music? a sin?

[~candice~]

What makes you think that having a heart for the lost and living a life devoted to seeing God honoured and others coming to know Him.... means that you won't ever enjoy things for the pure purpose of your own entertainment?

[JCISGD]

What makes you think that having a heart for the lost and living a life devoted to seeing God honoured and others coming to know Him.... means that you won't ever enjoy things for the pure purpose of your own entertainment?

Did Jesus ? Would He sit infront of a television to pass time or be entertained as long as one soul could be saved? He might if it served His purpose of saving souls and glorifying the Father, but I doubt He would for any selfish reason?

I have sought the Lord about this and these are my convictions.

[JCISGD]

What makes you think that having a heart for the lost and living a life devoted to seeing God honoured and others coming to know Him.... means that you won't ever enjoy things for the pure purpose of your own entertainment?

Did Jesus ? Would He sit infront of a television to pass time or be entertained as long as one soul could be saved? He might if it served His purpose of saving souls and glorifying the Father, but I doubt He would for any selfish reason?

I have sought the Lord about this and these are my convictions.

[~candice~]

What makes you think that having a heart for the lost and living a life devoted to seeing God honoured and others coming to know Him.... means that you won't ever enjoy things for the pure purpose of your own entertainment?

Did Jesus ? Would He sit infront of a television to pass time or be entertained as long as one soul could be saved? He might if it served His purpose of saving souls and glorifying the Father, but I doubt He would for any selfish reason?

I have sought the Lord about this and these are my convictions.

I think you are setting it up as a false dichotomy. It is God who draws man to Himself. Evangelism needs to be led by the Spirit. We can give up all of our time, put down all of our books, turn off the television, and give up everything that gives us pleasure.... but if God isn't drawing, we will be fruitless. For this reason, we are led by the spirit about how to use our time, we are not subject to a set of rigid rules like you are proposing. When we do this, and are willingly obedient to give up our own pleasures to serve Him each and every time, we do not sin.

[JCISGD]

Dont confuse enjoyments with entertainments, enjoyments can be edifying and needful, but being entertained is self serving and unless for a higher purpose selfish and unecessary or helpful to Christian maturity.

[JCISGD]

What makes you think that having a heart for the lost and living a life devoted to seeing God honoured and others coming to know Him.... means that you won't ever enjoy things for the pure purpose of your own entertainment?

Did Jesus ? Would He sit infront of a television to pass time or be entertained as long as one soul could be saved? He might if it served His purpose of saving souls and glorifying the Father, but I doubt He would for any selfish reason?

I have sought the Lord about this and these are my convictions.

I think you are setting it up as a false dichotomy. It is God who draws man to Himself. Evangelism needs to be led by the Spirit. We can give up all of our time, put down all of our books, turn off the television, and give up everything that gives us pleasure.... but if God isn't drawing, we will be fruitless. For this reason, we are led by the spirit about how to use our time, we are not subject to a set of rigid rules like you are proposing. When we do this, and are willingly obedient to give up our own pleasures to serve Him each and every time, we do not sin.

I havnt imposed any rules.

Im only showing what would make listening to secular or any music sin if it was. Im just saying our motive for any activity is to be the same as Jesus.

[~candice~]

Dont confuse enjoyments with entertainments, enjoyments can be edifying and needful, but being entertained is self serving and unless for a higher purpose selfish and unecessary or helpful to Christian maturity.

OK, I just don't see the difference. Semantics!

What about those of us who are not called into the ministry and do not have the gifts or calling of evangelism? What if God's plan is that we are not used for these purposes? I feel like you are condemning me, calling my actions a sin, purely because I am entertained and enjoy things on a daily basis. Let me assure you that if God asked me to give up my time to serve Him in some way then I would, but He hasn't called. What then? Should I turn off the TV and sit in the corner trying to be as miserable as possible until some spiritual service is given to me?

[KC02]

It's always the same thing though: you justify your entertainment as "enjoyments," while everyone else is going to hell in a hand cart (so to speak).

God has never prohibited entertainment. That is just a rotten, hateful, lying, nonsensical doctrine.

Dont confuse enjoyments with entertainments, enjoyments can be edifying and needful, but being entertained is self serving and unless for a higher purpose selfish and unecessary or helpful to Christian maturity.

[artsylady]

I really like the song by Burton Cummings "I'm Scared". If I get to heaven and find out that is not a song inspired by God himself I will be shocked.

I also love U2- so many Biblical references in their music.

And as previously mentioned the Birds with "To Everything There is a Season" - straight out of Eccesiastes.

[JCISGD]

It's always the same thing though: you justify your entertainment as "enjoyments," while everyone else is going to hell in a hand cart (so to speak).

God has never prohibited entertainment. That is just a rotten, hateful, lying, nonsensical doctrine.

Dont confuse enjoyments with entertainments, enjoyments can be edifying and needful, but being entertained is self serving and unless for a higher purpose selfish and unecessary or helpful to Christian maturity.

KC where have I justified entertainments as enjoyments? I think youll find that what I did was to seperate lawful God given enjoyments that may include entertainment, from self serving and VAIN entertaiment.

I spelled out my definition of vain in the OP and I have not stated any activity as sinful other than breaking any of the 10 commandments (with the exception of the spirit of the law over ruling the letter). I have only said that selfish motive behind any activity,enjoyment or even entertainment is wrong and sin.

I dont think secular music is sin apart from motive. I think you are reading into my posts things that are not intended?

KC I havnt said anyone is going to hell, and i havnt meant to imply such.

Grace and peace,

Arthur