by John David Hicks, Evangelist © 1997
Some Guidelines for Judging Right and Wrong in Gray Areas. “Test everything. Hold on to the good.” 1 Thess. 5:21
Each of us wants to live the abundant life that is pleasing to God. To this end, God has given us specific commandments. By following these commandments and practicing integrity in our lifestyle, our lives will be filled with the abundance that God promises.
We are commanded to be separate, to be different, and to be transformed and NOT conformed to the world (Romans 12:1-2) .
On the other hand, God also commands us to involve ourselves redemptively within the world (Acts 1:8). As Christians, the “Come out from” the world and the “Go ye into” the world, must be held in balance. Thus, a Christian with convictions is no wimp!
Temptations will come but remember that temptation is not a sin. Sin is in the response. “But each one of us is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:14-15).”
You can be sure that every temptation that confronts you comes because it exactly suits your condition. Satan knows you well. He knows your likes and dislikes. He, therefore, is successful in knowing exactly where and when to tempt you.
He will naturally use any avenue of moral or amoral desire as an occasion to persuade you to actively select an evil alternative that would pervert the good and separate you from God.
One does not have to look hard to discover “gray areas” of sin that we may disagree with one another on. While we are not commanded to agree, we are commanded to love those with whom we disagree. Our respect for one another pleases God.
A gray area that is a source of conflict among believers is one’s choice of entertainment. How can we deal with the pressure of the media and the craving for entertainment yet practice Christian integrity?
Why do we seek entertainment? Five reasons have been given why people watch TV: entertainment, identification, fantasy, information, boredom. If the TV is not available or interesting, the personal computer, radio, CD’s, theater, cinema, books and magazines are available. Each choice can build you up morally or tear you down ethically.
While some would argue eliminating all forms of “worldly” entertainment, I believe that to be a good witness one must be able to communicate and relate to others in our culture and society. If we lock the world entirely out, we will have no point of contact with those we want to save within the lost world.
You must know how to choose your entertainment and discern wisely. As a Christian you must have some standards and a commitment to apply God’s Word to any situation you may find yourself in.
To this end, seek confirmation in your entertainment choices through your conscience. And do not ignore the wisdom of family, Christian friends and your church family.
In this sick, troubled, wicked, immoral society, are you to open your mind to everything? Absolutely NOT. If you do, you will experience what they say about computers, “Garbage in, Garbage out.”
Most of the time the world’s input and narratives are deceitful. A narrative is a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious that are pictured in our mind and motivate our actions. The “narrative”, as experienced in most forms of modern entertainment, is the most powerful method of communication we know.
When Walt Disney made the movie Bambi, it had a profound influence on deer-hunting and deer-hunters. Many cried out to stop killing “Bambi.” The narrative awakens our emotions and promotes pictures of change in our thinking.
What was planted in the mind is a seed that can grow into a changed life—for good or evil, even if you reject the narrative at first hearing. Researchers have shown that the more novel or bizarre the story the longer the concept is remembered!
Here are some basic principles to serve as guidelines for any book, magazine, novel, play, story, drama, movie, song, TV show or for a personal computer. Keep in mind the following principles when choosing any narrative.
- Does the “narrative” expand my knowledge, deepen my understanding, or broaden my compassion? Will it make me a better person, and therefore a better Christian? Will it give me points of contact for witnessing?
When the sons of Susanna Wesley were leaving home this wise mother knew that they would be faced with choices of right and wrong. To guide them she wrote this rule,
“What ever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over mind,–that thing for you is sin.”
Her son John Wesley said,
“As the most dangerous winds may enter at little openings, so the devil never enters more dangerously than by little unobserved incidents, which seem to be nothing, yet insensibly open the heart to great temptations.”
- What is the “narrative’s” basic point of view toward good and evil? Not is there evil in it? A narrative or story is not necessarily evil or sinful because evil is depicted in it. If that were true, then we would have to condemn the Bible itself; for there is a lot of evil in it. There are several passages which are quite descriptive even of sexual matters.
The point is not is there evil in the narrative, the point is does the narrative make evil fascinating and sin attractive? Any narrative that does that is wrong and as a Christian you cannot condone it, or put your approval on it.
To help yourself to choose, ask yourself two questions. Does the narrative show the natural consequences of evil and sin? Do you get the overall feeling that this is a moral universe with consequences to our actions?
- Does the “narrative” excessively dwell on evil? There are narratives that ultimately come out with a seemingly good moral, but they have spent much too much time dwelling on evil.
It’s that second look which becomes an evil thing. If it feeds your mind so that your observation can become participation. When it has more of a fascination with evil, the lewd, raunchy, sinister, or vile, than a passion for virtue, honor, and integrity, it is sinful.
The great writers of history have always had more interest in health than in disease. In comparison, it is this which condemns the vast majority of contemporary movies. There are a lot of people whose minds have become like the bottom of a bird cage: offensive refuse, full of foul matter. They have become a literal zoo of lusts and then wonder why they have all kinds of problems.
Hollywood excuses a lot of this in the name of realism. They would lead us to believe that they are simply portraying real life. But in many situations it is not realism but moral filth.
Some Christians argue they have found “grace” and is does not matter what they see or hear. Paul asks, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!” (Rom. 6:1)
God’s appeal is not guilt or condemnation to keep you from sinning, but to a love relationship with God. It is not, “Don’t break the rules,” but, “Don’t harm your loving relationship!” As Paul says in II Corinthians 5:14, “It’s Christ’s love that compels us.” Love is to be the motivating force of your life, and the motivating force in your entertainment choices.
If one has violated this love relationship and chosen morally filthy entertainment, repentance is in order. All of us who find ourselves in this situation must get down on our knees and repent. Let us heed the warning in Revelations 2: 4-6,
“You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.”
- Is the impression the “narrative” leaves consistent with Christian ideals? — Ask yourself how you feel about Christian ideals after choosing a particular narrative. Ideals such as love, integrity and honesty? Are the importance of a Christian home, marriage and faithfulness to your mate underlined in your mind? Does God seem more real and his power more available or are you secretly doubting his very existence?
Ask yourself what ideals are planted in your
mind after watching a James Bond movie. In a world of espionage and sex, Bond is a hero who does whatever he wants.
He is pictured as the ideal for young men. He is the new modern myth, a completely amoral person who can kill anyone and sleep with every beautiful woman who
crosses his path. His moral conscience is absent as he does these things with a clever pun on his lips!
Take many TV programs with all their complicated plots and problems. There is scarcely ever the mention of church or God. What happens when television characters desperately need help? Do they turn to God, a minister, or prayer? No. Christianity and the church are portrayed as a source of evil and corruption.
A program may be clean, but if its entire premise is the assumption that we live in a world without God, without church, without prayer, and without any power or help outside of themselves, then we are damaging our faith.
As you examine the entertainment choices you have made lately, remember that humility in our failures gives us grace. I warn you, not to allow the “cares and concerns” of this world to distract you from your spiritual life. If you get distracted, your heart will grow hard and rigid. Retire to pray and bathe in God’s love.