If you were the witness to a crime and were called upon to identify the criminal from among suspects in a line-up, how would you pick out the real culprit? Wouldn’t you look for identifying features, such as sex, height, weight, race, skin color, and hair color? By doing this you hopefully could identify the criminal.

An important part of our maturing as Christians is learning to distinguish between right and wrong (Hebrews 5:12-14). Sin has characteristics by which we can identify it. How can we "discern (distinguish - KS) both good and evil"?

When the Pharisees tested Jesus by asking Him what the greatest commandment of the law was, the Master responded:

This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:34-38)

Our relationship of first importance and our foremost obligation is to God. The Lord then added:

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. (verses 39-40)

We also have the responsibility to treat other people in the right way.

In both these relationships, there are two realms. First, there is the realm of faith, those matters about which God has expressed His will. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17).

Then there are activities that are liberties, matters of opinion, things about which God has not given law and thus has given us the freedom to decide for ourselves what is best. For example, we each have the liberty to decide what foods we eat (1 Corinthians 8:8-9). In the realm of opinion, God has given us principles to help us decide what course of action is most profitable spiritually. But because God has not demanded a certain action in these matters, none of us should judge each other about such things (Romans 14:3).

In relationship both to God and man there are three principles that determine what we should do. These principles also determine if a practice is a matter of faith or of opinion. Each principle may be posed as a question.

First, is it authorized? Jesus Christ has all authority (Matthew 28:18). "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17). To do something in His name is to do it by His authority. In every relationship both our words and our acts are governed by Jesus. We must have permission from Him to speak or act. To act without His authority is to cut ourselves off from Him and the Father (2 John 9).

Permission to act may be given either specifically or in a general way. We are specifically authorized to sing in worship to God (Ephesians 5:18-19). Since the Lord commands us to take the gospel to the whole world (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20), and He did not specify how we are to go, we have general permission to buy a passport and to fly on an airplane.

We should ask, Is it my duty? (James 4:17) For example, it is our duty to assemble faithfully with other Christians to worship (Hebrews 10:24-25). Children are obligated to obey and honor their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3). Duties also may be specifically or generally imposed. Wives are specifically commanded to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24). But the application of this duty is general. If he says, "We must move to Texas so I can find work," her obligation is to go because of the general duty to submit. Husbands are specifically go because of the general duty to submit. Husbands are specifically told to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25-31), but cleaning the house for her when she is sick is a duty generally imposed by the command to love her.

We must inquire, Is it forbidden? Binding the observance of the Sabbath as a duty is condemned (Colossians 2:13-17). Sexual relations outside a marriage which God approves is likewise condemned (Hebrews 13:4).

The Scriptures may also forbid acts or words either specifically or generally. Social drinking is specifically forbidden (1 Peter 4:1-3). But dancing as is commonly practiced in Western society (Europe and the Americas) today, since it involves "lewdness" (Ibid), i.e., "indecent bodily movements, unchaste (impure - KS) handling of males and females" (Thayer. 79-80), is condemned in a general way.

(To be continued)

Thayer, J.H. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament.