Is it okay for a man of the cloth to dabble in sins of the flesh if his flesh is the only flesh involved?
826338
Yeah. I'm sure they all "salute the bishop" once in a while
847224
It's not a sin.  Enjoy yourself.  Just don't get too obsessed with it.  All things in balance.
1159376
The bible says LITERALLY that lust is a sin.  Your reasoning is very good...  It is ok to appreciate someone for their body, but not to follow up on it.
284678
This might give you more insight in a religious sense and matter.  http://www.religioustolerance.org/masturba.htm\n\nI think what your doing is alright as long as your not lusting at another person.
351681
Lets start with Adam and Eve.\n\nEarlier, they were naked and it was NOT sinful.\n\nLater, after eating the fruit of good and evil, It became sinful. \n\nDid it? Why?\n\nBecause, earlier they didnt have the concept of sin.\nSo they couldnt sin.\nLater, it did, because now they know how to sin.\n\nAnother way...\nIts sinful because a lot of lust and unwanted thoughts as well as adultery ( in the mind and physically ) can be or easily "promoted". \n\nWell, the adulterers, and rapists often blame the women they have illicit sex or rape to be too "sexy". I mean its not uncommon to hear them say, its that womans fault that she wore like that and I couldnt help it etc...\n\nOf course this does not justify what the rapists and adulterers had done. But do you want to be raped and adulterated to for just wanting to show "its nothing wrong to walk naked in front of other people?"\n\nWell, its not about being abstractly correct wether it is wrong or not but rather, the possible consequences ( which are all negative ) speaks for itself.\n\nRegards
960726
More than likely he was just there to bathe in the river anyway.Maybe some would argue about humbling himself before John the Baptist as a gesture of respect for him and what he did.Jesus had said that what you do to the least of these you do to me also.I don't have an issue with it. You're reading way too much into something without knowing the truth. This is a negative application you are applying so you're fishing in a toilet for excuses. Unless you had witnessed everything from that time without prejudice it's difficult to usually grasp it without faith. From the perspective of immortality one death on a cross to start a religion seems to be a safe bet.Mortals usually only understand living sacrifice as an example of faith or honor. A virgin woman represents an undefiled vessel or purity. Would it sound better to you if she was just the babysitter? This isn't a sitcom drama you know.
268068
Nope,it's one of those passages that I disagree with.What you quoted was one of many unethical verses in the bible.I don't believe or follow everything I read.
608803
In the book of James we are told to "confess your sins, one to another".  This is also one of the ways people get sober and stay that way in AA. We put our shortcomings into perspective and get our guilt out. So yes appropriate, at least at times, and certainly usefull for spiritual health.
209998
That is from the Old Testiment and that doesn't apply now.  The blood of Jesus has washed our sins away.  If you have a personal conviction about this then maybe you should talk to a counselor at your church.
732380
Heb 13:4 associates the "bed" with marriage. Anything sensual belongs in the marriage bed. Romance is different than being sensual both are for marriage but only romance is good outside of it. The lusts of the flesh include the sensual things outside of marriage as far as physical things go. If you proceed with your questionable actions you will surely fall into sin if you have not already. Flee sexual immorality (1 Cor 6:17) is what Paul said, don't play with fire you will get burned. People who cross the line in a relationship are really showing disrespect towards each other especially the guy since he is potentially the spiritual leader. If both of you are Christians, I would advise you to both pray together to have the fear of God and to conduct yourselves in a holy manner every time you are together. There is a time to love and a time to embrace (from Ecclesiastes 3) but doing both naked is not that time until marriage just as Adam and Eve were naked as husband and wife without shame.
958449
I think that's a really good question. If I accept the premise that God cannot ask us to do anything that is not moral, then that implies there is a morality independent of Him. On the other hand, if I accept the position that I must do whatever God wants me to do, then I have no way to ascertain whether God is asking me to do right or wrong - I must simply do what He says.
1139706
That passage is talking about when you gather at The Lords Supper (communion) it helps if you read the whole passage and not just a verse in it. It was very common for people to meet and eat with eachother in fellowship and worship. There is nothing wrong with it, but when you gather together for Communion, its not to get together to pig out.
459632
I've taken a look at that question and at the person's profile who answered it. I'm certainly not going to commit the sin of judging someone else but I will say that when someone asks a serious question about how God works in this world a Christian is called to follow the outline given in this portion of Scripture, not that I am using this passage to describe you by any means.\n\n2 Timothy 2:24  And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,  (25)  correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,\n\nThe Scripture also describes the battle that goes on in the lives of every believer that sometimes causes a person to not give a favorable representation of Christ in how they choose to interact with others.\n\nGalatians 5:16  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  (17)  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  (18)  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  (19)  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,  (20)  idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,  (21)  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.  (22)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  (23)  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.\n\nAnd so if a person doesn't exercise self control and seek to be led by the Spirit of God they run the risk of reacting from their physical human nature and bringing reproach upon the name of Christ.
956103
In theory this does make sense.  Any other sin you commit would fall under disobedience.  The Bible commands you not to commit adultery.  So the sin you are forgiven for is not the adultery but the disobedience against the commandment.
222995
Matthew 5:27-30:\n"You have heard that it was said, `Do not commit adultery.'  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.\n\nProverbs 6:25-26:\nDo not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes, for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.\n\nColossians 3:5-6:\nPut to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.\n\n1 Thessalonians 4:3-8:\nIt is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;  that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable,  not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;  and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.  For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
389568
Jesus took her sin upon Himself and he was already slapped. No sin or crime is judged twice. If you want to be free of sin believe in Jesus Christ and you shall be set free.
809904
There is no sin in such a thing. That sounds like legalism to me. As well as quite foolish. The bible never specified this to be wrong.\nPaul only mentioned a womans hair is her glory. Not so as to not cut it.