ENTERTAINMENT

Definition

Entertainment is amusing, fascinating, or enjoyable activity which may provide rest, relaxation, and distraction from serious pursuits like work or study.  Forms of entertainment include the arts, literature, music, drama, comedy, dance, sports, and hospitality.

Spiritual Issues

Entertainment may be Good or evil.  It may be inspired by God or the devil.  Good entertainment is Divine Good production.  It has underlying truth, which is compatible with Bible Doctrine.  This truth may be establishment truth, which is available for unbelievers.  Good entertainment includes true Love, truth, Happiness, and beauty.  Fiction can convey truth.  Evil entertainment is inspired by the devil and his Cosmic System.  It furthers the devil's lie.  This evil may include sin, lust, and human good.  Evil entertainment may include false love and anti-establishment themes.

Even Good entertainment may not be a wise use of one's time (Eph 5:16; 2 Tim 2:4).  The Christian has the highest calling of human history, and the Church Age is the intensified stage of the Angelic Conflict.  In this strategic period advancing in the Spiritual life is much more important than entertainment.

The Lord Jesus Christ did not shun all forms of entertainment even though he suffered the most intense strategic pressure of any human being.  He was often entertained at dinner parties (Matt 9:10; 26:6-7; Lk 5:29; 7:36-39; 10:38-42; 11:37; Jn 12:1-3).

Music

Good music includes hymns and Church music for worship, thanksgiving, and praise (Psa 33:1-3; 100; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16).  Good music for Church must be doctrinal.  The lyrics must convey Biblical truth and divine Love.  It is not enough to arouse good feelings and emotion.  Rhythm and harmony must foster respect, adoration, and praise for God and the Lord Jesus Christ rather than distraction, reaction, or self-centeredness.
Let the Word (doctrine) of Christ dwell in you abundantly,
In all wisdom, teaching and correcting one another,
In Psalms, hymns, and Spiritual songs,
In Grace singing in your hearts (right lobes) to God. (Colossians 3:16)
Bible Doctrine must dwell in the believer in the Edification Complex of the soul.  It must be the basis for everything in life.  It is learned under the "teaching" of the pastor, and it becomes the basis for standing up to those who have departed from the Faith.  This does not mean counseling or trying to straighten others out.  The doctrinal believer can oppose the unfaithful by executing the Spiritual life and standing his gound in Grace.  And Bible Doctrine must be the basis for Psalms, hymns, and Spiritual songs offered to God in praise and adoration.  Many of the hymns in most hymnals are sadly devoid of doctrine, and what is often called Christian music today is not even sanctified from the world.  The believer-priest must first sing in his heart (right lobe) in Grace.  Grace is response to God.  Unless the believer is responding to God in Grace, his singing is out of tune with God and hopelessly lost in the Cosmic System.  He is living in sin and singing in sin, which is evil.

Church music must be offered in the Filling of the Holy Spirit.  Offering praise to God apart from the Filling of the Holy Spirit amounts to religion, which is man trying to gain the approbation of God.  Christianity is not a religion, but a Love relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  Holy rollers, who are overcome by their own emotion, are not worshipping God, but operating in the power of the Cosmic System.  They are under the power of the Prostitute of Babylon in a state of grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit.

Music can also be therapeutic (1 Sam 16:23).  David sang Psalms to drive away a demon that terrorized Saul.  However, most of what is pushed as music therapy today is nothing more than harmony with evil.  Satan can also heal.

Musical instruments are designed to communicate non-verbal truth.  Words are not necessary so long as the instrumental vocabulary is understood.  Great orchestras and choirs entertained and sang Psalms of praise to God in Israel.  The meaning of musical instruments includes:

Conclusion

Entertainment is either Good or evil.  The Christian must, therefore, be careful in his choice of entertainment.  Much of what is called Christian entertainment today is not sanctified from the world.  Entertainment which is Divine Good is founded on truth and is compatible with Bible Doctrine.  Church music, which could be classified as a form of entertainment, must be doctrinal.  Praise can only be offered to God in Grace.  A person who is out of tune with God cannot effectively offer songs of praise in respect and adoration.  Christianity is not a religion, and those who are seeking the approbation of God apart from Grace are hopelessly lost in the confusion of the world.  They are in a state of sin and not sanctified to God.

Because of the high calling of the Christian and the intensified Spiritual War in the Church Age, there are higher priorities than entertainment.  Learning and executing Bible Doctrine is much more important than a song service.  Although there are believer-priests with musical talent in the Church, it is best in view of the times to concentrate on Bible Doctrine and forego most of the distraction of entertainment.

Author:  Larry Wood,   Released June 25, 2010

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