In the previous post, I quoted the following:
"Lord, help me to gird up the loins of my mind, and may I press forward towards the mark for the prize of my high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
In thinking over what the Lord would have me address (in my once monthly post... !) I felt particularly burdened to consider how "girding the loins of our minds" relates to what we "take in" as runners in this race.
Everyone knows "you are what you eat", right? You live on hamburgers, fries, dumplings and lard, you won't get past your 30th birthday.
And you try to run after eating that type of stuff, you won't get far. What you consume will directly effect your progress in this race.
I returned to an "old friend" (books are friends :)) to help me reconsider the issue of media and entertainment - a book I would readily recommend, entitled "Worldly Amusements" by Wayne A. Wilson. Subtitled, effectively: "restoring the Lordship of Christ to our entertainment choices"...
Wilson classifies "worldly amusements" (those not glorifying to God) into two categories:
1. those amusements which promote an evil message (presenting it as good)
anything which justifies and/or celebrates lying, fornication, adultery... etc.
2. those amusements which use evil methods
those things which justify the means by the message... and force us to wade through a sea
of corruption to identify it as such.
1 John 2:15-17 tell us:
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever."
Christian culture has digressed miserably from a clear and consistent application of this verse. A shifting standard has not only compromised our culture, but the Christian worldview.
Although the majority of Christians would readily condemn the "obvious" sins, such as illicit sexual practices, illegal drugs, pornography, strip clubs, and drunkenness, the growing "visibility" of these sins in the world at large makes some things comparatively minor.
Wilson states that "The casual acceptance of immorality is one way we try to widen God's narrow way."
Christian standards decline because we measure ourselves next to the worst, which is persistently digressive! Measuring ourselves against the bottom, which grows lower by the day, allows us to assume that
"as long as we are above the most degenerate evils, we feel holy. But if we could look back, we would see that we have fallen, in our moral lives, below the level of many unbelievers when the common culture was governed by a Christian ethic. This is wrong. We need to look up."
Yet of ALL people, we, as God's chosen children, governed by biblical standard, should be consistent and clear - God's standard - a universal decency in modesty, speech, and thought life - should set us apart from the moral degeneracy of our culture.
Romans 16:19 encourages us, in obedience to "be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil", and Phil 4:8, to think upon whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy...
The problem of increasing hardness of conscience to immorality/worldliness and sin in the Christian community is not a new one. Second century theologian Tertullian states the following:
"But if we ought to abominate all that is immodest, on what ground is it right to hear what we must not speak? For all licentiousness of speech, nay, every idle word, is condemned by God. Why, in the same way, is it right to look on what it is disgraceful to do? How is it that the things which defile a man going out of his mouth are not regarded as doing so when they go in at his eyes and ears - when eyes and ears are the immediate attendants on the spirit..."
Is not the increasing lack of sensitivity the result of increasing exposure? Isn't it true that just as the immune system, when exposed to regular, small doses of antigen, will eventually build up immunity to that disease, our souls, when regularly exposed to small doses of things which offend the very nature of our God and Father, will become desensitized to their nulling effect on our conscience and in turn upon our lives?
Entertainment is meant for relaxation. But worldly entertainment (see earlier definition) is the environment in which we should be MORE on guard... if this is true, and "we must be so cautious in the midst of... evil, why are we there in the first place?"
Wilson provides four possible courses of action in response to these thoughts. Avoidance, Silence, Engagement, and High Standards. In order to read up on all of them, you'll have to get the book yourself ;)
I'd like to focus in on a few points he makes in the last two categories which struck me.
In response to the idea of complete freedom (engagement) Wilson states some common objections.
"1. It's against the Bible... the apostle Paul's moral doctrine says, 'it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret' (eph 5:12) If it is shameful to discuss the details of depravity, how much more offensive to decency must it be to pay people to act out such 'details' for our amusement! No matter how sophisticated one wishes to be, the Scripture is still the authority. The Christian's moral conscience owes it's allegiance to God's Word, not to its own flawed moral compass. The Scripture must inform our choices and tastes.
2. It is against the law of love. This view demonstrates a profound lack of consideration for the spiritual well being of the performers in these immoral films. The violation of their modesty alone should make Christians recoil at participation in such amusements. It is impossible to imagine Jesus giving approval for the use of actors in this way.
3. It denies the power of art. This view would claim to have the most respect for the arts, but in truth, it suggests that the immoral content of these films has no effect on the soul. The belief that such displays of sensual corruption for entertainment do not harm the soul directly opposes the teaching of the church from the beginning to the present time. The idea that such entertainment is acceptable is entirely new, and yet the fruit of this new idea has not been increased purity - not by any measure. It has not furthered the cause of Christ for Christians to have shared in worldly and carnal knowledge through film."
The second perspective I would like to draw on which Wilson details is that of High Standards.
In favor of this view, Wilson lists the following.
"1. It avoids legalism. The legalist seeks to go beyond Scripture. The high standards view seeks to apply Scripture accurately, without adding to it or detracting from it.
2. It gives art its due. The high standards view recognizes art's power, both for good and evil. It does not condemn cinema as an inherently irredeemable art form but recognizes the potential danger of its powerful effect on our souls.
3. This view honors the performers... it is typical of our age that we don't consider how we use other people to satisfy our lusts or our moral laziness. We just don't care enough.
