We are to rejoice in the Lord! Copyright © 2021 Doug Britton Books  |  Reprint Policy  |  Privacy Policy  |  To accept the use of cookies, simply continue using this website. There may be times when it is appropriate to expose yourself to material that has ungodly elements. ", You must enable JavaScript to view all available content on this page, Coronavirus - Doctors having success with Hydroxychloroquine, Errors of the Invitation System or Alter Call, Counterfeit Cross - The Lordship of Christ in Salvation - Part II, A Historical Overview of The Lord's Supper, Set Your Mind on Things Above - Matthew Henry, Prophecies of the Destruction of Jerusalem which have remarkably been fulfilled - Thomas Newton. If the main thing we fill our minds with are godless versions of reality, we can come to see the Bible and Christianity as irrelevant to human interactions and “religion” as only belonging in church (if anywhere). Purgatory: Purifying Fire or Fatal Fable? We are admonished to work with our hands: "six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." Another passage that comes to mind in respect to our use of God's gifts is 1 Corinthians 10:31: "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." "Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land," says David. Christianity: The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Women, The Pursuit of God - A W Tozer - Complete Book. Beyond what I was looking for. There are truths and principles that must still guide us in these last days. A good guideline is to only engage in activities Jesus would approve. On the other side is the devil, fallen angels, unbelievers, all that love and make the lie. Copyright © 2020 Doug Britton. I can say from experience that being a biblical creationist at a secular college has its challenges. Secular critics typically assume lack of definitive evidence of a Biblical claim (or a claim of the church about the Bibl I readily acknowledge my bias as a believer. Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross - James P. Shelly w/ audio, A Treatise of Earthly-Mindedness - Jeremiah Burroughs. Legalism is the scrupulous keeping of law and precept with the idea of establishing one's own righteousness before God. A Protest - Joseph Agar Beet D.D. When you do any of these things, ask God to help you respond in a proper manner. The Nature of Man - Dualistic or Holistic? What are the dangers for us and our children'? Christ has left us an example that we should follow His steps (I Pet. Do not poison yourself. Life without sports would be inconceivable to them. On the flip side, you may find yourself thinking that sex is ugly and distasteful and pull away from your mate. We have been placed on this earth to work! ___ Play games with friends. It is sad, then, that our children like to line up to shake hands with these so-called stars and get their autographs. Do not put vile things before your eyes. That passage is important for the understanding of our subject, for it warns against legalism and a too strict view of the Christian life, and it tells us that we can use all things that God has made, keeping two things in mind: first, the Word of God instructs us how to use God's creatures and gifts, and secondly, by prayer in respect to this use, His gifts are sanctified unto us. (Psalm 101:3). We have all this surplus money. Paul writes to Timothy, "Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim. Rather than seeing the secular world, the world we can see and touch, through a sacred lens, we’re more apt to look at the sacred through a secular lens. ___ Watch a good video or movie. The child of God has a wonderful inheritance, and that inheritance is God Himself. We will never sell or share your name or email address. We are not free from the law, but we are free under the law! Well, God tells us to glory in nothing, save the cross of Jesus Christ. It is time to ask the question, Does the antithesis enter in here? Covenants in the Bible . The Romans were a very entertainment-oriented society, but the early Christians rejected inappropriate entertainment, setting an example for Christians today. 5:1). When our children inherit our wealth, and add to that wealth themselves, when our children notice our example and must live in a generation more pleasure-crazed than our own, what do you expect they will do? We stand in the midst of peril! ", Counterfeit Cross - Bear or Burn: The Fruit of Obedience in the Parables of Christ - updated, Counterfeit Cross - What is a "Carnal Christian"? - updated, Counterfeit Cross - Lordship of Christ in Salvation - updated, The Credibility of the Testimony of the Apostles, Audio of "Children and the Rod of Correction", Audio of "The Origin of Dressing Up for Church", Audio of "The Origin of Hell-Fire in Christian Teaching", Examine Yourselves as to Whether You Are in the Faith, Refutation of Baptismal Regeneration - James P. Shelly, Was Jesus a Friend of Sinners? God does not condemn music. But the Lord delighteth in lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. I believe this is the proper and safe way to proceed. ___ Visit with friends. Study to show thyself approved . * This is the text of a lecture given in First Church, Grand Rapids, MI on April 22, 1999. While it may be possible for a Christian to be in this world and not be affected by it, 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns us, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” Theologian Paul on