what we watch

[Artemus Prime]

Dear Dennis,

Thank you so very much for the cool drink of "Water"! It was certainly refreshing, and much needed!!!!

Dear Artimus,

But, I am talking about the call of Christians, to come out and be set apart from things that are not good for us, and sometimes, I can't figure out why we can't make decisions to be able to discern good from evil on those things that seem so obvious. (again, why on earth is "Desparate Housewives" a top show today, if 85% of adult Americans are claiming to be Christians? Surely it's not the 15% unbelievers that are keeping this show on top ratings?)

Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

In His Love,

Suzanne

I'll admit I haven't had the time to read this thread through from the beginning, and I agree with you, to a point. One thing would be, it's pretty obvious that 85% of adult Americans simply are not born-again believers, or you and I would be living in a very different country, indeed! Secondly; I agree, we are called to be in the world and not of the world, but that should not be taken to mean that we "set ourselves apart" in the sense that we block out everything considered to be "secular" or evil. Our call as Christians is neither to condone this world, nor to condemn it...we are simply called to transform it, just as Christ did while He walked this planet. I am reminded of the apostle Paul's "becoming all things to all men, in order that by doing so I might save some"...

There is a difference between "in, not of" and "in, not caring"...I hope this has shed some light on where I'm coming from...Blessings, A.P.

[Adonai1]

Your not totally alone Suzanne, just part of the remnant;

Human opinions are just that, human opinions, full of human wisdon which is foolishness with God. God has given us His word and the Holy Spirit to apply it to all that we do. He will lead us into all righteousness and holiness if we ask him and let Him lead us. The Christian hears His voice and follows Him.

Pr 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

So much for human opinions.

Here is how we make decisions:

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

He leads us past our own understanding:

4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

He shows us what is acceptable and what is not:

4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

God has given us a 'WORK' (dirty word today) to do:

2co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knows those that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

It is pretty tough to cleanse ourselves and depart from iniguity while partaking of it in any form. This would constitute acceptance of it, rather than departing from it.

The true Christian is 'dead to the world', has been 'crucified' to the world, and now loves God and holiness, and hates the unholy things of the world. This is the change that takes place in the 'New Birth'.

God Bless and keep,

Dennis

Hiya Dennis,

I could not have responded better myself. Awesome with all the Scriptures.

In my opinion God most definately cares what we take into our minds. I do not care for TV at all. Like Paul says we are to set our mind on higher things now that we are new creatures in Christ and if we ask the Holy Spirit He will help us to do this as He is our Helper.

God bless

Estie

[KeilanS]

So, I'm going to go with, it's neither the media nor the government, it's humankind's sin nature, plain and simple. The fact is, as C.S. Lewis has said, there is a "world behind the world" and we're at war daily...now, those who (hopefully) know me and my views pretty well around Worthy know that I am not at all one to subscribe to any amount of Emotionalism or "feelings-based" faith...but the bottom line is that our struggle is not against flesh and blood...

Agreed! As much fun as it is to blame the government or blame the media or blame whoever happens to be the current punching bag, eventually those things are all symptoms of the main disease: our sinful nature.

[username_5]

YES!! I have heard so many believers say that as long as they know the difference then it is ok. I do not agree with this at all. I love the simple saying "What would Jesus do?" If you would not read or watch a program with Jesus sitting next to you, then we had best not do so, because who dwells in us?

I disagree strongly. Those who are saved have a life long companion: the holy spirit.

It is the job of the holy spirit to convict us of sin.

If I am exposing myself to something on TV and the holy spirit convicts me that it is sin then I better knock if off.

If the holy spirit doesn't convict me that it is sin then for me it is not sin even though for someone else it might be.

The scriptures address this very topic. Should a believer eat food sacrificed to idols? The scriptures appear to leave this up to the conscience of the believer. Eating food is no sin certainly so it all boils down to whether the holy spirit is convicting us or not.

If you watch a show and experience no conviction of sin then it is not sin for you. If you watch a show and feel conviction of sin and watch it anyway then it is sin for you.

Why worry if something is 'right' or 'wrong'? Hasn't God told you that all believers have the holy spirit? Hasn't god told you that one of the jobs of the holy spirit is to convict us regarding sin?

If something is wrong the holy spirit will convict us and let's not be judgmental. It is entirely possible for something to be sin for one person and not sin for another. Again scripture makes this clear as it presents the example of eating food sacrificed to idols. On the one hand it is just food and on the other hand it has been sacrificed to idols. The holy spirit will convict accordingly.

[Emily~Anne]

too many parents screw up by not talking about sex, and not talking about drugs and use of drugs

I totally agree with the above.......but what makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE, is to talk candidly about why they shouldn't participate in these activities because they are so bad for them, and THEN IMMERSE THEM IN MEDIA IMAGES OF THESE THINGS EVERY DAY, as if they ARE ACCEPTABLE!!!???? How schizophrenic is that?

Tell them, and tell them not to do these very things, and then fill your home with images every night of the very things you're preaching against??? Yeah, that makes sense.

And again I say, no wonder this generation of kids is SO CONFUSED.

In His Love,

Suzanne

Amen. We are to teach our kids about drugs and sex from a biblical perspective, not the worldly perpective shown on TV.

Eliyuhaw, I am sorry, but your parenting concepts are not biblical, they are wordly. Tsth's parenting concepts can be backed up by a wealth of scripture.

