Do These Acts Break Commandments?

[John Hyperspace]

All this talk about commandments is making me wonder about something. We can point at the ten commandments, and there they are. "Don't do this" "Do that": but what about a lot of other things that, seem to be viewed as "sinful"; I was wondering, where is the commandment for some of these? I'm going to go ahead and forgo the ten-thousand ton elephant in the room:

1. Drug use. Let's have this meaning, drugs like, alcohol, marijuana since these seem to be two big "that's sinful"s; but also putting in all manner of drugs from LSD to cocaine to, whatever the streets are hawking these days. Also, would we add drugs to this list? Not, drug drugs; but, drugs like from a pharmacy?

2. Fornication. This one gets people hopping mad at this "sin" but I don't see it on the ten commandments, so why is this a sin? Technically this word in scripture looks to mean "prostitution" but people seem to categorize it as relations prior to marriage; so I'm giving it its own place on the list.

3. Gambling. Sinful breaking of a commandment?

4. Musical instruments in the church service?

5. Dancing?

6. Prostitution?

7. What about occult practitioners? Here I mean, people who are professing Christians who practice "magick" (yes, with a "k"; it's ridiculous, I know but that's how they spell it). All of their occult rituals are all "in the name of Christ" and they call it "Christian white magick": I presume this can get people stomping mad at sin, but where is the commandment?

8. Tatoos and piercings? Is this a sinful practice?

That's all I can think of right now. Let me be clear in case anyone jumps the gun here; I'm not advocating any of this, I'm wondering where the commandment to not do these things is at? This is a sincere question. It's that I'm looking at the ten commandments and wondering now if I actually break any commandments. The only one that looks "ify" to me is "adultery" but that only in application to Jesus further adding that, even lusting is an act of adultery. But, then again, I'm not married so, can I even commit adultery by lusting? Or, would I have to have a wife to be commiting "mental adultery"?

 

[faroukfarouk]

All this talk about commandments is making me wonder about something. We can point at the ten commandments, and there they are. "Don't do this" "Do that": but what about a lot of other things that, seem to be viewed as "sinful"; I was wondering, where is the commandment for some of these? I'm going to go ahead and forgo the ten-thousand ton elephant in the room:

1. Drug use. Let's have this meaning, drugs like, alcohol, marijuana since these seem to be two big "that's sinful"s; but also putting in all manner of drugs from LSD to cocaine to, whatever the streets are hawking these days. Also, would we add drugs to this list? Not, drug drugs; but, drugs like from a pharmacy?

2. Fornication. This one gets people hopping mad at this "sin" but I don't see it on the ten commandments, so why is this a sin? Technically this word in scripture looks to mean "prostitution" but people seem to categorize it as relations prior to marriage; so I'm giving it its own place on the list.

3. Gambling. Sinful breaking of a commandment?

4. Musical instruments in the church service?

5. Dancing?

6. Prostitution?

7. What about occult practitioners? Here I mean, people who are professing Christians who practice "magick" (yes, with a "k"; it's ridiculous, I know but that's how they spell it). All of their occult rituals are all "in the name of Christ" and they call it "Christian white magick": I presume this can get people stomping mad at sin, but where is the commandment?

8. Tatoos and piercings? Is this a sinful practice?

That's all I can think of right now. Let me be clear in case anyone jumps the gun here; I'm not advocating any of this, I'm wondering where the commandment to not do these things is at? This is a sincere question. It's that I'm looking at the ten commandments and wondering now if I actually break any commandments. The only one that looks "ify" to me is "adultery" but that only in application to Jesus further adding that, even lusting is an act of adultery. But, then again, I'm not married so, can I even commit adultery by lusting? Or, would I have to have a wife to be commiting "mental adultery"?

The Epistle to the Romans is all about being justified by faith, despite being breakers of God's commandments; the point is also that repentance (Romans 2) is part of saving faith.

(Some of the stuff you mention is really more to do with personal preferences; lots of Christians - of both genders - wear earrings, for example.)

 

[John Hyperspace]

The Epistle to the Romans is all about being justified by faith, despite being breakers of God's commandments; the point is also that repentance (Romans 2) is part of saving faith.

