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."