Life, Death, and Immortality - Froom, Gravity of Ascribing False Teachings to Christ - (refernce to Dives and Lazarus), The Old Testament Use of the Word Sheol (Hell), The Rich Man and Lazarus: An Intermediate State? (Colossians 3:1-2), Would Jesus find the same jokes funny? But that is also the issue in this whole area of entertainment. Romans 1:21-28 ESV / 17 helpful votesNot Helpful. What do the Scriptures say? As John wrote: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. It goes almost without saying that we must draw the lines of demarcation sharply, indelibly, and without compromise exactly where God draws the lines in His revelation to us. Let’s take a look at some of the potential dangers from secular entertainment: Much entertainment presents a false or incomplete picture of reality by leaving Christ out. He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. There is an enormous amount of drugs, alcohol, and immoral behavior in the entertainment industry. Parents, do you know what your children are listening to? The life of the antithesis does not call us to world flight. Recreation is fine if it is part of a balanced life, but if you mainly live to have fun, you are missing out on God’s purpose for your life and the joy that comes from serving God and helping others. The Life of Jesus: Lord, Liar or Lunatic? God does not allow an actor, actress, or worldly musician to fill this function for us either. Yes. Is Hell eternal torment or eternal death. And antinomism is total disregard for the law of God. Two things stand out here: first, the very presence of these centers suggests way too much emphasis on entertainment; and secondly, they encourage the wrong kind of entertainment. You could just as well say, Because the Bible does not mention pizza, we may not eat pizza. We need to keep our eyes open, reject ungodly entertainment, and choose wholesome entertainment. ___ Start a hobby. Pastors and evangelists often are shown as greedy or as lunatics, or both. All other glory is vainglory. Can True Christians Commit Apostasy? John Piper - Why I Don't Have a Television and Rarely Go to Movies But we should carefully evaluate what we do for recreation and entertainment, and how these activities affect us. The Case for Conditional Immortality - J. W. Wenham, The Bible, Slavery, and America's Founders, The Biological and Biblical Dangers of Problem-Centered Counseling, The Urgent Need For Reformation in Pastoral Ministry, Problems and Limitations What he wants is to be entertained! Well there's no business like show business. and tears are often used. The great danger is antinomism. Fine. Gender Revolution - What are they teaching your kids? Let us who are of the day be sober. Recreation and exercise as a means unto better health? But we must also recognize that some things have not, and must not, change since biblical days. - Oscar Cullmann, Immortality of the Soul - by Kaufmann Kohler, Technical Terms and Usages Preclude Innate Immortality - Froom, The Development of the Doctrine of Immortality from the Apostolic Fathers to Augustine, The Doctrine of Immortality in the Early Church. (Philippians 4:8). The book is short at less than 200 pages, but it covers a lot of ground. God does not allow a professional athlete to be a role model for the Christian of any age. Two passages come to mind in this regard. Further, the reason we watch or read questionable material often is because we want to enjoy things that we should not enjoy. ___ Watch a ball game. The word entertainment is not found in the Bible at all. In the Bible, we read that Jesus offers us an abundant and joyful life. Yes/No. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Visit www.dougbrittonbooks.com for practical, biblical, cross-cultural books, Bible studies, and ebooks. This doesn’t only apply to obvious material such as pornography. For the record, there was a time where I wouldn't watch secular movies or TV, but the Christian shows and movies SUCKED SO BAD I couldn't stand to watch them. Can the Christian have fun? Your confidentiality is assured. This is not a physical separation, but a spiritual one - though, to be sure, it implies a certain measure of physical separation as well, in that the child of God is not found in all the places where the child of darkness is found. The Theology of Work Bible Commentary is an in-depth Bible study tool put together by a group of biblical scholars, pastors, and workplace Christians to help you discover what the whole Bible--from Genesis to Revelation--says about work. This can be true to a degree, but repetitive exposure usually affects us. Instead, I felt like I was mildly drugged. Can we say it with David, "I will not know a wicked person; him that hath an high look and a proud heart, I will not suffer"? In preparing this speech, I thought it would be helpful to check out in a concordance the words usually associated with our subject of entertainment. 