With everything being permissible, isn’t it okay to do anything we desire? There aren’t any consequences to worry about. So why not just do whatever is pleasing, even at the expense of hurting others? Paul answered this very same question when he heard it from those in the church at Roman.
As an example, saying something bad about someone –even if it is true– is typically just a way to make us feel good and appear to be better or more important than that other person. Hurting others is living a life based on the flesh or fallen human nature. On the contrary, living by faith is remembering that it’s better to remain unnoticed by men (the one who is least on earth is greatest in heaven; and the one who is greatest on earth is least in heaven).
The law is to show sinfulness, but grace covers all of our sins.
The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20-21)
So it’s okay to do wrongs –isn’t it?
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? (Romans 6:1)
Of course not!
By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:2-3)
The consequence of each and every sin was death; that has been paid for. With that out of the way, a new resurrected life available for everyone who believes.
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin– because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:4-7)
Sin can no longer control a person who has received the punishment for it –death.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. (Romans 6:8-10)
Now recognize that you do have a choice. You are no longer under sin’s power –it can’t kill you again.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. (Romans 6:12)
Now then, how do you want to live your life? The definition of sin is simple: “Anything that is not of faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23b) When you follow those fleshly desires –as we do on many occasions– who do you trust to have taken care of them? (Was His sacrifice sufficient for this latest sin?)
Realizing that you have done something that was hurtful (sinned against your brother or sister), go to them and do your best to make it right with them. And then quit repeating the same thing again and again!