More on "The World"

I just wanted to share with you all a few things I gleaned from the outlines of the "In The World But Not Of The World" messages I've been listening to. First up is a few "Biblical Principles of Conduct" by C.J. Mahaney which can apply to any activities, media related or otherwise. Here they are:

1. Does it present a temptation to sin? Romans 13:14, 2 Timothy 2:22

2. Is it beneficial? 1 Corinthians 6:12a, 1 Corinthians 10:23

3. Is it enslaving? 1 Corinthians 6:12b

4. Does it honor and glorify God? 1 Corinthians 10:31

5. Does it promote the good of others? 1 Corinthians 10:33

6. Does it cause anyone to stumble? 1 Corinthians 10:32

7. Does it arise from a pure motive? Jeremiah 17:9

Three Encouragements to Changing Media Habits

1. Change the set-up of your home - don't make media omnipresent or central in it.

2. Look for places in your schedule where media is becoming the default activity and do something else.

3. Periodically fast from different forms of media.

~ Joshua Harris

Defining Worldly Entertainment

1. It promotes an evil message. It presents evil as good. This can be done through celebrating sins, such as lying, stealing, fornication, or adultery. Sin is presented in an attractive way.

2. It uses an evil method. Regardless of the point of the story, the performers are made to behave in ways that are shameless and immoral. A story may lead to the conclusion that adultery is bad, but if we must wallow through a sea of flesh to reach this conclusion, the work qualifies as worldly.

These are just a few of the examples of the encouraging and challenging content to be found in this series. I highly encourage you to listen to these messages and evaluate your own media habits. I would like to end my post with a prayer by John Piper that I think is extremely relevant to our situation as Americans in a media-soaked culture.

"Fight for us, O God, that we not drift numb and blind and foolish into vain and empty excitements. Life is too short, too precious, too painful to waste on worldly bubbles that burst. Heaven is too great, hell is too horrible, eternity too long that we should putter around on the porch of eternity. O God, open our eyes to the vastness of the sufferings of Christ and what they mean for sin and holiness and hope and heaven. We fear our bent to trifling makes us awake to the weight of of glory - the glory of Christ's incomparable sufferings."

In the World

Lately I've been working on memorizing 1 John 2:15-17. Here's Kara Martus version of what it says:

"Do not love the culture, structure, lifestyle, entertainment, media, attitude, or behavior of this world. If you immerse yourself in, desire, or revere any of the aforementioned things, the love of the Father (i.e. the dedication and fear of the Lord which comes from obedience and gratitude) is not in you. For everything in the world- the craving for power, control, wealth, fame; the lusting after things, people, or position; the boasting of what you are and have and do, according to the world's standards (boast only in the cross of Christ)- come not from God and his grace, but from the influence of the world. All of these things, even this very world, will pass away, but the man who follows God's will for his life, who trusts Him and does what His word commands, will attain eternal life."

Talk about conviction! What is terribly sad is that most likely a third of my waking hours are spent in the pursuit of entertainment. Joshua Harris had so many good points in his sermon on the subject. His two main points are as follows:

1) Half a Poison Pill Won't Kill You

2) If You Don't Enjoy it, There's No Calories

We Christians are so good at figuring out ways to get around our consciences. But all of these are just as ludicrous as those statements. When you think about it, it's so true, it's not even funny anymore. It's just as ridiculous to try to figure out how much sexual innuendo, immorality, language, and violence we can handle as it is to try to figure out how much of a poison pill we can take without dying. It may not kill you, but poison sure builds up in your system. And just because we don't enjoy it, doesn't mean it isn't affecting us. If we sit there and groan and sigh and roll our eyes during the scenes we don't like, we're still watching it. It's just as stupid as saying just because you don't like chocolate cake, doesn't mean you won't be intaking calories when you eat it.

I once heard that if you cannot honestly thank God for what you watched or listened to or read, than it isn't worth it. May God give us the grace to apply this principle to our lives, and to be willing to give up all, even our precious entertainment, for the sake of Christ and his gospel.