25 Bible Verses about Abuse, Of Christian Freedom

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

So that sin shall have no dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, leaving behind all the weight of the sin which surrounds us, let us run with patience the race that is set before us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who having been offered joy, endured the cross , despising the shame and was seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask God, and he shall give him life that is, unto those that do not sin unto death. There is sin unto death, for which I do not say that you should pray. All unrighteousness is sin, but there is a sin not unto death. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? No, in no wise. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?

What then? shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? No, in no wise.

And if our iniquity commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Shall for this reason God be unjust who sends punishment? (I speak as a man.) No, in no wise: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God has more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why even so am I also judged as a sinner?read more.
And why not say (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? The condemnation of whom is just.

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of our sin? No, in no wise. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a rebel. For through the law I am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.read more.
I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not reject the grace of God, for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumblingblock to those that are weak. For if anyone sees thee who hast this knowledge sit at food in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols? and through thy knowledge the weak brother shall perish, for whom Christ died.read more.
In this manner, therefore, sinning against the brethren and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only do not use liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by charity serve one another.

as being free, yet not using your liberty to cover maliciousness, but as slaves of God.

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned, that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you.

All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods are for the belly, and the belly for foods; but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. And God, who raised up the Lord, will also raise up us by his own power.read more.
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of a harlot? In no wise. What? know ye not that he who is joined to the harlot is one body with her? For they shall be, saith he, two in one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Any other sin that a man does is outside the body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom ye have of God, and that ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel (who calls herself a prophetess) to teach and to seduce my slaves to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I have given her time to repent of her fornication, and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed and those that commit adultery with her into great tribulation unless they repent of their deeds.

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession and defrauded of the price, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet.

So that when ye come together in one place, this is not eating the Lord's supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper first: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? Do ye not have houses to eat and to drink in? or do ye despise the congregation of God and shame those that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, leaving behind all the weight of the sin which surrounds us, let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Let no one deceive you with vain words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, even to those who stumble at the word, not obeying in that for which they were ordained.

And in this we do know that we have known him if we keep his commandments. He that says, I have known him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Follow after charity and earnestly pursue spiritual gifts, but above all, that ye may prophesy. For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God, for no one understands him, even though by the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he that prophesies speaks unto men for edification and exhortation and comfort.read more.
He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but he that prophesies edifies the congregation . I would that ye all spoke with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied, for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, that the congregation may receive edifying. Now, brothers, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either with revelation or with knowledge or with prophecy or with doctrine? And even things without life giving sound, whether flute or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is played or harped? For if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue a clear and definite word, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. There are many kinds of distinct voices in the world, and nothing is dumb. Therefore, if I ignore the virtue of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaks as a barbarian, and he that speaks shall be a barbarian unto me. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye desire the things of the Spirit, earnestly pursue excellence unto the edification of the congregation . Therefore, let him that speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupies the place of the ignorant say, Amen, at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understands not what thou sayest? For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all; yet in the congregation I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. Brothers, be not children in understanding, howbeit in malice be ye children; but in understanding be perfect.

Now as concerning things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies. And if anyone thinks that they know anything, they know nothing yet as they ought to know. But if anyone loves God, the same is known of him.read more.
As concerning, therefore, the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For though there are some that are called gods, whether in heaven or in the earth (as there are many gods and many lords), but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in everyone that knowledge, for some with conscience of the idol unto now, eat it as a thing offered unto an idol, and their conscience being weak is defiled. But food does not make us more acceptable unto God; for neither if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumblingblock to those that are weak. For if anyone sees thee who hast this knowledge sit at food in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols? and through thy knowledge the weak brother shall perish, for whom Christ died. In this manner, therefore, sinning against the brethren and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother to fall, I will never eat flesh nor do anything which may cause my brother to fall.

But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there those that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols and to commit fornication.