Bible Study Seattle

There are some things that are always sins:  murder, theft, lies.  Then there are other things that are sometimes sins:  drinking alchohol, dancing, gambling, masturbation.  Unfortunately, there are some Christians who view all four as always sins.  But how do they deal with:

“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.  When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”  “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”  His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”  Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.  Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.  Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”  They did so and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.”  John 2:1-9

“David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod.”  2 Samuel 6:14

Most people in the developed world gamble with their savings in the stock market or bond market or money market.  Regarding masturbation, some point to this story to claim it is forbidden:

“Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother.  But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord; so He took his life also.”  Genesis 38:8-10

Onan’s sin was refusing to build up his brother’s lineage as his kinsman redeemer.  If one takes the view that masturbation is always sin, it blocks most wives from orgasm, making them not interested in sex, which is a danger for a marriage.  Satan is well pleased with this view.  As someone has said, “Satan hates sex in marriage as much as he loves sex outside of marriage.”