What is normal for a secular society shouldn’t be normal for a follower of Christ.
I heard a story a number of years back a few pastor who liked to play golf. During the front nine, the language amongst his friends was sprinkled with obscenities. They began chatting after they went to grab a hot dog on the turn. The guys asked the pastor what he did for a living, and, in fact, he told them the reality. The entire back nine was like three different men playing. They cleaned up their act and their language. All because they now knew they were twiddling with a pastor.
Is that the way it must be? Should our behavior and our standards change because we’re near a pastor?
“For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” – 2 Corinthians 6:14
Is Obscene Language Sinful?
Is watching sinful behavior or listening to sinful language in movies or music sinful?” Should Christians expose themselves to obscene language and immoralities within the entertainment they eat?
The apostle Paul taught about Christians’ freedom under the brand new covenant of grace. We not live under a set of specific rules. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes that Christians have freedom in Christ (v. 5:1 and 5:13.)
Parents often limit what number of sweet treats, like ice cream, their kids can have. My kids used to inform me they couldn’t wait to eat as much ice cream as they wanted. As adults, we all know we could eat as much ice cream as possible. That bag of potato chips has a neon sign with my name on it – calling me to come back and revel in! And yes, I could sit with a bag of chips or a plate of nachos and watch football all afternoon. But is any of that good for me? Is it okay?
Even though we all know we’ve that freedom, we control ourselves because we also know we must be responsible. We are inclined to turn out to be what we allow to fill our lives—including the films we watch and the music we hearken to. What we’re watching affects our hearts. If we’re watching a scene – any scene – that fills us with lust, anger, or hatred, then yes, we’ve sinned. Jesus taught us that very lesson:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I let you know that anyone who looks at a lady lustfully has already committed adultery along with her in his heart.” – Matthew 5:27-28
That means – we then do whatever we must to avoid that taking place again. Usually, which means turning off the TV and never watching what we suspect might bring us to that brink again. In fact, Jesus’ words were a bit stronger:
“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is healthier so that you can lose one a part of your body than in your whole body to be thrown into hell. And in case your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is healthier so that you can lose one a part of your body than in your whole body to enter hell.” (v. 5:29-30)
When we come to salvation through Christ, we pass on from the sinful life we used to live and are adopted right into a latest family. As a result, we’re called to live in another way. We have the liberty to look at or hearken to whatever we would select—but is it helpful to us? Is it constructive to our faith and our family?
Indeed, in Christ there may be freedom – but…
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But don’t use your freedom to indulge the flesh…” –Galatians 5:13
“I even have the correct to do anything,” you say—but not all the things is useful. “I even have the correct to do anything”—but not all the things is constructive. – 1 Corinthians 10:23
What Does the Bible Mean by Instructing Us to Live within the World, but Not of the World?
“Since all the things shall be destroyed in this manner, what sort of people ought you to be? You should live holy and godly lives as you sit up for the day of God and speed its coming.” – 2 Peter 3:11
In his second letter, the Apostle Peter wrote about how the world will end:
“The heavens will disappear with a roar; the weather shall be destroyed by fire, and the earth and all the things done in it’ll be laid bare.”
Not just all the things in it—but all the things done in it—shall be laid bare. Peter used what Jesus taught him to pass on a lesson that begs us to think about: “What sort of lives should we live?” Then he answers his own query, teaching that we’re to live holy and godly lives. So, what a part of watching or listening to garbage on our TVs, computers, or in movie theaters matches right into a holy life?
-Don’t need to be seen as a prude or killjoy? That would mean the opinion of men is more vital to you than the opinion of God.
-Do you only need to be “one in all the fellows” and take part the fun? Yeah, well, the day you gave yourself to Jesus, you stopped being “one in all the fellows.”
-Don’t need to be considered a legalist or fundamentalist? It isn’t about following a rule – it’s about following the Holy Spirit.
-Think you’re okay since you don’t do this stuff, just watch it? Better re-examine, since the stuff we’re watching has an impact on our minds and hearts.
We cannot stand in a doorway and remain on each side. When the door shuts, we shall be on one side or the opposite. Either we follow Truth, or we accept all the things that isn’t truth. In other words, a mugwump – our mugs on one side of the fence and our wumps on the opposite.
Is it sinful to look at sinful things? No. But is it the responsible thing to do as a follower of Christ? Likely not. Will it lead you to just accept what’s impure or ungodly, or will it lead you to support others who endorse an impure or ungodly message, financially or with rankings? In other words, if it results in or supports a type of ungodliness, we should rethink our selections.
If that recognition is in our hearts, we are able to only attribute that source to the Holy Spirit. After all, it’s His leading we should follow.
“If you belonged to the world, it will love you as its own. As it’s, you don’t belong to the world, but I even have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” – John 15:19
How Are We Supposed to Live as Christ Followers?
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is correct, whatever is pure, whatever is beautiful, whatever is admirable—if anything is great or praiseworthy—take into consideration such things.” -Philippians 4:8
I even have fought – and proceed to fight – the exact same temptations and battles as everyone else. I don’t propose that that is a simple thing. We must each let ourselves be led by the Holy Spirit as to the correct or mistaken of whatever it’s we’re watching or listening to.
Does the Bible make any mention of what rankings or language we must always be watching—or not watching? Of course not. But, as latest creations in Christ, we’re called to live in another way. We are called to be set apart—the very definition of holy.
When we give ourselves to Christ, we’re given His Holy Spirit to live inside us to guide our hearts and actions. Jesus tells us that the Spirit will guide us in all truth. (John 16:13) One way He does so is thru our conscience. If our conscience – the Holy Spirit – tells us what we’re watching is mistaken, it’s sensible to listen.
We are to dwell on godly things in order that we would turn out to be more godly. By intentionally bringing the ungodly before us, we hurt ourselves.
But greater than that, as members of the body of Christ, we’re hurting others who look to us. We are hurting the message of Christ. Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:14 that we’re called to be “…the sunshine of the world.”
Let us do all we are able to to let our light shine before others.
“In the identical way, let your light shine before others, that they may even see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Nanci Santos
Greg doesn’t pretend to be a pastor, a theologian, or a Bible expert, but offers the attitude of an on a regular basis guy on the identical journey as everyone else – in pursuit of truth.
Greg may be reached by email or on Facebook @ Greg Grandchamp – Author.