[Pilgrim7]

Praise the Lord, Suzanne,

'Many are called, but few are chosen'

What we allow to enter our minds, affects us and feeds the 'carnal nature' which is still present. The Christian has both the 'Spiritual nature' and the 'carnal nature'. We are to feed the 'spiritual nature' and starve the 'carnal nature'. This is why Jesus is called the 'bread of life'. We are to feed on Him to keep our 'spiritual nature' strong and overcome the 'carnal nature'. Spiritual growth comes through feeding on Jesus and not the world.

John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world.

6:34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believeson me shall never thirst.

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Amen Adonai1:

The wheat feed on the bread of life, and the tares feed on the world. This is how the wheat and the tares are separated during the insplection of the wedding guests. God examines them as to whether they loved Him and His word or the world and its vanities. How they spent their time is the evidence he examines.

Those who love the things of the world show that they have not the love of the Father in them. God is no fool, He knows who are His by what they do.

User:

Sin is sin. It is any departure from the word or will of God. The Holy Spirit convicts all of sin. He does this through the Word of God. He is no respecter of persons, allowing some to depart from holiness and others not to. What is sin to God is sin to all. Those with a new heart hate the things of the world and love the things of God. They would always prefer Spiritual things to the things of this world for they have been 'crucified to this world'.

Ga 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Ga 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

There are many who just don't hear the voice of the Spirit, for they don't want the Holiness which he leads into.

God Bless,

Dennis

PS: They hardly ever notify me when anyone responds to my posts so I may be tardy in responding. If you would like a response, please PM me.

[Artemus Prime]

What criteria might be used to evaluate religious systems? Keith Yandell (1938- ) suggests the following:

1) The properties essential to that religion must be consistent with each other.

2) Knowing that the religious system is true must be compatible with its being true. If the truth of the system demands that we cannot know it is true

[Marnie]

Your not totally alone Suzanne, just part of the remnant;

Human opinions are just that, human opinions, full of human wisdon which is foolishness with God. God has given us His word and the Holy Spirit to apply it to all that we do. He will lead us into all righteousness and holiness if we ask him and let Him lead us. The Christian hears His voice and follows Him.

Pr 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

So much for human opinions.

Here is how we make decisions:

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

He leads us past our own understanding:

4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

He shows us what is acceptable and what is not:

4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

God has given us a 'WORK' (dirty word today) to do:

2co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knows those that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

It is pretty tough to cleanse ourselves and depart from iniguity while partaking of it in any form. This would constitute acceptance of it, rather than departing from it.

The true Christian is 'dead to the world', has been 'crucified' to the world, and now loves God and holiness, and hates the unholy things of the world. This is the change that takes place in the 'New Birth'.

God Bless and keep,

Dennis

And your point, Dennis is.....what? Not watch any TV? Read only Tozer or the Puritans? Stay off the "evil internet?"

Since we're tossing out Scripture willy nilly, have you considered these,

As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality." --Acts 21:25

Compare that with:

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. --1 Corinthians 8

Whose opinion is valid? As I said in an earlier post, contrary opinions aren't necessarily wrong.

[Artemus Prime]

I love the fact that on multiple threads and even throughout the Boards here, I post what essentially becomes the same thing, just worded differently...that has been proven correct by Scripture, my fellow believers, and my faith, and yet it gets passed over, or ignored altogether, nine times out of ten. Truth, even when it is Scripturally-based, is not subjective...Romans 10:9, for instance, cannot mean one thing "to you" and another "to me"...Scripture can never mean what it never meant...this is not a difficult concept to grasp; apparently, many just don't want to come to grips with the fact that their belief system is, perhaps for the first time, being questioned or challenged...

[Adonai1]

Praise the Lord, Suzanne,

'Many are called, but few are chosen'

What we allow to enter our minds, affects us and feeds the 'carnal nature' which is still present. The Christian has both the 'Spiritual nature' and the 'carnal nature'. We are to feed the 'spiritual nature' and starve the 'carnal nature'. This is why Jesus is called the 'bread of life'. We are to feed on Him to keep our 'spiritual nature' strong and overcome the 'carnal nature'. Spiritual growth comes through feeding on Jesus and not the world.

John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world.

6:34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believeson me shall never thirst.

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Amen Adonai1:

The wheat feed on the bread of life, and the tares feed on the world. This is how the wheat and the tares are separated during the insplection of the wedding guests. God examines them as to whether they loved Him and His word or the world and its vanities. How they spent their time is the evidence he examines.

Those who love the things of the world show that they have not the love of the Father in them. God is no fool, He knows who are His by what they do.

User:

Sin is sin. It is any departure from the word or will of God. The Holy Spirit convicts all of sin. He does this through the Word of God. He is no respecter of persons, allowing some to depart from holiness and others not to. What is sin to God is sin to all. Those with a new heart hate the things of the world and love the things of God. They would always prefer Spiritual things to the things of this world for they have been 'crucified to this world'.

Ga 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Ga 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

There are many who just don't hear the voice of the Spirit, for they don't want the Holiness which he leads into.

God Bless,

Dennis

PS: They hardly ever notify me when anyone responds to my posts so I may be tardy in responding. If you would like a response, please PM me.

Amen Dennis.

We are to set out mind on things above and not on things of the earth once we are new creatures in Christ. We are to hunger for the Bread of life and be fruitful unto Him. Pleasing Him in all we do.

Thank you for sharing God's Scriptures. His Holy Bible is the only TRUTH I live according to as one of His children.

Estie

P.S. I do not see Dennis using Scripture "willynilly"