I recently saw on a Facebook post by a good friend in our congregation where she mentioned she doesn't feel the Bible is really "an instruction manual for life"; she didn't want to underestimate the importance of the Bible, but this is how she felt.  I was quite concerned when I saw this post, but really, I guess I just want to see if I can get a clearer explanation as to what that may mean.  Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Friend

Dear Friend,

We can’t say what your friend meant by her statement, but we can tell you that the Bible definitely is an instruction manual for life.  Here are some things for your friend to consider:

• Peter said that the Bible gives us everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3).
• The apostle Paul said that the Bible is God’s power for our salvation (Rom 1:16).
• Jesus said that if we want to enter into life, we should keep the commandments (Matt 19:17).

The Bible is designed by God to be our roadmap to salvation and life.

Are we allowed to dance?  Our church doesn’t let us, and I was wondering if our church is Christian, and if we aren’t allowed to, why would other Christians do it?  Also, I have the same question about wearing earrings and necklaces and tattoos.

Sincerely,
Two Left-Out Feet

Dear Two Left-Out Feet,

We can’t tell you why your church teaches what it does or why others do what they do… but let’s look at what the Bible says about dancing.  Not all dancing is sinful (Eccl 3:4), but the kind of dancing seen in a lot of today’s society is.  Modern dancing is designed to be sexually provocative, and it puts young men and women in compromising positions that nurture the sort of behavior and attitudes that lead to sexual immorality and unhealthy relationships.

We are told to flee fornication (1 Cor 6:18), to do things that are honorable (Rom 12:17), and to avoid even the appearance of evil (1 Thess 5:21-22).  When people engage in the type of dancing so often seen in today’s culture, they act in a way that appears indecent and gives room for the lust of the flesh to overpower them (Rom 6:12, 1 Jn 2:16).

As for the other issues that you mentioned, here is an article on what the Bible says about tattoos (“Only Skin Deep”), and here is an article about what the Bible says on things like jewelry and makeup (“Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall”).  In all of these issues, it comes down to wisdom and avoiding sinful behavior that can sometimes be associated with dancing, tattoos, or excessive accessorizing.

     My wife and I are having a debate.  I think it's a debate on the definition of sin.  My wife asserts that because Jesus was a sinless human, He was therefore an appropriate sacrifice for mankind, and the only thing that allowed Him to not sin was that He was God.  I, on the other hand, state that anything God does is, by default, not sin (or anti-sin).  Therefore, anything He does is not sin.  It sounds the same, but my wife says He had the option to sin but chose not to while I say whatever He did would be anti-sin no matter what He chose to do.  Any thoughts?

Sincerely,
Right By Default?

Dear Right By Default,

Your wife is right; Jesus had the option to sin, but He chose not to.  Heb 4:15 says that Jesus was tempted in all ways like we are, yet without sin.  If Jesus was incapable of sinning, He couldn’t be tempted to do it.  You can’t be tempted to turn into a fish because that would be impossible, but you can be tempted to eat too much, be lazy, lose your temper, etc.
Jesus was actually tempted to sin, but He simply chose not to.  A great example of this is when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness in Mat 4:1-11.  The devil tried to get Jesus to sin (which tells you that the devil believed it was possible), but Jesus answered each temptation with Scripture and firm conviction.

     Is there anything in the Bible about us evolving?  I have come to believe that we are going to evolve by December 21st, 2012.  It sounds crazy, but I feel it and they have proof of animals evolving in a blink of an eye.  I was hoping you could guide me where to read.  Thank you and God bless.

Sincerely,
Ready For Change

Dear Ready For Change,

Humans have never evolved, there is no proof of animals evolving “in a blink of an eye”, and humans aren’t going to change on Dec. 21^st.  The Bible says that every animal was created “according to its kind” by God in six days (Gen 1:21-25).  There are different types of cats, but they have always been cats.  There are different types of horses, but they have always been horses.  There are zero examples of animals evolving from one kind of animal into another.  Though we do find variety within an animal kind (i.e. tigers, leopards, lions, etc.), scientists have never found an example of a creature that changed from one kind of animal to another.  A tiger and a lion can breed to make a liger, but they can’t breed to make a hippo.

Humans are the same; though there is a great deal of differences in how humans look, we are all still humans.  The only time you will ever see us change is when Jesus comes back to take the faithful to heaven (1 Cor 15:52)… which is most likely not on Dec. 21^st, 2012.

     My question is this: if my husband is the sole moneymaker in our household but is not yet reborn of Christ, how do I know what I am to give to my church?  Say he brings home $2,500.00 gross per month.  He is not agreeing with me to tithe 10%.

Sincerely,
Money Matters

Dear Money Matters,

You aren’t accountable for giving what you don’t have control over.   In 2 Cor 8:12, the apostle Paul explains that we are only held accountable for what we have power over.  Your husband is the head of your household (Eph 5:23), and since he is an unbeliever, he isn’t going to have the same priorities as you.  Do your best to talk through this issue with him, but take comfort that the Lord isn’t upset if you end up giving less than you wish you could.