The Standard Is High

In my last post, I talked about how I realized that our standard for what we watch and read should be very high. The Bible is very clear about the Christian's relationship to sin....we should have no part of it.

⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

We are not the same as we once were. We have been washed, sanctified, and justified...we cannot continue to walk as we once did.

Little Bit watching TV a few years ago...

Now let me take a moment to step aside and add something to my discussion on conviction. If God's Word is unchanging, then how are there possibly Christians who do NOT feel convicted to ________ or to not _____________? I do not think there are as many choices as we think there are. It cannot all be "I'm OK, You're OK." If a Christian is content to watch movies or TV full of sin and all the things we are supposed to not have anything to do with, then I think there is a problem!

The folks who raved about the awful movie on Facebook are young Christians at best. Perhaps they do not know? Perhaps they have not read and understood God's Word? Maybe they need to be taught. I certainly know that I was a young Christian once who watched things I should not have. I remember all too well. I am not trying to stand on a soapbox and look down my nose at others who are not doing as good as I am. (please read that with all the sarcasm you can muster) That is not what I am trying to say. I realize that convictions come at different times in people's lives.

I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me. Psalm 101:3

What I am saying is that many American Christians have lowered their standards as far as the entertainment world goes. The entertainment world has lowered its standards after all, and I'm afraid that many of us have bent a little too far.

But I'm not participating in these sinful behaviors....I'm just watching fictional characters do it.
It's a movie. It's not real life.
I can hear those words and not start saying them. After all, I'm an adult. I know right from wrong.
It was a really good movie. I just wish they had left out _________. Could have done without that.
It's fine for grown-ups but it's not good for the kids.

What else do we say about TV and movies? What excuses do we make? How much sin have we let into our homes through the television set? How desensitized have we become to the things that God detests?

I am talking to myself here too! I think we really, truly need to ask ourselves these questions. And even if, by some miracle, we truly were NOT affected in any way by what we see (which I doubt), how much good have we missed out on?

Am I saying that watching TV or movies is a sin? Absolutely not! I am saying that we need to think very, very hard about what we have been watching and if it lines up with the standard in God's Word.

Next up: We'll discuss the really practical part of deciding what to watch.

Any thoughts so far?