Vacation is always a great time for me to read. On a recent vacation this summer I read a book entitled, "Worldly Amusements: Restoring the Lordship of Christ to Our Entertainment Choices" by pastor Wayne A. Wilson. I had met the author while attending a class at the Master’s Seminary this past January. He graduated from the Master’s Seminary and is now a pastor. For many years, he had worked in the film industry and knows much about the product that Hollywood produces. He identified four different views one might hold on a Christian’s involvement in viewing movies.

1. Avoidance. Don’t go! Movies are forbidden. Period.
2. Silence. Don’t talk about it! Let people do what they want to do, just don’t confront them.
3. Engagement. Christians should be engaged with the culture, though not be stained by it. As long as a movie is good artistically, we ought to seek the higher good, while overlooking any moral shortfalls.
4. High Standards. Movies are permitted. However, Christians should only patronize those movies that exhibit a high standard of morality.

I must confess that I have practiced view #2 with respect to movies and have been silent on how we, as Christians, ought to think and live concerning these things. Much of this has been due to my conviction that the message of God’s grace to us in Christ Jesus will teach us to hate sin and all of its manifestations. We read in Titus that "the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12). Christians are called to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, not because they feel an obligation to some moral standard, but rather, because the grace of God has stirred the heart to seek a holy and pure life. Those who know Jesus Christ know that "He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf" (2 Cor. 5:15). Such perspectives will bear fruit in one’s choice of entertainment. Additionally, much of my silence concerning these things has come from my own ignorance. In the past ten years, I can only remember attending three movies in the theatre: A Star Wars episode (The Phantom Menace), a Disney cartoon (Aladin), and a Vegi-tales film (Jonah). The few movies that we have rented over the past ten years have all been for our children to watch. Moreover, we have never had cable or satellite television, so movie channels haven’t been played in my home either. So, when it comes to movies, I am a novice. I admit that. In some ways, then, I feel that I have little to say, because I can’t point out the goods and the bads in various movies, simply because I haven’t seen them. However, Wayne Wilson, having been trained in the movie industry, has documented the current state of the world’s entertainment in his book that I read. Quite frankly, I have been shocked into writing this article. I want you to think about these things. I have heard many Christians recommend a number of movies to others because they have enjoyed them and thought them worthy of being seen again by others. When I read what Wayne Wilson wrote about the content of these movies I have heard recommended, I was disheartened at the moral filth and the theological error has been recommended by Christians for others to enjoy. I want to share a few thoughts with you concerning your choice of entertainment. Perhaps then, you will decide to join me in my ignorance (i.e. innocence) in many of these areas. First of all, let me point out that I don’t believe that movies are inherently evil. Nor do I believe that theatres are to be avoided like the plague (i.e. like view #1 above). This type of response is akin to the proverbial "throwing the baby out with the bath water." On the other hand, I find it difficult to support the view that Christians ought to be entirely engaged with our culture, while trying to avoid being stained by the culture (i.e. like view #3 above). I do believe that Wayne Wilson’s view #4 is true, which calls us to uphold a moral standard in those things that we allow our minds to see and hear. Some may argue that moral judgment doesn’t apply to the arts because "art needs no justification" and that Christians can expose themselves to viewing or listening to morally questionable things when they are mature enough to handle it. However, we are told in Scripture to "abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thess. 5:22) and to be "innocent in what is evil" (Rom. 16:19). In these things, I see no warrant to justify an exception in the arts (i.e. what we watch, what we listen to, what we read, or where we surf). I believe that God calls us to a high standard in our entertainment choices. Perhaps you might try apply the following two tests in your choice of entertainment.

The Light Test
Paul told the Ephesians that "you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light" (Eph. 5:8). Those in darkness do the deeds of darkness. Those in the light do the deeds of the light. If you are a child of the light, are you walking as a child of the light? Do you love the light or do you love the deeds of darkness? There is a proper way to walk as Christians and there is an improper way to walk as Christians. There are things that are consistent with a redeemed life and there are things that are inconsistent with a redeemed life. In the context of Ephesians 5, Paul gives a flavor of how the darkness walks. He said, "do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among the saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks" (Ephesians 5:3-4). Think of those things inconsistent with children of light: immorality, impurity, greed, filthiness, silly talk, coarse jesting. Does not this describe the content of many movies and sit-coms today? In your entertainment choices, do you walk as children of the light?

The Love Test
Jesus told us that there are two great commandments. The first is, "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matt. 22:37). The second is, "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt. 22:39). In Jesus’ first answer, He emphasized the all-inclusiveness of a believer’s love for God. He uses the word, "all" three times to designate a whole-hearted love for God from the depths of one’s being (i.e. from the heart, soul, and mind). There are no areas designated "off-limits." Our entire lives are to be submitted willingly and completely to God out of love for Him. And this includes our entertainment. Listen to the language you hear. Look at the values, attitudes, and actions you see portrayed. Examine the content of the web sites you visit. Are your entertainment choices consistent with your profession of love to God? Would you delight to have God watch, listen, and surf with you? In all of this, please remember, that the life of a Christian is far more than what you do or don’t watch on television and in the theatres. We are Christians because we love Jesus and trust in His work on the cross to atone for our sins. I’m simply calling you to live a life consistent with your profession of faith in Christ in all areas of your life. Job "made a covenant with [his] eyes" not to gaze at a virgin (Job 31:1). Paul said, "let your mind dwell on ... whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute" (Phil. 4:8). My heart is not that we would all become the morality police, enforcing an external standard of righteousness. Rather, I want you to realize that "you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Cor. 6:20).