Christians, what do YOU mean by the term "gray area"?

Question

When I use that term, I mean the minor doctrinal points about which true Christians can disagree because the Bible does not speak in a clear straight forward manner about it. I never use it to mean that sin is okay, or to talk about something that scripture speaks clearly on.

However, I get the impression that some use it to mean that sin is not always sin, or that the Bible can be manipulated. So please clarify what You mean by it.

hootie, I would not consider purgatory to be a gray (or grey) area (my spell check says "gray" is correct) because Christ clearly paid for all our sins. But the timing of the Rapture, the kind of musical style for worship, whether to use wine or grape juice for communion, etc. Are gray areas.

Full Gospel Shirly, so if one person believes that the rapture will happen before the tribulation, and another believes it will happen after, you don't consider them to both be true Christians? I do, as long as they both know Jesus as Lord and Savior. I am aware that nothing is gray to God, but He did choose to leave some things unrevealed to us, His children. He revealed all we need to be saved, but not every aspect of everything.

FYI - The only people I gave thumbs down to were people who came on to criticize Christianity in general. Those who came on to honestly answer the question got thumbs up even if I didn't agree with them.

Oh, and Full Gospel Shirly, I also agree that we can not be lukewarm. That doesn't mean we know everything though, does it? God does, of course, but even Jesus said that there were certain things not revealed, such as the exact day and hour of His second coming.

Answer 1

Myself, I agree whole heartedly with you.

Sin is NEVER gray (grey?)

But there ARE doctrinal issues that will not affect our salvation, in which theologians have been disputing over for centuries, and they may be considered "gray areas".

Answer 2

Personally I think of the gray area as being an area where it's uncertain whether it is right or wrong. I myself pray about it and study God's word and ask him to reveal what he wants me to do in those types of situations. I also try to lean toward the side of caution. I would rather be sure than unsure.

Of course I do think there are a few unnecessary and radical concepts. Such as wearing something over your hair or not cutting your hair if you are a woman...I think that is a bit extreme. If someone is doing this though, I don't think it is wrong but completely unnecessary.

EDIT:
Gray area among Christians, not gray area with God. God has no gray areas...he obviously knows what is right and what isn't.

Answer 3

There are many things the Bible offers clear cut information about either for or against. There are more not clear cut, but there are guiding principles the Bible offers to navigate these things.

It is up to each Christian to develop a Bible trained conscience to match God's view of things. Some are more sensitive than others. It does not mean they are wrong and should not be judged either way providing their reasoning is sound.

These are the gray areas. Where there is no clear cut rule on matters but there are guiding principles to follow.

Answer 4

I agree with you. There are certain points in Christianity that aren't clearly spelled out in the Bible. Such as the Catholics belif in purgatory (yes I've asked a devot Catholic to show me where in teh Bible this is but he couldn't). In cases like that there is gray area. But to be honest the gray areas aren't what really make or break your faith anyway. The main points are clearly spelled out in the Bible. God created the Earth, man disobeyed Him, He sent is only son to die for our sins, that son rose from the dead defeating death forever for those that believe in Him. Those aren't gray areas.

To say the Bible can't be manipulated is just pure bs. As a Christian I've seen the Bible distorted many times by both Christians and non-Christians alike simply to prove their point. They take things completely out of context (as in women must submit to their husbands... the Bible doesn't say the women becomes the mans slave because if you take it in context it says the man is to love and take care of his wife with respect). And all sin is bad... sin has no ranking. gossiping is just as much a sin as killing. We have all sinned in some way or other.

Answer 5

Perhaps Christians will talk about "grey areas" in Christianity because they are not solid in their beliefs and do not read their Bible enough. That said, I have never heard a pastor or someone who IS in fact strong in their beliefs say that something in the Bible was "grey".

First off, nothing is in black and white. You require a little faith to believe in EVERYTHING.

