Is It a Sin if I . . . ? (Part I)

Technology, medicine, communication and interdependence allow a previously unimaginable world of seemingly unlimited possibilities of societal advancement and personal fulfillment. Our communication is instantaneous, and our collective demands for entertainment and happiness have never been louder. While some of this has been a blessing, Satan, as this world’s master of confusion, has blurred the lines of morality, resulting in our discovery of new methods for old ways to sin. Our focus as Christians, is to please God and obey His righteous laws as outlined in the Bible. We already know God considers murder, lying and pride as sinful, but what about all the contemporary situations the Bible does not directly address? Do we face gray areas now that never before existed? How can we know what God considers sinful? There are two easy things to understand about sin First and foremost, Jesus died for Adam’s sin and for our sins as well. This means there is a final solution to all the problems that sin causes. Second, the Bible’s definition of sin is easy to remember - “to miss the mark,” which means anything less than perfection is sin. As Christians, our job is to take these two understandings and use them as guideposts for how we live our lives. This brings us to asking a lot of questions about a wide variety of areas of life where we can easily be misdirected. Is it a sin if a woman wears artificial fingernails, jewelry, or makeup? Many of us might look at this question and roll our eyes, as these things are and have been so common for so long that they are a fundamental part of our culture. However, the Bible does have several texts that can be understood to mean such things should be off limits for Christians. If we claim to follow Jesus and the teachings of the Bible, we need to look at this kind of question with thought and care. What do the Scriptures truly teach on this matter, and am I willing to follow? Is it a sin if a man dresses like a woman? While for Christians this question may feel like it would be easier to define, it still needs to be carefully considered. Interestingly, there is really only one Bible text that seems to deal with this question, and that scripture is not a direct statement. To have an accurate understanding on such a matter, we need to be clear on any biblical principles that apply - and there are many! Check out our August 1, 2022 podcast, “Is It a Sin If I…? (Part I)" for more. We dig deeply into these two questions and lay out WHY we should approach them in specific ways. We also address several other practical and difficult issues that our 21st century lives are sure to encounter including gambling. Join us as we work to put these challenging things into a God-honoring perspective that we can live with daily. Then head over to Part II, where we pose several important questions about sex.