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| Image by: Sira Anamwong |
Gray area (my definition)—Any issue not
covered explicitly or implicitly in the Bible. When there’s not a clear
principle or statement about it, when the Ten Commandments don’t cover
it, when there’s no clear teaching one way or another about it, it’s a gray area. It’s
not black or white; wrong or right; it’s in between.
There are so many
gray areas we could mention. This is by no means a complete list:
- Fasting
- Vegetarianism
- Women wearing hats, head coverings
- Women having long hair
- Women braiding their hair
- Women wearing jewelry
- Women wearing slacks
- Women playing sports
- Homeschooling vs. public schools vs. private Christian schools
- Singing only the Psalms
- Singing contemporary praise songs
- Singing without instrumental accompaniment
- Having a praise team on the platform, in front of the congregation
- Singing with guitar (tambourine, drums, or any specific instrument)
- Slow music
- Repetitive music
- Expository preaching (verse by verse)
- Preaching on themes (love, mercy, Israel in history, etc.)
- Using a drama presentation in a church service
- Using the main church auditorium for daily vacation Bible school
- Patriotism (God and country, Fourth of July, etc.)
- Small group churches
- One-congregation church
- Care group divisions
- Elders vs. deacons
- Having the Lord’s Supper every Sunday
- Having the Lord’s Supper once a month
- Everyone march forward to partake of the Lord’s Supper
- Passing a plate and small glasses for the Lord’s Supper
- A common cup passed for the Lord’s Supper
- Stewardship month in January
- Massive pulpit vs. little pulpit or no pulpit
- Missions conferences
- Having fellowship meals (and how often)
- House-to-house outreach
- Friendship evangelism
- Using gospel tracts
- Street evangelism
These are gray
areas. Some Christians view them one way and some another.
Can we be friends?
Can we worship together, having differing opinions?
Do we need to
separate ourselves from people who cut the pie differently than we do?
What does the
Bible say?
First, the Bible
says that doctrine is very important. We are to separate ourselves from
those who do not preach sound doctrine. (Doctrine speaks of the core beliefs of
Christianity: the sinfulness of man, Christ’s death on the cross to pay the sin
debt, the resurrection of Jesus, eternal life, etc.) Someone who claims to be a
Christian but preaches another doctrine besides salvation through Jesus Christ should
not be welcomed. If there come any unto
you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid
him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds
(2 John 10-11).
As Christians, we also separate ourselves from:
- Those who cause division in the church. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them (Romans 16:17).
- Those Christians who continue in sinful practices. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us (2 Thessalonians 3:6).
Probably the clearest
biblical passage about gray areas is this one. It has to do with eating
meat. In that time, the big issue for believers was about meat served at the table that had
been previously offered or dedicated to a false Roman god. There were
Christians on both sides of the argument. Some had absolutely no problem
enjoying their steaks, as they knew there was no such thing as a god other than
God. Others had “weak” consciences and couldn’t eat the meat. All they could
think of was that false god, and to them, the meat was unclean.
Let’s read: He that regardeth
the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the
Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth
God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God
thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For
whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the
Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end
Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead
and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought
thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it
is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every
tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of
himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this
rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s
way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean
of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is
unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not
charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then
your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these
things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us
therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith
one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed
are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither
to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth,
or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before
God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. .
. . We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not
to please ourselves. (Romans 14:6-22;
15:1).
Isn’t this interesting? It all boils down to thinking of others. We’re to do whatever we do with a clear conscience toward God, and we’re to be
considerate of others’ feelings.
God help us not to be
judgmental about those things that are gray issues and to spread the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ to those who so desperately need Him! Let's major on the majors.
For God sent not
his Son into the world
to condemn the world;
but that the world
through him might be saved.
(John 3:17)
