Hi, everyone at Ask Your Preacher.  Is it all right for a christian to dress as Goth, Punk, Emo, Metal, or Hip-Hop?

Sincerely,
Alternative And Edgy

Dear Alternative And Edgy,

We have a lot of freedom in what clothes we wear as long as those clothes are:

1. Modest
2. Send the right message about who we are

Whatever your fashion style, immodest clothing is wrong (1 Tim 2:9).  Both men and women need to be very careful to not dress provocatively and inappropriately.

The second issue is that how we dress is a reflection on our character.  Whether we like it or not, all of us have a reaction to someone who has a gigantic skull tattoo on their neck… clothes may not make the man, but they do make people think about the man.  Everything we do should be for the glory of the Lord (1 Cor 9:23).  Whatever your fashion sense is, just make sure it sends the right message.

Yes, I was arrested years ago for something stupid; is being arrested a sin… even if it’s nothing?  Because cops where I lived will arrest you for anything.

Sincerely,
Convicted

Dear Convicted,

Being arrested isn’t a sin as long as you didn’t do anything wrong.  Paul was arrested for preaching the gospel (Acts 16:25) – so were the rest of the apostles (Acts 5:17-18).  If you are innocent, then there isn’t an issue.  We are told to obey the government’s regulations insomuch as they don’t contradict the Scriptures (1 Pet 2:13-14).  If you suffer as an innocent person, you will be rewarded by God (1 Pet 3:14) – but if you were arrested for a law you actually broke, it is a sin.

(This article is a follow-up to “Fight For Thought”)

I still think fighting is bad (such as boxing), even worse because it shows people it's okay to fight.  It's horrible to see two people beat each other up.  While people, men and women (more women than men), sit there and laugh.  That’s a sin in my book; I’m not trying to judge people; I think it’s wrong.  The Bible says you shall not kill or any kind of violence toward human life.

Sincerely,
Lacing Up The Gloves

Dear Lacing Up The Gloves,

The Bible has no problem with organized, competitive sports – even boxing and wrestling, but there is a line between sportsmanship and savagery.  Paul uses boxing as an analogy for Christianity (1 Cor 9:26-27)… implying that there is no problem with boxing, wrestling, and other combat sports.  Therefore, it would be wrong to make a blanket statement that all combat-related sports are sinful.

However, we must also balance that knowledge with other teachings on the subject of human life and violence.  Every human is made in the image of God (Gen 1:27), and every life is precious.  The Scriptures condemn flagrant violence (Gen 6:11-13, Pr 3:31) and careless attitudes towards human life.  There is a point where healthy competition morphs itself into animal savagery.  It is important that we always keep these concepts in mind when dealing with modern entertainment innovations.

Is fighting sinful?

Sincerely,
Lacing Up The Gloves

Dear Lacing Up The Gloves,

Most fighting is bad, but some things are worth fighting for.  We are commanded to not fight out of selfishness (Jas 4:1-2) or to fight out of anger (Eph 4:26).  However, Paul pleads with us to fight for our salvation and never quit (1 Tim 4:7).  We are supposed to fight for the truth and never sell out (1 Tim 6:12).  Christians don’t fight to destroy people; we fight spiritual battles (Eph 6:11-13).  We must fight for God’s truth and stand firmly by the Bible (1 Tim 3:15, Pr 23:23).  It is perfectly fine to fight to protect your family or to defend others against attackers, muggers, etc. (Lk 22:36, Ex 22:2).  Recreational fighting, such as boxing, is also permissible (Paul used boxing as an analogy for the christian struggle – 1 Cor 9:26-27).  As in many things, the term ‘fighting’ can be right or wrong – it all depends on the context.

I am a Christian and was raised Southern Baptist.  I have a question: where does God stand on donating organs or marrow?  I'd like to put it on my license, but I don't know what the Bible says about it.  Help?

Sincerely,
Good Bones

Dear Good Bones,

The Bible never specifically addresses organ donation, but it does tell us that what happens to our bodies after we die isn’t important.  When we die, our soul is separated from our body (Jas 2:26).  Our soul flies away at death (Ps 90:10), and our body returns to dust (Gen 3:19).  In short, our body is just a vessel that we use for a time until we go to meet God (Heb 9:27).  After death, what happens to our body is of no spiritual consequence… which means organ donation is a perfectly legitimate decision.