In reality, attachment is a form of slavery; meaning, to whomever a person’s heart is attached, to that one he devotes himself. In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul states, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” Paul refused to be attached to anything except binding himself to the Lord. Something that appears harmless, does not violate moral norms, or is lawful does not mean it may be done without discernment. What is lawful can turn into an attachment that eventually enslaves a person’s life. The word lawful in the original text is exesti (ἔξεστι), which means lawful, not violating the law or permissible. Meanwhile, the Greek word beneficial is sumphérō (συμφέρω), which also carries the sense of “bringing together” or “supporting.”
Paul’s statement that all things are lawful but not all things are beneficial means that he could do many things, but not every action would benefit him. Beneficial here relates to holiness of life, referring to the previous verse (1 Cor. 6:11). Therefore, when Paul says that not all things are beneficial, he means that not all things support the building of holiness. Doing something that is not beneficial may disrupt the growth of holiness and become a bondage. Everything that does not support the building of holiness should be regarded as an attachment that must be released.
Paul also says that all things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything, and this means that something that is not wrong to do is not automatically something that should be done. If that thing becomes an attachment or begins to enslave, it must be avoided. The phrase “to be mastered by something” in the original text is exousiasthésomai hypo tinos (ἐξουσιασθήσομαι ὑπό τινος), which means “to be under the power of something.” The word exousiasthésomai comes from exousia, meaning ‘authority’ or ‘right’. In this sense, a believer must not be under the authority of anything, nor allow anything to have a right over his life.
For example, owning a house is not wrong. But if owning a home becomes a law—something that must be obtained—then that house becomes a master that binds a person’s life. The same applies to the matter of marriage. It is not wrong to desire a spouse, but when it becomes a demand, a spouse turns into an attachment.
From this explanation, it is clear that to avoid being attached to something or someone, a believer must struggle, because the rhythm of human life has long been said: whatever is lawful is permissible. Many people live without alertness toward the maneuvers of the powers of darkness that seek to enslave their lives. The powers of darkness work so that Christians are not attached to God, but attached to other things—things that may not be morally wrong to possess or pursue. But when God is no longer the sole source of joy, there is undoubtedly an idol or bondage within.
Indeed, a person does not have a direct connection with the devil, but when a person does not make God the only source of happiness, he will undoubtedly be attached to something to which he enslaves himself. Here we see how difficult it is to be a child of God who must bind himself to the Lord. Yet, no matter how heavy and complicated it is, God, through His Spirit, will guide the believer so that they may live without spot or blemish. Now is the time for us to free ourselves from the bondage of the world courageously.