4. It honors the Word of God. Scripture does speak to these issues. We do have a responsibility for what we put before our eyes, feed into our hearts, and spend God's money on."
In addition to this, I would submit that this perspective - that of high standards, promotes application of Jeremiah 17:9, and draws in the validity of our need for the conviction of the Holy Spirit as well as community and fellowship. We cannot trust our own perspective of what is good and beneficial for us. As we are told - not all that is permissible is beneficial. This viewpoint recognizes our dependence on the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the need for the Word, and the need for others to help guide us in our choices concerning what we hear, see, and meditate upon (as in reading, thinking, etc.).
Let us, as Christians, hold to a higher, purer standard of behavior, thought, and speech; one which does not deny the fact that we have been "set apart for himself". One which clearly, boldly states that Christ is Lord - over all. That he is enough to satisfy us in the absence of worldly amusement, and that he has provided enough resources, in His sovereign wisdom, for us to honestly, openly evaluate and appreciate, with wisdom and discernment, all that he has provided in the entertainment of this time.
Romans 16:19 encourages us, in obedience to "be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil", and Phil 4:8, to think upon whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy...
The problem of increasing hardness of conscience to immorality/worldliness and sin in the Christian community is not a new one. Second century theologian Tertullian states the following:
"But if we ought to abominate all that is immodest, on what ground is it right to hear what we must not speak? For all licentiousness of speech, nay, every idle word, is condemned by God. Why, in the same way, is it right to look on what it is disgraceful to do? How is it that the things which defile a man going out of his mouth are not regarded as doing so when they go in at his eyes and ears - when eyes and ears are the immediate attendants on the spirit..."
Is not the increasing lack of sensitivity the result of increasing exposure? Isn't it true that just as the immune system, when exposed to regular, small doses of antigen, will eventually build up immunity to that disease, our souls, when regularly exposed to small doses of things which offend the very nature of our God and Father, will become desensitized to their nulling effect on our conscience and in turn upon our lives?
Entertainment is meant for relaxation. But worldly entertainment (see earlier definition) is the environment in which we should be MORE on guard... if this is true, and "we must be so cautious in the midst of... evil, why are we there in the first place?"
Wilson provides four possible courses of action in response to these thoughts. Avoidance, Silence, Engagement, and High Standards. In order to read up on all of them, you'll have to get the book yourself ;)
I'd like to focus in on a few points he makes in the last two categories which struck me.
In response to the idea of complete freedom (engagement) Wilson states some common objections.
"1. It's against the Bible... the apostle Paul's moral doctrine says, 'it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret' (eph 5:12) If it is shameful to discuss the details of depravity, how much more offensive to decency must it be to pay people to act out such 'details' for our amusement! No matter how sophisticated one wishes to be, the Scripture is still the authority. The Christian's moral conscience owes it's allegiance to God's Word, not to its own flawed moral compass. The Scripture must inform our choices and tastes.
2. It is against the law of love. This view demonstrates a profound lack of consideration for the spiritual well being of the performers in these immoral films. The violation of their modesty alone should make Christians recoil at participation in such amusements. It is impossible to imagine Jesus giving approval for the use of actors in this way.
3. It denies the power of art. This view would claim to have the most respect for the arts, but in truth, it suggests that the immoral content of these films has no effect on the soul. The belief that such displays of sensual corruption for entertainment do not harm the soul directly opposes the teaching of the church from the beginning to the present time. The idea that such entertainment is acceptable is entirely new, and yet the fruit of this new idea has not been increased purity - not by any measure. It has not furthered the cause of Christ for Christians to have shared in worldly and carnal knowledge through film."
The second perspective I would like to draw on which Wilson details is that of High Standards.
In favor of this view, Wilson lists the following.
"1. It avoids legalism. The legalist seeks to go beyond Scripture. The high standards view seeks to apply Scripture accurately, without adding to it or detracting from it.
2. It gives art its due. The high standards view recognizes art's power, both for good and evil. It does not condemn cinema as an inherently irredeemable art form but recognizes the potential danger of its powerful effect on our souls.
3. This view honors the performers... it is typical of our age that we don't consider how we use other people to satisfy our lusts or our moral laziness. We just don't care enough.
4. It honors the Word of God. Scripture does speak to these issues. We do have a responsibility for what we put before our eyes, feed into our hearts, and spend God's money on."
In addition to this, I would submit that this perspective - that of high standards, promotes application of Jeremiah 17:9, and draws in the validity of our need for the conviction of the Holy Spirit as well as community and fellowship. We cannot trust our own perspective of what is good and beneficial for us. As we are told - not all that is permissible is beneficial. This viewpoint recognizes our dependence on the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the need for the Word, and the need for others to help guide us in our choices concerning what we hear, see, and meditate upon (as in reading, thinking, etc.).
Let us, as Christians, hold to a higher, purer standard of behavior, thought, and speech; one which does not deny the fact that we have been "set apart for himself". One which clearly, boldly states that Christ is Lord - over all. That he is enough to satisfy us in the absence of worldly amusement, and that he has provided enough resources, in His sovereign wisdom, for us to honestly, openly evaluate and appreciate, with wisdom and discernment, all that he has provided in the entertainment of this time.
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."
-Philippians 1:9-11
-Philippians 1:9-11
