The concept of "allows" in the Bible often pertains to what God permits or grants within His sovereign will, as well as what is permitted within the moral and ethical guidelines given to humanity. The term can be understood in various contexts, including divine permission, human freedom, and the boundaries of moral law.

Divine Permission

In the Scriptures, God's allowance is often seen in the context of His sovereign will and divine plan. God permits certain events to occur, even those that involve human sin or suffering, to fulfill His greater purposes. For instance, in the account of Job, God allows Satan to test Job's faith, but within specific limits (Job 1:12: "The LORD said to Satan, 'Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.'"). This demonstrates that while God allows certain trials, He remains in control and sets boundaries.

Human Freedom and Responsibility

The Bible also addresses what humans are allowed to do, emphasizing the balance between freedom and responsibility. In 1 Corinthians 10:23 , Paul writes, "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is edifying." This highlights the principle that while believers may have the freedom to engage in various activities, they must consider the impact of their actions on themselves and others, ensuring that their choices align with God's will and edify the body of Christ.

Moral and Ethical Boundaries

God's law provides clear guidelines on what is allowed and what is forbidden. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) serve as a foundational moral code, delineating actions that are permissible and those that are not. Jesus further expounds on these principles in the Sermon on the Mount, where He addresses the heart's intentions behind actions (Matthew 5-7). For example, while the law allows for certain actions, Jesus calls His followers to a higher standard of righteousness that goes beyond mere legalism.

Cultural and Contextual Considerations

In the New Testament, the early church grappled with issues of cultural practices and what was permissible for believers. In Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council addressed the question of whether Gentile converts were required to follow Jewish customs. The council concluded that certain practices were not necessary for salvation, allowing Gentile believers freedom from the ceremonial law while emphasizing abstention from practices that were clearly sinful (Acts 15:28-29).

Conclusion

The concept of "allows" in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing divine permission, human freedom, and moral boundaries. It underscores the importance of aligning one's actions with God's will, seeking what is beneficial and edifying, and understanding the broader context of God's redemptive plan.

The Father of Constantine Allows the Name of Christ to be Extended ...
... Book I. Chapter VI."The Father of Constantine allows the Name of Christ to be Extended;
Constantine the Great prepared it to Penetrate Everywhere. ...
/.../chapter vi the father of constantine.htm

Confirm the Hope Thy Word Allows
... VIII. SHORT HYMNS: BEFORE SERMON. Hymn 89 Confirm the hope thy word allows. John
Newton 8,8,8,8. Confirm the hope thy word allows,. Behold us waiting to be fed; ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 89 confirm the hope.htm

Your Origen Allows Himself to Treat of the Transmigration of Souls ...
... Your Origen allows himself to treat of the transmigration of souls, to introduce
the belief in an infinite number of worlds, to clothe rational creatures in ...
/.../20 your origen allows himself.htm

Concerning Providence.
... At other times it allows something strange to be done in order that something great
and marvellous might be accomplished through the seemingly-strange act, as ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter xxix concerning providence.htm

Julian the Apostate.
... He allows that Jesus was born in the reign of Augustus, at the time of the taxing
made in Jud??a by Cyrenius; that the Christian religion had its rise, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/schaff/the person of christ/julian the apostate.htm

How God Makes Trial of the Strength of Man's Will by Means of his ...
... of mercy: if a tender and anxious nurse carries an infant in her bosom for a long
time in order sometime to teach it to walk, and first allows it to crawl ...
/.../cassian/the conferences of john cassian/chapter xiv how god makes.htm

On the Feast of Martyrs
... For He will take away from it again all that He ever gave it, and allows the man
to be poor and distressed, so that he may begin to learn to be resigned, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon xxx on the feast.htm

On Indulgences
... here upon earth. He never allows any good work to go unrewarded any more
than He allows an evil deed to go unpunished. Although God ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 21 on indulgences.htm

Moreover Since He Himself is the Only Way and the Only Access by ...
... Nay, we must be specially careful to show our gratitude on this very account, that
God pardoning our unworthiness, not only allows each individual to pray for ...
/.../of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith/chapter 19 moreover since he.htm

What we Can Ourselves Do. The Evil of Desiring to Attain to ...
... before. [2] But let us rather give thanks to our Lord, who allows us to
have a desire to please Him, though our works be poor. This ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xii what we can.htm

Allows (7 Occurrences)
...Allows (7 Occurrences). Romans 14:2 One man's faith allows him to eat anything,
while a man of weaker faith eats nothing but vegetables. (WEY NIV). ...
/a/allows.htm - 8k

Zeeb (3 Occurrences)
... The construction of the Hebrew allows of a translation "the rock (called) Oreb,"
and "the winepress (called) Zeeb." 2. The Battle of Oreb: The account of a ...
/z/zeeb.htm - 10k

Keys (2 Occurrences)
... conclusive that Jesus is here giving Peter authority for "laying down the law for
his fellow-disciples," "authority to say what the law of God allows, and what ...
/k/keys.htm - 32k

Unintentional (2 Occurrences)
... Unintentional (2 Occurrences). Exodus 21:13 but not if it is unintentional, but
God allows it to happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. ...
/u/unintentional.htm - 7k

Oreb (4 Occurrences)
... The construction of the Hebrew allows of a translation "the rock (called) Oreb,"
and "the winepress (called) Zeeb." 2. The Battle of Oreb: The account of a ...
/o/oreb.htm - 10k

Lets (31 Occurrences)
... (WEB NAS RSV). Exodus 21:13 but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to
happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. (See NIV). ...
/l/lets.htm - 14k

Gleaning (10 Occurrences)
... these. If he is of a generous disposition, he allows some needy woman to
follow after the reapers and benefit by their carelessness. ...
/g/gleaning.htm - 12k

Weaker (4 Occurrences)
... Weaker (4 Occurrences). Romans 14:2 One man's faith allows him to eat anything,
while a man of weaker faith eats nothing but vegetables. (WEY). ...
/w/weaker.htm - 7k

Figurehead (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) A person who allows his name to be used to give standing to enterprises
in which he has no responsible interest or duties; a nominal, but not real ...
/f/figurehead.htm - 6k

Designate (7 Occurrences)
... Designate (7 Occurrences). Exodus 21:13 but not if it is unintentional, but God
allows it to happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee. ...
/d/designate.htm - 8k

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