People frequently accuse the Bible of labeling everything a sin, but that’s simply not true. There are many misconceptions about what the Bible considers sinful, but most people don’t read it to correct their assumptions. Luckily, we’ve compiled 18 things people think are sins but aren’t, according to the Bible.
Moderate Drinking
Though the Bible says drunkenness is sinful, it makes no such declaration about drinking alcohol in moderation. Wine significantly appears many times in the Bible, such as when Jesus performs the miracle of turning water into wine or when He uses wine to symbolize His blood. Moderate drinking is certainly no biblical crime.
Piercings
Some Christians try to dissuade others from getting piercings by citing Leviticus 19:28, which warns against making ‘cuttings in your flesh’, but there’s no indication this refers to piercings. In fact, Christianity.com highlights how direct biblical mentions of piercings are actually positive, such as the holy Rebekah being gifted a gold nose ring.
Having Thoughts
It sounds strange to believe that having thoughts is sinful, but it’s a surprisingly common misconception. The Bible teaches us to put our faith in God and let Him positively influence us, but it doesn’t forbid us from thinking for ourselves. Of course, sinful thoughts are evil, but general thoughts are not.
Listening to Heavy Metal
Christian metal music, called ‘white metal’, exists and is actually quite popular within the Christian community, so it’s entirely incorrect to say listening to heavy metal is a sin. The Bible makes no mention of heavy metal at all, but many people still wrongly associate ‘black metal’ with Satanism and sin.
Secular Art
The Bible is very clear about how sinful idolatry is, but many think not worshiping images means not being able to appreciate secular art. There is nothing inherently immoral about admiring works of art, so long as you don’t defy the Ten Commandments and treat that art like your god.
Having Non-Religious Friends
Christians enjoy interacting with others within their religious communities, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have non-religious friends. Some people point to Jesus’s meaningful relationships with other believers in the Bible, most notably His disciples, but He also frequently engages with non-believers. These interactions are never portrayed as misguided or sinful.
Dancing
Many Christians express their faith through dance, but others believe it’s a sin. Bible Study Tools teaches that dancing is mentioned in the Old Testament as a way to worship God but also idols, so it’s divisive. However, in the latter situation, it isn’t the act of dancing that’s sinful, but idolatry.
Wearing Makeup
Christian women who wear makeup are frequently shamed for being ‘immodest’ or disrespecting the temple of the Holy Spirit within their bodies. However, the Bible barely mentions makeup and definitely doesn’t condemn it as sinful. As long as their hearts and souls remain holy and committed to God, women are free to wear makeup.
Dating
Marriage is incredibly important in the Bible, and tarnishing the sanctity of marriage is a sin, but what about dating? The truth is that the Bible doesn’t really mention it beyond telling us to love each other and stay faithful and monogamous to our partners. While pre-marital sex is discouraged, dating isn’t.
Appreciating Fashion
People often stereotype Christians as dressing very plainly due to their biblical beliefs, but that’s not the case. While ostentatious outfits receive criticism for their materiality, the Bible doesn’t say we can’t appreciate fashion. In fact, most Bible passages that mention clothing use it metaphorically to describe how we should clothe ourselves in our faith.
Eating Pork
Lots of people believe the Bible forbids us from eating pork due to the Leviticus passage about not chewing ‘the cud’ of pigs, so it’s an easy misconception to believe. However, in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus declared all foods clean, so most Christians consider pork cleansed and will eat it.
Having Money
Money is often associated with biblical villains, such as Judas Iscariot and his 30 pieces of silver, but money itself is not sinful. People claim the Bible says, ‘money is the root of all evil’, but according to Jehovah’s Witnesses, this is a misquotation, and it’s actually the love of money that’s the sin.
Going to Therapy
When we pray to God, we share our deepest thoughts, emotions, and fears with Him, like a therapist. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go to therapy if we need it. The word ‘therapy’ doesn’t appear in the Bible at all, so it’s not a sin.
Smoking
Smoking is bad for you, but is it a sin? Not according to the Bible. While it encourages us not to sully our holy bodies, it doesn’t explicitly mention smoking. Some Christians say we shouldn’t do it because smoking is addictive and addiction is sinful, but the Bible doesn’t condemn us for smoking.
Physical Intimacy Between Spouses
Physical intimacy is integral to a successful relationship, but some people believe it’s sinful even within the sanctified confines of marriage. However, while the Bible condemns fornicators and adulterers, it encourages spouses to embrace each other as ‘one flesh’, which heavily implies physical intimacy is perfectly acceptable.
Getting Angry
Sometimes, we experience intense emotions, but it isn’t wrong to have them, so long as we don’t let them make us do sinful acts. Many significant biblical figures became angry, including Moses fighting to free his people and Jesus flipping tables in a temple. Their anger wasn’t sinful because it was an honest emotional response.
Drinking Caffeine
Many of us can’t get through the day without caffeine, but many Christians fear drinking caffeine is a sin because, like alcohol, it has the potential to become addictive. Desiring God points out that God created caffeine-bearing plants and wants us to consume them, so there’s nothing unclean about drinking caffeinated beverages.
Questioning Your Faith
It’s incredibly limiting to claim that questioning one’s faith is a sin. In the Bible, Jesus himself questions His faith in the Garden of Gethsemane before His execution before resolving to do His duty. And that’s precisely what the Bible teaches us to do: recover our faith when we waver.
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