> Every day we face decisions: some small, some life‑shaping. Many of these choices are not between obvious good and obvious evil, but between several seemingly acceptable options. Scripture does not give us a verse for every scenario (“Take job A, not job B”), yet God has not left us without guidance.
The Bible gives us:
- Clear commands – sins to avoid and righteous paths to pursue
- Guiding principles – to shape our convictions and conscience
- Spiritual freedom – within wise, God‑honoring boundaries
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Walking in Wisdom: How Christians Can Make God‑Honoring Choices
This post explores how to move from God’s revealed commands, through personal convictions, to wise choices that promote our sanctification.
1. Start Where God Has Spoken Clearly
Before we talk about “gray areas,” we must be clear about the black and white of God’s Word. God has revealed commands—things that are always sinful, and things that are always righteous.
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
— Deuteronomy 29:29
A. Avoid Specified Sins
God’s will is never for us to do what he has forbidden. No amount of “openness,” “freedom,” or “complexity” in a situation can make sin become obedience.
Examples of clearly forbidden paths:
- Sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Corinthians 6:18)
- Drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18)
- Dishonesty and lying (Colossians 3:9)
- Bitterness, rage, and malice (Ephesians 4:31)
- Gossip and slander (Proverbs 16:28; James 4:11)
- Love of money and greed (1 Timothy 6:9–10; Colossians 3:5)
“Abstain from every form of evil.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Any decision that clearly requires what God forbids is not an option for the Christian.
B. Pursue Specified Godly Paths
God’s will is also revealed in what he commands us to pursue:
- Holiness: “This is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
- Love: “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14)
- Honesty and integrity: (Proverbs 11:1; Ephesians 4:25)
- Purity of heart and mind: (Philippians 4:8; Matthew 5:8)
- Humility and servanthood: (Philippians 2:3–4)
- Justice, mercy, and faithfulness: (Micah 6:8; Matthew 23:23)
As John Stott wrote:
“We must allow the Word of God to confront us, to disturb our security, to undermine our complacency, and to overthrow our patterns of thought and behavior.”
A wise Christian first draws a bold line: This decision must not violate God’s revealed will.
2. In Between: Where Choices Become Difficult
Between the clear commands to avoid sin and the clear commands to pursue righteousness lies a wide area of life where Scripture gives principles rather than specifics. This is where many of our hardest choices sit.
Examples:
- Which job should I take?
- Should I move to this city or stay where I am?
- How should I educate my children?
- Which ministry should I serve in?
- Is this form of entertainment wise for me?
- How should I spend or give my money in this season?
These are not usually “sin vs. obedience” questions, but “what is best?” questions.
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.
— 1 Corinthians 10:23
The Bible acknowledges that there are lawful options that are not equally helpful, edifying, or sanctifying. That is why we need wisdom.
“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
— Ephesians 5:15–17
3. Narrowing Our Options: Convictions and Conscience
We should not treat every lawful option as equally good for us personally. Scripture calls us to develop biblically shaped convictions and maintain a clear, sensitive conscience.
A. Prayerfully Developing Convictions
Personal convictions are biblically informed conclusions about how to live faithfully before God in areas where Scripture does not give a direct command.
“Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”
— Romans 14:5
Convictions flow from:
- Serious study of Scripture
- Honest self‑knowledge (your weaknesses, temptations, patterns)
- Prayerful reflection
- Wise counsel from mature believers
J.I. Packer noted:
“Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it.”
Convictions help you consistently choose the “best and highest,” not just the “permissible.”
Example: Entertainment
The Bible does not list every show, movie, or game by name. But it tells you to:
- Guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23)
- Set your mind on what is pure and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8)
- Not make provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14)
A Christian might develop this conviction:
“If a show routinely stirs up lust, rage, or cynicism in me, I will not watch it, even if others feel free to.”
That conviction becomes a filter that narrows the options before you even scroll.
B. Keeping a Clear and Sensitized Conscience
The conscience is like a moral warning system. It is not infallible, but it matters deeply.
“So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.”
— Acts 24:16
“But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”
— Romans 14:23
If you cannot do something with a clear conscience before God, in faith and thanksgiving, you should not do it—even if other Christians can.
As Charles Spurgeon put it:
“Learn to say no; it will be of more use to you than to be able to read Latin.”
A sensitized conscience is one that is:
- Quick to feel uneasy when flirting with compromise
- Quick to repent when convicted
- Not easily dulled by repeated exposure to sin
We should be more afraid of a hardened conscience than of missing out on certain freedoms.
4. Choosing Among the Remaining Options: What Most Promotes Sanctification?
Once:
- Sinful options are removed by clear commands, and
- Certain options are filtered out by your convictions and conscience,
you may still have several genuinely lawful and acceptable choices.
Now the guiding question becomes:
“Which option is likely to lead to greater sanctification and fruitfulness for God’s glory?”
A. Key Questions to Ask
For each remaining option, ask:
- Will this help me know Christ better?