(Some of the stuff you mention is really more to do with personal preferences; lots of Christians - of both genders - wear earrings, for example.)

Yeah I agree about the justification by faith. Repentance is, I presume, concerning sin, which is, breaking commandments? So I was wondering, if the listed items needed to repentance? If there's no commandment against them, they wouldn't be breaking any commandment by doing them, so wouldn't need repentance. In other words they wouldn't be "sin"?

About the piercings, true that some Christians won't see earrings as "sinful" but we could take it to add, lots of odd body piercings. I know some Christians believe piercings of any kind are "sinful"; even "dancing" and "musical instruments in the church service" (which not all Christians condemn as needed to be stopped or "repented of"); so not all of the things on the list will probably be "sinful" to everyone. But what I was really wondering is: where is the commandment coming from? Fornication, for example: I don't see any commandment against fornication. Why is it viewed as "sinful"?

 

[faroukfarouk]

Yeah I agree about the justification by faith. Repentance is, I presume, concerning sin, which is, breaking commandments? So I was wondering, if the listed items needed to repentance? If there's no commandment against them, they wouldn't be breaking any commandment by doing them, so wouldn't need repentance. In other words they wouldn't be "sin"?

About the piercings, true that some Christians won't see earrings as "sinful" but we could take it to add, lots of odd body piercings. I know some Christians believe piercings of any kind are "sinful"; even "dancing" and "musical instruments in the church service" (which not all Christians condemn as needed to be stopped or "repented of"); so not all of the things on the list will probably be "sinful" to everyone. But what I was really wondering is: where is the commandment coming from? Fornication, for example: I don't see any commandment against fornication. Why is it viewed as "sinful"?

Romans 2 comes after Romans 1. There is a development of thought in Romans.

I haven't worn earrings lately; but plenty of Christians do; and in Ezekiel 16.12 the Lord Himself is on record as giving earrings and even a nose ring to Zion, figuratively speaking.

 

[sparow]

All this talk about commandments is making me wonder about something. We can point at the ten commandments, and there they are. "Don't do this" "Do that": but what about a lot of other things that, seem to be viewed as "sinful"; I was wondering, where is the commandment for some of these? I'm going to go ahead and forgo the ten-thousand ton elephant in the room:

1. Drug use. Let's have this meaning, drugs like, alcohol, marijuana since these seem to be two big "that's sinful"s; but also putting in all manner of drugs from LSD to cocaine to, whatever the streets are hawking these days. Also, would we add drugs to this list? Not, drug drugs; but, drugs like from a pharmacy?

2. Fornication. This one gets people hopping mad at this "sin" but I don't see it on the ten commandments, so why is this a sin? Technically this word in scripture looks to mean "prostitution" but people seem to categorize it as relations prior to marriage; so I'm giving it its own place on the list.

3. Gambling. Sinful breaking of a commandment?

4. Musical instruments in the church service?

5. Dancing?

6. Prostitution?

7. What about occult practitioners? Here I mean, people who are professing Christians who practice "magick" (yes, with a "k"; it's ridiculous, I know but that's how they spell it). All of their occult rituals are all "in the name of Christ" and they call it "Christian white magick": I presume this can get people stomping mad at sin, but where is the commandment?

8. Tatoos and piercings? Is this a sinful practice?

That's all I can think of right now. Let me be clear in case anyone jumps the gun here; I'm not advocating any of this, I'm wondering where the commandment to not do these things is at? This is a sincere question. It's that I'm looking at the ten commandments and wondering now if I actually break any commandments. The only one that looks "ify" to me is "adultery" but that only in application to Jesus further adding that, even lusting is an act of adultery. But, then again, I'm not married so, can I even commit adultery by lusting? Or, would I have to have a wife to be commiting "mental adultery"?

The Law is the most misunderstood thing and it is where Satan has his greatest victory. The Law is intended to make life worth living. Even the Roman law was beneficial, before Rome Israel was a very dangerous place, with Rome, the country side littered with crucifixes, people could travel to and fro without fear of being attached by vandals.

The Commandment of God are four things in service to God and 8 or 10 things not to do. Not doing things expends zero energy and could hardly constitute keeping the Law. Keeping the Law is live ones life to the hilt within guide lines. The Law is spiritual and requires the spirit of God for understanding.

 

[Root of Jesse]

All this talk about commandments is making me wonder about something. We can point at the ten commandments, and there they are. "Don't do this" "Do that": but what about a lot of other things that, seem to be viewed as "sinful"; I was wondering, where is the commandment for some of these? I'm going to go ahead and forgo the ten-thousand ton elephant in the room:

Let me start by saying that lots of things which aren't mentioned in the 10 commandments, per se, are still breaking the 10 commandments. For example, if you're driving down the road, and you cut off someone on the freeway on purpose, that, in my opinion, is breaking the commandment to not kill. If you waste food because there's too much on your plate, I would say you're breaking the commandment to not steal. It's sort of like the commandment of our Lord to feed the poor, comfort the homeless, give drink to the thirsty...there's more ways to do this than by searching out a homeless guy, giving him a pair of jeans and a hot dog. A mother feeding her children is fulfilling the command to feed the hungry, for example...

1. Drug use. Let's have this meaning, drugs like, alcohol, marijuana since these seem to be two big "that's sinful"s; but also putting in all manner of drugs from LSD to cocaine to, whatever the streets are hawking these days. Also, would we add drugs to this list? Not, drug drugs; but, drugs like from a pharmacy?

So in light of the above, drug use or alcohol use is not sinful, per se. Whatever constitutes abuse of those substances, though, is...

2. Fornication. This one gets people hopping mad at this "sin" but I don't see it on the ten commandments, so why is this a sin? Technically this word in scripture looks to mean "prostitution" but people seem to categorize it as relations prior to marriage; so I'm giving it its own place on the list.

Fornication is adultery, plain and simple. And any sex outside of marriage is that. Adultery means you're having sex with someone you're not married to...

3. Gambling. Sinful breaking of a commandment?

Only if you do it to the detriment of the family

4. Musical instruments in the church service?

Heck no!, David worshiped with all sorts of instruments (and dancing).

5. Dancing?

What passes for dancing, these days, I'd say is sinful, as it provokes people to adultery.

6. Prostitution?

Absolutely-see adultery

7. What about occult practitioners? Here I mean, people who are professing Christians who practice "magick" (yes, with a "k"; it's ridiculous, I know but that's how they spell it). All of their occult rituals are all "in the name of Christ" and they call it "Christian white magick": I presume this can get people stomping mad at sin, but where is the commandment?

lots of things are done in the name of Christ, but aren't really done for His glory.

8. Tatoos and piercings? Is this a sinful practice?

I don't personally like them, but sinful, no.

That's all I can think of right now. Let me be clear in case anyone jumps the gun here; I'm not advocating any of this, I'm wondering where the commandment to not do these things is at? This is a sincere question. It's that I'm looking at the ten commandments and wondering now if I actually break any commandments. The only one that looks "ify" to me is "adultery" but that only in application to Jesus further adding that, even lusting is an act of adultery. But, then again, I'm not married so, can I even commit adultery by lusting? Or, would I have to have a wife to be commiting "mental adultery"?

It doesn't have to be explicit in the Bible to be 'sinful'. Yes, you commit adultery by lusting after someone who's not your wife. And a man lookin' at porn on the internet is committing adultery against his wife.

 

[John Hyperspace]

The Law is the most misunderstood thing and it is where Satan has his greatest victory. The Law is intended to make life worth living. Even the Roman law was beneficial, before Rome Israel was a very dangerous place, with Rome, the country side littered with crucifixes, people could travel to and fro without fear of being attached by vandals.

The Commandment of God are four things in service to God and 8 or 10 things not to do. Not doing things expends zero energy and could hardly constitute keeping the Law. Keeping the Law is live ones life to the hilt within guide lines. The Law is spiritual and requires the spirit of God for understanding.

I'd like to be able to reply here, but seem to lack the required understanding. I don't suppose you'd comment on the list above in a way that might shed a little light?

 

[John Hyperspace]

Let me start by saying that lots of things which aren't mentioned in the 10 commandments, per se, are still breaking the 10 commandments. For example, if you're driving down the road, and you cut off someone on the freeway on purpose, that, in my opinion, is breaking the commandment to not kill. If you waste food because there's too much on your plate, I would say you're breaking the commandment to not steal. It's sort of like the commandment of our Lord to feed the poor, comfort the homeless, give drink to the thirsty...there's more ways to do this than by searching out a homeless guy, giving him a pair of jeans and a hot dog. A mother feeding her children is fulfilling the command to feed the hungry, for example...So in light of the above, drug use or alcohol use is not sinful, per se. Whatever constitutes abuse of those substances, though, is...Fornication is adultery, plain and simple. And any sex outside of marriage is that. Adultery means you're having sex with someone you're not married to...Only if you do it to the detriment of the familyHeck no!, David worshiped with all sorts of instruments (and dancing).What passes for dancing, these days, I'd say is sinful, as it provokes people to adultery. Absolutely-see adulterylots of things are done in the name of Christ, but aren't really done for His glory.I don't personally like them, but sinful, no.
It doesn't have to be explicit in the Bible to be 'sinful'. Yes, you commit adultery by lusting after someone who's not your wife. And a man lookin' at porn on the internet is committing adultery against his wife.

Okay that is some heavy-duty stuff. So basically you're saying, the interpretation of law is up for grabs, and we're basically 24/7 sin machines with absolutely no chance of obedience at any given moment? We don't even really know what the law actually says or means.

I would, though, disagree that "adultery" and "fornication" are the same. Not only would it then be appropriate to just use the word "adultery" and not muddy the waters with another term that means the same thing; but in the law there's clearly allowance for relationships where no one gets stoned to death, whereas in adultery, you're stoned to death, period. So, basically; you're proposing that the way we in modern times define the two words, are completely wrong, and we need to go back and understand the words over again?

 

[Shempster]

All this talk about commandments is making me wonder about something. We can point at the ten commandments, and there they are. "Don't do this" "Do that": but what about a lot of other things that, seem to be viewed as "sinful"; I was wondering, where is the commandment for some of these? I'm going to go ahead and forgo the ten-thousand ton elephant in the room:

1. Drug use. Let's have this meaning, drugs like, alcohol, marijuana since these seem to be two big "that's sinful"s; but also putting in all manner of drugs from LSD to cocaine to, whatever the streets are hawking these days. Also, would we add drugs to this list? Not, drug drugs; but, drugs like from a pharmacy?

(IMO) Drugs are man made "potions" to heal us or take away symptoms. These things seem to be the same items that alchemists and medicine men made. Seems wrong to me.
Heroin, cocaine, meth, pills. Molly, PCP, etc. are man made chemicals that produce massive releases of brain hormones. Leads to addiction and death. Seems wrong to me.
Marijuana is a God-made plant that has tremendous theraputic benefits when used as intended (not smoked)

2. Fornication. This one gets people hopping mad at this "sin" but I don't see it on the ten commandments, so why is this a sin? Technically this word in scripture looks to mean "prostitution" but people seem to categorize it as relations prior to marriage; so I'm giving it its own place on the list.

I think that the Father wants us to be devoted to Him alone. He allows us to cling to one person but expects us to remain 100% completely faithful in word, thought and deed. Sex connects us to another person in many ways. If we are faithful with the other then we fulfill the purpose. If we connect with various people, it becomes an analogy of idol worship. The commandments about sex are a living microcosm of the bigger picture of the need for us to learn to be 100% devoted to another...especially the Father.

3. Gambling. Sinful breaking of a commandment?
Gambling for entertainment may be just fine for some. The lust for worldly wealth is the purpose behind most gambling. Thats a no-brainer for those folks.

4. Musical instruments in the church service?
This is completely arbitrary. We are not commanded to have specific music or not to have it.
If we worship instruments...thats a problem. Me, as a musician, I want to praise God with skill using the best sounding instrument I can muster.

5. Dancing?
Dancing is goofy to me (a guy) but I have done it when they make me. Some folks feel like it releases tension and stress much like running. Some do it to entice the other sex.

6. Prostitution?
Wrong.
I can see the desperation for women in extreme situations, but I am positive that when one walks in Christ that HE will see to it that our needs are met.


Think about it....the NEW LAW...to love God and others....if you filter every thought, word and deed through the filter of God's divine love, then we really don't need to look at some list of do's and dont's. The Holy Spirit tells us what we can do and cannot do.
It also depends much on our personal point in the process of salvation. Sin plays a big part in the early portions of the journey. The last thing a young, growing person needs is for someone to come along and heap a bucket of judgement upon them. Thats a great way to get others feeling condemned which pulls them away from God.



7. What about occult practitioners? Here I mean, people who are professing Christians who practice "magick" (yes, with a "k"; it's ridiculous, I know but that's how they spell it). All of their occult rituals are all "in the name of Christ" and they call it "Christian white magick": I presume this can get people stomping mad at sin, but where is the commandment?

8. Tatoos and piercings? Is this a sinful practice?

That's all I can think of right now. Let me be clear in case anyone jumps the gun here; I'm not advocating any of this, I'm wondering where the commandment to not do these things is at? This is a sincere question. It's that I'm looking at the ten commandments and wondering now if I actually break any commandments. The only one that looks "ify" to me is "adultery" but that only in application to Jesus further adding that, even lusting is an act of adultery. But, then again, I'm not married so, can I even commit adultery by lusting? Or, would I have to have a wife to be commiting "mental adultery"?

 

[mark wright]

All this talk about commandments is making me wonder about something. We can point at the ten commandments, and there they are. "Don't do this" "Do that": but what about a lot of other things that, seem to be viewed as "sinful"; I was wondering, where is the commandment for some of these? I'm going to go ahead and forgo the ten-thousand ton elephant in the room:

1. Drug use. Let's have this meaning, drugs like, alcohol, marijuana since these seem to be two big "that's sinful"s; but also putting in all manner of drugs from LSD to cocaine to, whatever the streets are hawking these days. Also, would we add drugs to this list? Not, drug drugs; but, drugs like from a pharmacy?

2. Fornication. This one gets people hopping mad at this "sin" but I don't see it on the ten commandments, so why is this a sin? Technically this word in scripture looks to mean "prostitution" but people seem to categorize it as relations prior to marriage; so I'm giving it its own place on the list.

3. Gambling. Sinful breaking of a commandment?

4. Musical instruments in the church service?

5. Dancing?

6. Prostitution?

7. What about occult practitioners? Here I mean, people who are professing Christians who practice "magick" (yes, with a "k"; it's ridiculous, I know but that's how they spell it). All of their occult rituals are all "in the name of Christ" and they call it "Christian white magick": I presume this can get people stomping mad at sin, but where is the commandment?

8. Tatoos and piercings? Is this a sinful practice?

That's all I can think of right now. Let me be clear in case anyone jumps the gun here; I'm not advocating any of this, I'm wondering where the commandment to not do these things is at? This is a sincere question. It's that I'm looking at the ten commandments and wondering now if I actually break any commandments. The only one that looks "ify" to me is "adultery" but that only in application to Jesus further adding that, even lusting is an act of adultery. But, then again, I'm not married so, can I even commit adultery by lusting? Or, would I have to have a wife to be commiting "mental adultery"?

Lust and impure thoughts break the tenth commandment.
As a child i wondered why thou shalt not covet was one of the ten commandments. I could well understand the importance of the other nine, but not the tenth. But as a child I thought it only referred to material goods, such as don't wish your neighbours car was yours!
And yet the tenth commandment is most likely the hardest to obey. King David, by breaking the tenth commandment where Bathsheeba was concerned then broke two more of them.
And Paul gave thou shalt not covet as the example of why he was condemned under the law

 

[John Hyperspace]

post in quotes

Thanks for the reply. What I'm really looking for is, scripture. Some reason in the actual scripture to pronouce things as "objectively breaking the commandments": like if someone murdered someone we could say "That is sin because the commandment is 'do no murder' and he just did murder" or if someone bore false witness we could say "that is sin because the commandment says 'bear no false witness'"

It seems to me that you're suggesting that the items in the list above are not expressly forbidden according to the commandments; but seem more of "opinion-based" "I think it shouldn't/should be done" and so these ultimately would come down to whether or not a person viewed them as "right" and "wrong" in their own eyes? I hope I'm not misrepresenting what you're meaning; I'm having to feel out most of these answers.

 

[mark wright]

Thanks for the reply. What I'm really looking for is, scripture. Some reason in the actual scripture to pronouce things as "objectively breaking the commandments": like if someone murdered someone we could say "That is sin because the commandment is 'do no murder' and he just did murder" or if someone bore false witness we could say "that is sin because the commandment says 'bear no false witness'"

It seems to me that you're suggesting that the items in the list above have no forbiddance according to the commandments; but seem more of "opinion-based" "I think it shouldn't/should be done" and so these ultimately would come down to whether or not a person viewed them as "right" and "wrong" in their own eyes? I hope I'm not misrepresenting what you're meaning; I'm having to feel out most of these answers.

Lust and impure thoughts definatley break the tenth commandment, that is not just my opinion.
I thought I would leave others to discuss the rest.

 

[John Hyperspace]

Lust and impure thoughts break the tenth commandment.

Wait, the tenth commandment forbids coveting "your neighbor's" things: Exodus 20:17 Wouldn't it leave out the phrase "you neighbor's" if it were universal?

As a child i wondered why thou shalt not covet was one of the ten commandments. I could well understand the importance of the other nine, but not the tenth. But as a child I thought it only referred to material goods, such as don't wish your neighbours car was yours!
And yet the tenth commandment is most likely the hardest to obey. King David, by breaking the tenth commandment where Bathsheeba was concerned then broke two more of them.
And Paul gave thou shalt not covet as the example of why he was condemned under the law

But Bathsheba was another man's wife. The wife of a good and loyal soldier, in fact. Are you meaning to say that anything we set our passion on, is breaking the tenth commandment?

I respect your opinion, but it seems clear that the coveting is forbidden when it is of something belonging to someone else. Otherwise, why say "your neighbor's" in the commandment?

 

[John Hyperspace]

Lust and impure thoughts definatley break the tenth commandment, that is not just my opinion.
I thought I would leave others to discuss the rest.

Apologies, that reply of mine you quote there was actually a reply to "shempster"; but because his quote was in quotes, it didn't show his post in my reply; I added it in to avoid the misunderstanding but apparently you replied faster than I could edit the reply to make it clear that I was replying to shempster.

 

[mark wright]

Wait, the tenth commandment forbids coveting "your neighbor's" things: Exodus 20:17 Wouldn't it leave out the phrase "you neighbor's" if it were universal?



But Bathsheba was another man's wife. The wife of a good and loyal soldier, in fact. Are you meaning to say that anything we set our passion on, is breaking the tenth commandment? If so, isn't Paul telling us to break the commandments when he says to "covet" spiritual gifts? 1 Corinthians 12:31, 1 Corinthians 14:39

I respect your opinion, but it seems clear that the coveting is forbidden when it is of something belonging to someone else. Otherwise, why say "your neighbor's" in the commandment?

For I would not have known lust except the law had said. Thou shalt not covet..

Cleary to Paul lust is breaking the tenth commandment for once he was conscious of that commandment he was conscious lust is breaking that law. If lust is breaking it impure thoughts must also be. I understand where you are coming from .
The tenth commandment states you must not covet/ desire your neighbours, wife, maidservant, manservant his ox or donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

Every woman is someone's daughter isn't she. Do you think that command would not include a single woman say who's parents have died? Would God give a loophole as it were to lust?
Of course in biblical times, with their then structureof life coveting virtually any woman would be coveting someone that belonged to your neighbour I imagine.
I do appreciate the reasons you have given to support your view. Just offering my reasons for why God would not give an excuse to lust/ have impure thoughts without breaking a law that shows how he wants us to live

 

[thesunisout]

1. Drug use. Let's have this meaning, drugs like, alcohol, marijuana since these seem to be two big "that's sinful"s; but also putting in all manner of drugs from LSD to cocaine to, whatever the streets are hawking these days. Also, would we add drugs to this list? Not, drug drugs; but, drugs like from a pharmacy?

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God

Drunkenness is a sin, you can apply that to getting high as well. They are works of the flesh

2. Fornication. This one gets people hopping mad at this "sin" but I don't see it on the ten commandments, so why is this a sin? Technically this word in scripture looks to mean "prostitution" but people seem to categorize it as relations prior to marriage; so I'm giving it its own place on the list.

Fornication means illicit sexual intercourse:

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4202&t=KJV

Outline of Biblical Usage [?]

1. illicit sexual intercourse
   
   1. adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.
      
      
   2. sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18
      
      
   3. sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman; Mk. 10:11,12
      
2. metaph. the worship of idols
   
   1. of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols
      

Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,

3. Gambling. Sinful breaking of a commandment?

One of the few mentions of gambling in the bible is when the soldiers gambled for Jesus' garments. That should probably tell us something. There is no specific command not to gamble, but obviously any addiction is sin. Bad stewardship of Gods resources is sin. I don't think it takes much discernment to tell its not the best idea, but this is between the individual and the Lord in my opinion.

4. Musical instruments in the church service?

That isn't in the bible. David played instruments before the Lord

5. Dancing?

Also not in the bible. David danced before the Lord

6. Prostitution?

Prostitution is fornication; also, look how many prostitutes Jesus forgave and even cast demons out of

7. What about occult practitioners? Here I mean, people who are professing Christians who practice "magick" (yes, with a "k"; it's ridiculous, I know but that's how they spell it). All of their occult rituals are all "in the name of Christ" and they call it "Christian white magick": I presume this can get people stomping mad at sin, but where is the commandment?

Acts 19:19

And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Notice they stopped practicing magic and burned the books

8. Tatoos and piercings? Is this a sinful practice?

There is an old testament command about tattoos..I am not hardline about this, I leave it between an individual and the Lord.

 

[John Hyperspace]

For I would not have known lust except the law had said. Thou shalt not covet..

True but surely Paul is simply quoting the law, and knew we knew what it said so didn't bother to quote the entire thing "thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s."

Cleary to Paul lust is breaking the tenth commandment for once he was conscious of that commandment he was conscious lust is breaking that law.

I can't be sure what Paul was doing; but it would seem that if he were quoting the tenth commandment we could deduce that he was coveting something belonging to someone else.

If lust is breaking it impure thoughts must also be.

We seem to be on a slippery slope, now that leads to liking something as "sin" since how are you now defining "impure thoughts" since there's no "commandment" for us to "know" (since Paul's talking about, knowing sin by the express commandments; and not, inference)

Every woman is someone's daughter isn't she. Do you think that command would not include a single woman say who's parents have died? Would God give a loophole as it were to lust?

I think you're incorrect in talking about "loopholes" because you're inferring "lust" as "sin"; if "lust" isn't sin, there's no loophole. Also, this would lead to every man committing an act worthy of death for even falling in love with a girl, and desiring her to be his wife; since that would be violation of the tenth commandment. I'm not sure God would design a commandment that condemned two unattached people falling in love and getting married.

I do appreciate the reasons you have given to support your view. Just offering my reasons for why God would not give an excuse to lust/ have impure thoughts without breaking a law that shows how he wants us to live

I understand and chalk that up to you as you stated.

 

[RDKirk]

All this talk about commandments is making me wonder about something. We can point at the ten commandments, and there they are. "Don't do this" "Do that": but what about a lot of other things that, seem to be viewed as "sinful"; I was wondering, where is the commandment for some of these?

Everything is permissible to me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible to me, but not everything is edifying.

Paul does not rely on the Mosaic Law here, but raises the consideration to a higher level. The Law is for school children who do not have the mind of Christ. The person mature in Christ looks at every decision, every act, in terms of "How would this benefit my Lord's mission? How does it edify me as a Christian, or the Body of Christ?"

The question is not, "Is this against the Law?" but "Is this the best thing I can do for Christ?"

The person who is looking only not to break a Law is like the one-talent steward. That man was so afraid of doing something wrong with his talent that he actually did nothing at all. His only thought was "Don't do anything wrong" instead of "What can I do that's right?"

When I was active duty military, I understood that I could do anything...as long as my commander would consider it beneficial to his mission. In the company I work for now, I can do anything...as long as I can convince the company that it will be profitable to the company.

An Olympic athlete in training can eat a Big Mac and probably not suffer from it at all, but that's not the reason he doesn't eat one. The reason he doesn't eat a Big Mac is because he wants everything he does to make him faster, and a Big Mac won't make him faster.

The question is not, "Is it against the Law for me to buy a big-screen TV?" the question is, "Is it beneficial to the Lord for me to buy a big-screen TV?"

After all, our money is His money, our time is His time. Our use of either is always about His mission.

 

[John Hyperspace]

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God

Sure, I'm aware of verses such as this; what I'm asking is: why is Paul speaking about things that don't seem to have commandments forbidding them? Is Paul adding commandments to the law? Or, or we misunderstanding Paul in some way? What I'm looking for is actual scripture that says "do no X"

Drunkenness is a sin, you can apply that to getting high as well. They are works of the flesh

By what command? Bear in mind, this thread is not "what do you call sin?" but "where is the commandment forbidding what you call sin"?

Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,

Again, what is Jesus refering to here? What commandments? When the rich ruler asked what he must do, Jesus said "Obey the commandments" and then stated them. Fornication was not on the list. So, is Jesus here saying that "fornication" is a breaking of a commandment? What commandment?

One of the few mentions of gambling in the bible is when the soldiers gambled for Jesus' garments. That should probably tell us something.

It tells me that soldiers cast lots. The apostles also cast lots. Is that sinful? If so, by what command?

but obviously any addiction is sin.

How is that obvious? By what command?

Bad stewardship of Gods resources is sin.

Again, by what command?

That isn't in the bible. David played instruments before the Lord

Some Christians (not me, but they exist) say it is sinful before it is adding to the word of God who says in the new covenant to sing songs, but doesn't say to play musical instruments; thus anyone who does is "adding presumptuous sin" to the scripture. They say that musical instruments in church service is "sinful" and the congregation is damned for being in a state of unrepentance.

Also not in the bible. David danced before the Lord

They say it is "lustful" and say that it is "clearly sin"; and that any who dance are unrepentant sinners who are damned.

Prostitution is fornication; also, look how many prostitutes Jesus forgave and even cast demons out of

Still looking for a "command" to be broken in both cases. Otherwise it seems that everything is up for grabs as we all infer and speculate according to our own opinions.

Acts 19:19

And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Notice they stopped practicing magic and burned the books

Based on what command? What form of magic were they practicing? Was it evil spirit magic? This verse says nothing about what "magic" actually is. Was Daniel a sinner for being "master of magicians"?

There is an old testament command about tattoos..I am not hardline about this, I leave it between an individual and the Lord.

Ah, there are 364(?) commandments in the old covenant? Are they all indicative of "sin"? Meaning, is wearing mixed fabrics "sinful"? If no, why are we arbitraily picking commands?

 

[mark wright]

True but surely Paul is simply quoting the law, and knew we knew what it said so didn't bother to quote the entire thing "thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s."



I can't be sure what Paul was doing; but it would seem that if he were quoting the tenth commandment we could deduce that he was coveting something belonging to someone else.



We seem to be on a slippery slope, now that leads to liking something as "sin" since how are you now defining "impure thoughts" since there's no "commandment" for us to "know" (since Paul's talking about, knowing sin by the express commandments; and not, inference)



I think you're incorrect in talking about "loopholes" because you're inferring "lust" as "sin"; if "lust" isn't sin, there's no loophole. Also, this would lead to every man committing an act worthy of death for even falling in love with a girl, and desiring her to be his wife; since that would be violation of the tenth commandment. I'm not sure God would design a commandment that condemned two unattached people falling in love and getting married.



I understand and chalk that up to you as you stated.

I have tried twice to quote rom 7:7-11 kjv but my phone is playing up.
I think it is clear from those verses Paul is saying lust breaks the tenth commandment. He is giving an example from his own life as to why he had to die to a law of righteousness. He says sin took advantage of the commandment and by it slew him, for he said all manner of concupiscence was aroused in him through the commandment. Though shalt not covet. Your dictionary will tell you the meaning of concupiscence. Paul states he was slain by the commandment. As he says he would not have known lust apart from the commandment, and the result of knowing it was sin producing I him all manner of concupiscence which slew him, it is correct to deduce in my view concupiscence and lust break the tenth commandment, otherwise he could not have said he was condemned by it