "for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).