- Philippians 3:8–10 – Paul counts all things loss “because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus.”
- Will this help me fight sin more effectively?
- Hebrews 12:1 – “Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely…”
- Will this position me to love and serve others more?
- Galatians 5:13 – “Through love serve one another.”
- Will this help me use my gifts more fruitfully?
- 1 Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another…”
- Will this better steward my time, resources, and energy for the Kingdom?
- Matthew 6:33 – “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…”
- Will this strengthen or weaken my walk with God?
- Psalm 1:1–3 – The righteous man delights in the law of the Lord and prospers like a tree by streams of water.
John Piper often summarizes this as:
“Don’t ask, ‘What’s wrong with it?’ Ask, ‘Does it help me run?’”
B. Recognizing Real Freedom
Within those options that do promote sanctification (even if in slightly different ways), you are free.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
— 2 Corinthians 3:17
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
— Galatians 5:1
Freedom in Christ is not freedom to sin; it is freedom to choose among good options without fear of condemnation, as you walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 18).
5. Putting It All Together: Practical Examples
Example 1: Choosing Between Two Jobs
Scenario:
You have Job A and Job B. Neither requires you to sin. Both pay reasonably well.
Step 1: Eliminate what violates commands
- If one job requires lies, deceptive sales practices, or compromising your integrity, it’s off the table (Proverbs 11:1; Colossians 3:9).
Step 2: Apply convictions & conscience
Maybe you have a conviction about:
- Not regularly missing Sunday corporate worship (Hebrews 10:24–25)
- Avoiding environments that strongly tempt you to past sins
If Job A requires constant Sunday work and puts you in spiritually corrosive environments, and your conscience is uneasy, that job may be filtered out.
Step 3: Evaluate remaining option(s) for sanctification
Ask:
- Which job will better allow time and energy for family and church?
- Which job will surround me with people who sharpen or dull my spiritual life? (Proverbs 13:20)
- Which job better aligns with how God has gifted me for service?
If both remain viable and both seem sanctifying in different ways, you can choose either with freedom, committing your way to the Lord (Proverbs 16:3).
Example 2: Deciding About a Dating Relationship
Scenario:
You’re considering whether to pursue a deeper relationship with a particular person.
Step 1: Eliminate what violates commands
- Are they a believer? (2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 7:39)
If not, this path is ruled out by God’s Word. - Does the relationship constantly lead you into sexual sin or compromise? (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5)
If so, that relationship—even if emotionally powerful—is not God’s path.
Step 2: Apply convictions & conscience
You may have convictions about:
- Pace (not moving too fast)
- Physical boundaries
- Past relational patterns you want to avoid
If your conscience is uneasy about how you behave when you’re together—and this persists despite repentance and reevaluation—it might be a sign that this relationship is unwise for now.
Step 3: Evaluate for sanctification
If this is a godly person, and the relationship:
- Encourages prayer and growth in the Word
- Pushes you toward your local church, not away
- Helps you grow in Christlike character
Then this relationship may be a path to greater sanctification. Within that, you have freedom to continue, to slow down, or to wait, as you seek the Lord.
Example 3: How to Spend an Evening
Scenario:
You’ve had a long week and have a free evening. You could:
- Watch a show
- Visit a struggling friend
- Read Scripture and pray
- Work on a hobby
Step 1: Eliminate what violates commands
Anything that is inherently sinful or that you know will draw you into sin is not an option (e.g., immoral or degrading content).
Step 2: Apply convictions & conscience
Maybe you have set convictions like:
- Limiting screen time
- Protecting your mind from certain themes
That may remove certain entertainment options from your list.
Step 3: Evaluate for sanctification
- Do you sense a special need to be in the Word and prayer tonight?
- Do you know your friend is particularly in need of encouragement?
- Would a wholesome hobby genuinely refresh you so you can serve joyfully tomorrow?
All may be lawful, but not all equally helpful (1 Corinthians 10:23). You may choose the option (or mix) that, tonight, will most help you love God and love people well (Matthew 22:37–39).
And sometimes, godly rest itself is an act of wisdom and trust in God.
6. Walking This Path with God
Three final anchors for living this way:
A. Depend on the Spirit
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
— Galatians 5:25
Wise decision‑making is not a mechanical formula; it is a relationship. Ask the Spirit for wisdom (James 1:5), and expect Him to use Scripture, conscience, counsel, and circumstances.
B. Saturate Your Mind with the Word
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
— Romans 12:2
The more Scripture reshapes your thinking, the more instinctively you will discern which choices promote holiness.
C. Rest in God’s Fatherly Care
God is not trying to trick you.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
— Proverbs 3:5–6
“The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.”
— (attributed to multiple authors)
When:
- You reject what God forbids,
- Pursue what God commands,
- Develop and follow biblical convictions,
- Guard a tender conscience,
- Seek the choice that most promotes sanctification,
you can move forward in freedom and confidence, trusting your Father to shepherd you—even when you cannot see every outcome.
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