75 Bible Commentaries - Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Pulpit Commentary, etc. Both positions are wrong, and both are wrong as guidelines in the areas of entertainment. But the great danger for the church and for the believer in this present time is not legalism. It is only a means, a means to a higher end and purpose. If so, what is that place, and how large is that place? It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to … ___ Surprise a friend. Children and the Rod of Correction - Dave Miller, Ph.D. Christian Practice - Evidence of Grace - Edwards, How Should Christians Watch TV? When we are relaxing and having fun or when we are seeking entertainment, we should always make sure these activities are … Most advertising has one purpose: to make you think you must buy something to be happy. Well, of course, I could only say that if he could show me some jokes in the Bible, I might be able to tell a joke or two. Devotion to anything creates a way of life. Some of the most powerful evidence that proves Jesus to be Whom he claimed to be is found in the historical fulfillment of the prophsies He foretold in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 a.d. What Does the Bible Say about the Dangers of Legalism?,Clarence L. Haynes Jr. - Study from the Bible and be encouraged to grow your faith! In fact, Paul appealed more than once to the legal system, exercising his right to defend himself under Roman law (Acts 16:37–40; 18:12–17; 22:15–29; 25:10–22). When it comes down to it, there is no verse in the Bible that states that Christians should only consume Christian media or should avoid secular entertainment. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (the classic text for the antithesis) that we are not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers, that we are to come out from among them and be separate, that we are not to touch the unclean thing. ___ Read biographies. Why I Don't Have a Television - John Piper, Why People Find the Bible Difficult - A. W. Tozer, Your Life is Like the Morning Fog - James P. Shelly, A Challenge to Unscriptural Traditions and Practice - Video, Are Seminaries Legitimate? So, to be very clear, the Bible does not say a Christian can never go to court. When we get into the area of games and organized sports, boasting, bragging, and glorying are very much at point. The table with the family gathered around it talking -that used to be the center of the home. Biblically, labelling something sacred is akin to saying it is holy, or set apart for God's use. 11:16), we confess, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? Your confidentiality is assured. 4:4, 5). The law of God must not be read in church or preached on according to the Catechism because Christ has fulfilled the law, and I am completely free from the law! The people of God are alike in two respects: everyone must confess the same truth and everyone must walk according to God's commandments. Not just two or three weeks off per year to get away from the pressure of the shop or the office, but six, eight, ten weeks of vacation a year. Week two of our four week series called Love Myself Less – Love God More. That is the great issue in dating, courtship, and marriage, is it not? Now we may shake our heads at the audacity of such a statement, but that is literally true for millions of people. If you are bored with Christian TV or radio shows, don’t let that be an excuse to watch or listen to unprofitable things. .Do not forget that old saying, "Where we walk, our children will run." Eternal Torment or Complete Annihilation? Immortality of the Soul or Resurrection? Check those that you would enjoy doing: ___ Make a great meal and share it with friends. For the rest, there is abundant room for variation and liberty. Interaction of parents with children, and children with the other children can be very severely damaged. On the contrary, Scripture suggests that God’s people should pursue wholesome entertainment. No law for the Christian! That is the first guideline. If we aren’t careful, we can harm ourselves and our relationship with God. Entertainment may not, and cannot, stand on its own feet as something good in itself. Don’t “fool” yourself or allow yourself to be careless. All the Prayers in the Bible - Old and New Testaments. Anger     Anxiety    Christianity    Counseling    Culture    Depression    Marriage    Money    Parenting    Personal Growth    Relationships    Self-Image    Small Groups    Temptation. ___ Go for a hike ___ Go camping. God has put him on the right side of the antithesis, and God keeps him there. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me." Amusing Ourselves to Death The rightness or wrongness of some activity is determined by whether it results in pleasure or in pain. Ravi Zacharias - How Should Christians Watch TV? I know this to be true from personal experience. Whom are you always going to be talking about and admiring "Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. People naturally desire to categorize things. (Galatians 5:22). Present God as a nice old man, who is always there to help you and make you happy. But, in another sense, no, the Bible does not distinguish between secular and sacred. The sacred-secular divide draws a sharp distinction between the spiritual parts of our lives (praying, Bible reading, church attendance, evangelism) and the rest of our lives (work, chores, rest, fun). There He will give you joy and pleasure. Although he may be tempted, were he alive today, David would not attend the movies nor watch television! Growing Up With Two Moms: The Untold Children’s View. After God created Adam and placed him in a beautiful garden, He watched him and said that it is not good for man to be alone. Yes/No, Would Jesus listen to the same music? For instance, Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine.” But I discovered that when I was done watching, I wasn’t truly relaxed, closer to my wife and children, or nearer to God. We have all this free