Choices and Gray Areas

Description
The Bible doesn't explicitly cover every possible situation in life. How do we deal with those situations and choices the Bible does not mention. Here are some guidelines.

What to do

1. Divide the youth into groups
2. Have each group brainstorm a list of 10 choices that youth of today must face, but which the Bible does not mention directly. (Examples: Violent video games, smoking, movies that are not G rated, etc.)
3. Then use the guidelines below to have a discussion about these choices.

Should I or Shouldn't I?

• Would Jesus put his name on this as a stamp of approval? (Colossians 3:17)
• Does this fall into the classification of Good thinking, of a wise decision? (Philippians 4:8)
• Will this degrade or defile the temple of the Holy Spirit? (1 Corinthians 6:19)
• Will this sooner or later make a slave out of me? (1 Corinthians 9:27)
• Does this have the "smell" of evil on it? (I Thessalonians 5:22)
• Will my indulgence in this prevent someone from accepting Christ as Savior or tend to weaken someone's faith? (1 Corinthians 8:13)

If the first two questions are "yes" and the rest of the questions are "No" then it is probably okay to participate in the questionable activity. Yet we each need to listen to our heart and the prompting on the Holy Spirit to know what things are okay for us to do. Sometimes the most difficult choices in life are not those between wrong and right, but choices of what is good and what is best. Just because something may not be wrong, does not mean it is right for you at this time and in this situation. Finally we should remember what Paul said in Romans 14:14 & 22 "...But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.... So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves."