Whether it’s through misinterpreting or because of close relations with certain sinful acts, there are many things people falsely believe to be forbidden by the Bible. Here are 18 of these things and what the Bible truly says about them.
Working on Sundays
Exodus 20:8–11 provides strict sabbath laws that instruct us to labor for six days and rest for the seventh because it’s for the Lord. However, while many have seen Sunday as the Sabbath and applied this law to it, the New Testament laws emphasize the principle of rest rather than a strict ban on work.
Incense Burning
Although incense is featured in many rituals of pagan worship, the Bible doesn’t speak against it. In fact, as seen in Exodus 30:1, the Old Testament made incense a compulsory part of worshipping God. And while the New Testament has made it a choice for you, it’s your intention that determines if burning incense is sinful or not.
Wearing Jewelry
The only thing the Bible prohibits about wearing jewelry, as we see in Bible Gateway’s 1 Peter 3:3, is putting it above a good heart in your outward relations with others. Jewelry is referenced in multiple parts of the Bible as a positive element of culture, and all you need to do is be moderate with it.
Wearing Makeup
Yes, Jezebel was said to have put on makeup in 2 Kings 9:30, referenced in a negative light. But it was her intention behind it that the Bible condemns. Cosmetic enhancements have been a recognized and ingrained part of human culture since Biblical times, and they’re never inherently sinful unless you use them for sins like deceit.
Getting Tattoos
Leviticus 19:28 instructs us as believers against making cuts or tattoos on our bodies to pay homage to the dead, as it’s a pagan practice. However, this is where it stops. The Bible doesn’t have a blanket prohibition on tattoos, especially for personal expression, and it only speaks against them in context of specific unholy rituals.
Listening to Music
While many Christians have viewed music as sinful due to its association with worldly entertainment, the Bible never speaks against it. We even see in different parts of the Bible where singing plays an important role in giving praise to God. And you should understand that it’s the message music passes that’s the most important.
Going to the Beach
Many people also consider going to beaches sinful because of the lack of “modest” dressing on display there. But while the Bible is against indecency, going to the beach itself isn’t against the will of God. Even Jesus spent a lot of time on the shores of water bodies.
Taking Loans
The Bible doesn’t forbid loans but only warns against the consequences that come with them. It tells us in Proverbs 22:7 how the borrower becomes a slave to the lender. What the Bible speaks against, as the University of Chicago explains, is charging interest on anything lent, especially if it’s to the poor—contained in Psalm 15:5.
Playing Cards
Some Christians also stay away from playing cards, thinking it to be a sin due to its association with gambling. However, card games were invented almost 1,000 years after Jesus’ ascension, and what makes a game of cards sinful is when you engage in deceit or exude greed alongside it.
Getting a Divorce
We all know that the Bible frowns against divorce—even going as far as calling divorcees adulterers when they have relationships after ending their marital relations. Nonetheless, divorce isn’t entirely prohibited. God allows us to get divorced on the basis of neglect (Exodus 21:10–11) and, as Emery University teaches, on the basis of unfaithfulness (Matthew 19:9).
Eating Pork
Old Testament dietary laws consider pigs to be unclean animals and, hence, unfit for eating and even used as sacrifices to God. The New Testament has come to make every animal clean for consumption, as long as it’s limited to physical satisfaction and doesn’t have an effect on our spirituality.
Drinking Alcohol
The Bible never says we shouldn’t take alcohol. Even Jesus’ first public miracle was turning water into wine at the marriage at Cana, pointing to its acceptability. What the Bible speaks against, though, is that we don’t consume alcohol to the point of drunkenness, as it’s a form of gluttony that could lead to other sins.
Dancing
Dancing is considered sinful by many, given the indecency expressed through it. However, even the Bible refers to dancing as an expression of joy and worship. In 2 Samuel 6:14–22, it narrates how David danced with all his might, and in Psalm 149:3, it specifically tells us to praise God through it.
Being Wealthy
Even having a lot of money has been deemed by some to be a sin, and you’ll see them misquote the Bible saying that money is the root of all evil. What the Bible actually says in 1 Timothy 6:10 is that the love for money is the root of all evil, and you only sin when you allow greed to set in.
Practising Yoga
The meditative practice of yoga is referenced in sacred texts of Hinduism, making many regard it as a pagan practice. However, it has now evolved to be a significant modern form of exercise. It’s important that believers separate the beneficial physical activity from the harmful spiritual rituals related to it.
Skipping Church
While many see missing church as neglecting your Christian duty, the Bible doesn’t prescribe any penalty for your absence. Reading Bible.com, the only thing we learn through Hebrew 10:25 is that the Bible implores believers to meet together to encourage love and the performance of good works.
Using Birth Control
Given how much of an influence contraceptives and general birth control measures have on the natural process of reproduction, we also see many people regard them as sinful. But the Bible never addresses birth control, and it’s everyone’s free will to do what’s beneficial for them physically.
Women Wearing Pants
Deuteronomy 22:5 mandates that women not wear the garments of men and that men don’t wear those of women. And this has caused many to condemn women wearing pants. However, the Bible only intends to prohibit cross-dressing, and today, pants are no longer pieces of clothing made for only men.
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