Second, I have never once been without an answer to someones question about God. It gives every answer in the Bible- whether you understand it or not is a different story.

Answer 6

It definitely means many things, AND yes, both those things you mention. Here's a short answer: when things are not very clear, people misinterpret things differently. When those people are both Christ loving believers, the subject is"gray." However, Christians believe that there is right and wrong, black and white. There is no gray. BUT, because we listen to the world and don't turn to God all the time for our answers, our interpretations may not be as correct as we think. Hense a grey area. I hope that helps. Please e-mail me if you have further questions. [e-mail]

Answer 7

This is a term that I find offense. There are no gray areas with God. HE is either fully for something or fully against it, its up to us to study His word and KNOW. and keep studying and praying till we do know. God dosent want us to be in lukewarmness LAODECEA on anything. We are to be totally hot for something or cold, against it.
If we dont know, it doesnt mean that God doesnt know. Study to know and then speak on it, shut up till we do know, tho its ok to ask others questions as long as you always go back to the Bible to see if the answer goes back and lines up with the full word of God.
There are no gray areas with God, only to man. Sin is always sin, whether one acknowledges it or not. PPl try to use the Bible to manipulate it to fit what they want, but the Bible never manipulates. its the wicked ppl who do that.
The Bible does speak in a clear straight manner, its just that ppl wont know and read it all and see where it is going with each answer. There are no contradictions in the Bible. Only things ppl dont yet understand as they dont know enough.
Study to know and show yourself approved says God.
If we feel an area seems to be gray, then thats something to study and pray about till we do know, cuz God has truth for everything, no half truths that are hard to understand. How much ppl put into it determined how easily and quickly they will learn.
Pray for revelation, believe for it and wait for it.
Never settle fora I DONT KNOW answer from yourself or anyone else. cuz God does Know, and its what He knows that we must understand.
Seek HIm and all will be added unto you.
Added on later:
You asked me a question and I will respond. YOu said what if we as believers believe in two different things, does that mean we arent both Christians? Not necessarily so, but could be. A christian believes the word of God and no other source. THe example you gave concerns the rapture.
We may have different believes as to when it will be and so on, and yes we can be both Christians. But there is still only one meaning and that what God said and what He meant. If one does a true study, they will see it is a pre trib rapture, or at least just as the trib is getting barely started, actually we are in some tribulation, now, but not in the great trubulation, which is after the rapture. This is what God says. But, if a person doesnt understand that yet, are they still Christian? Of course, as long as they are trying to study and learn and praying to know more Yes, they are, But we must be of a teachable spirit so we can learn the things we dont yet know. None of us have it all yet. But again, there are no grey areas, just thing we dont yet know yet. We must teach what we know, and yet have a teachable spirit to learn new things from somene that knows more than we do, but to check all things out according to scripture first, before taking it on a s a new belief. This is what I say, we may think there are grey areas, but no, none are grey to God. He has one meaning , speaks it and knows what it says and wants us to know it too. any false belief can lead to another deception. So He wants us to study and KNOW. A true Christian will alway s be growing and learning and counting it all as joy to do so.
But, we KNOW there are no grey areas with God, jsut ones that are grey to us till we arrive there. amen.

Answer 8

I concur with your main point that areas such as sin cannot be considered gray. I take it to mean areas such as end time doctrine, example: pre-trib, post trib or mid trib.
There can be no gray area for major tenets such as the death, burial and resurrection. Hope this helps.

Answer 9

This is pretty vague. Gray area can be defined differently from person to person. I defined it the same as you; an area of the bible that can't really be explained clearly. To use it as a reason to bend the rules isn't really acceptable.

Answer 10

Yep- they have identical meanings. Christian is from the Greek "Christos" meaning anointed one, and "Messianic" is form the Hebrew "Mashiach" meaning annointed one. Both Christian jew and Messianic Jew mean exactly the same thing- that the person is a Christian and NOT a Jew.