time. Does it make sense that the Christian put his dollars in the pockets of these godless athletes? God forbade that those lines be changed or that property be sold. Should Pastors Be Salaried? Wow what a good article. The question is not, Where does my church draw the lines? In the Bible, we discover people singing and playing instruments to praise and worship God (Psalm 4:1; 6:1, 54, 55; 61:1; 67:1; 76:1). See reprint policy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to … - Oscar Cullmann, Immortality or Resurrection? Ask him to protect your spirit and help you not accept ungodly actions, attitudes, or vocabulary as being okay. Entertainment may not be divorced from our calling as Christians to serve and glorify God at all times. Business, education, law, service industries, medicine, government--wherever you work, in whatever capacity, the Scriptures have something to say about it. We believe that there is a legitimate place for entertainment in the life of the child of God. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. The antithesis is a truth that is dear to the Reformed believer because the antithesis spells his spiritual safety. Our conclusion is that the enmity that God has placed between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent at the very beginning, the antithesis that God maintains between the church and the world down through the ages, must be applied by the Christian in every area of life, and in these last days increasingly to the area of entertainment. . But as soon as entertainment goes beyond that, as soon as it becomes an end in itself, as soon as our sports and our hobbies consume us, then we abuse God's good gifts and our lives are not lives of balance and moderation but rather of excess and imbalance. It is adapted from Defeating Temptation: Biblical Secrets to Self-Control.). Television viewing and endless computer games are very individualistic. Does the Bible distinguish between the secular and the sacred? See also: B. Lightfoot, Consummation of the pre-Messianic Age and the Parousia, Destruction of Jerusalem vs. Their Worm Does Not Die: Annihilation and Mark 9:48, Evidence for the Resurrection - William Lane Craig -Text and Audio, The Evidence for Jesus - William Lane Craig - Text and Video. He says, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. Can you imagine? It is adapted from Defeating Temptation: Biblical Secrets to Self-Control.) If you get pleasure from something, do it; it's a good thing. The Christian & Politics: Has the Contemporary Church Become Obsessed With Political Solutions? Of living in the midst of such a perverse generation? 9:24 King James Version). Ought the Church to Pray for Revival? What does the phrase "gnashing of teeth" mean? All the emphasis in our society is on having a good time. Thirdly, something ought to be said about role models, since that is a word that keeps coming up in the media. That’s because every movie, TV show and song contains someone’s philosophy. We do need worthy examples to follow. And there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee!". Psalm 101, which I encourage you to read right now, is a psalm of David, the man after God's own heart. Can you picture Isaiah telling the people some jokes before he went on to speak of the captivity. In fact, before we messed it up, God did create this world for us to enjoy and the beautiful creation he made inspires a lot of secular music, art, media and more. We know the answer to that question. The sexuality in much secular entertainment—and I’m writing about everyday entertainment, not just pornography—portrays sex in a dreadful way. The question is, Where do we draw the lines? In addition to the normal academic pressures faced by all students, the consistent Christian must learn to be discerning about the views and interpretations expressed by his or her professors. These are perilous times for you and for me, and for our children. The Christian and Entertainment, For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. The Bible never says we need to completely disengage from the world! The preaching we hear every Sabbath Day draws the lines of doctrine and life biblically and sharply. In Psalm 16:5-6 we read, "The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. He goes on to say that "If the seraphim would adopt this Sunday morning mood, they would be addressing God not as 'holy, holy, holy' but as 'nice, nice, nice."'. Keep your spiritual eyes open. Members of the body of Christ differ as to wealth, abilities, and callings in life. The place of entertainment in the Christian life is really very small in that we are placed on earth to work. In other words, Holy Scripture warns us against two great errors, legalism and antinomism. The words mourning, weeping. Jesus Christ—Unique Savior or Average Fraud? Geneva Bible 1560 edition. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. . All in regard to the day of rest! 2 TIMOTHY 2:15. First and foremost is Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”. To whom do we look up, and to whom do we point our children? Even if there are no negative references to Christianity, the picture of the world we expose ourselves to may ignore the most important element of truth—God. At least Christians are finally getting quality entertainment. The only fleeing we engage in is the fleeing from sin and the very appearance of sin. 3:17). God, Christ, the elect angels, and elect believers - all these stand on one side of the line of the antithesis as covenant friends! Man works as little as possible in order that he may play. God gives Himself to us in Jesus Christ, in all His majesty, power, riches, and splendor. It would be wrong, of course, to conclude that this means we may not be involved in such things at all. Who will be the models after which we and our children pattern ourselves? Sign up for 1-2 newsletters a month announcing new Bible studies and more. The Fourth Commandment rings down through the corridors of time: "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy." But Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; He has fulfilled all righteousness, and therefore we are called to walk in the glorious liberty of the children of God. Ecclesiastes 7:5 ESV / 366 helpful votes. Set your mind on things above. And it shows us that the Christian life must always be a life of balance and moderation. Does it please God that the Christian yell himself hoarse at home run, a touchdown, or a three-pointer? And then there is retirement, and early retirement. He has a good conscience as he experiences the liberty that is in Christ Jesus. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes," says David. I am afraid that sports have a strangle-grip on many of us. Forgotten is the truth that God has put man on earth to work. Reprint courtesy of The Standard Bearer. If a song glorifies what opposes God, a Christian should not listen to it. The problems that entertainment present us are really not so difficult if we remember that we are not citizens of this world, with worldly expectations, goals, and values; we are pilgrims and strangers on the earth as our fathers were. We don’t need to limit ourselves and only watch, read, or listen to things which are overtly Christian. Does David K. Clark’s Atheism, Morality, and the Kingdom of God meet these expectations and provide atheists with a way of reading the Bible that disagrees with the biblical authors without caricaturing them, and provide an interpretation that appropriates genuine wisdom for secular people? Paul writes to the Galatians (5:1), "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." God puts you in a home with your family. I have counseled with many delinquent teenage boys who imitated the violence they saw on TV and in the movies. Hell Under Fire - CIANZ Annual Conference Address, Jesus' Teaching on Hell - Samuel G. Dawson, The Nature of Hell - Evangelical Alliance, The Origin of Hell-Fire in Christian Teaching, The Bible Verses the Traditional View of Hell - Babu G. Ranganathan, Applying the Resurrection And this means that we must always be busy drawing lines in our lives and in the lives or our children, lines of very definite demarcation. Therefore, just about anything could be considered sacred with the right perspective, attitude, and intentions. Secondly, because of the emphasis that Psalm 101 places upon the home and the sanctified character of the Christian home, somehow we must reclaim our homes and bring them more in line with the biblical example. - Curtis Dickinson, Do we have an immortal soul? D, The Duration And Nature Of Future Punishment - Henry Constable. They tend to view the home merely as the place to be if you do not have any place else to go. For us, those lines which have fallen to us in pleasant places are our children, our doctrines, our practices drawn out of those doctrines, our place in the church of Christ and in the congregations, and ultimately our place in the heavenly Canaan. I will set before my eyes no vile thing. The Christian may relax, go on a vacation from time to time, have some fun, and enjoy the good gifts that God has bestowed upon him and his family. Old Testament Prophecy Fulfilled in Christ. The Bible gives us no guidance on what instruments are acceptable and which are prohibited. Lawlessness is the spirit of these last times, and that spirit must not infect the churches. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. : A Closer Look At A Popular Tradition, Audio of "Church Leaders and the Use of Honorific Titles", The Nativity Story - Download A 16min Edited Version for Christmas, Binding and Loosing (Matthew 16:19) - w/audio, What does "God blesses those who bless Israel really mean? God tells us that the wise man is not to glory in his wisdom neither the mighty man in his might, nor the rich man in his riches, "but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me" (Jer. Now, what does all this mean? The words vacation, retirement, and sports are not found in God's Word. Champions of Conditional Immortality in History, Conditional Immortality - Its Relation to Final Retribution, Conditional Immortality - Samuel M. Ohmart, Fallacies In The Annihilationism Debate: A Critique Of Robert Peterson, Important Forgotten History - Roots of Opposition to Conditionalism, Life in Christ - A Summary of Conditional Immortality, Summing Up the Case for Biblical Conditionalism - Froom, The Hypothesis of Conditional Immortality - William R. Huntington - 1878, Why I Believe In Conditional Immortality - by Sidney A. Hatch, Death and the Afterlife by Robert A. Morey - A Review by Edward Fudge, Martin Luther & William Tyndale On the State of the Dead, Near Death Experiences - Samuele Bacchiocchi. God must be presented as a consumer-friendly God. Our subject is "That's Entertainment: Confusing Church and Theater from Finney to the present."

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