I recently had a conversation with a marvelous friend of mine, regarding the wonderful authors C.S. Lewis and John Bunyan. One of us made an offhand comment to the effect of wondering why we even bother with other writers when these are so perfect. We were not sincere, of course, but it did prompt the question: should we read works by other authors? My friend is of like faith so the question was asked within that context. Should Christians read books that might contain content which does not support a Christian lifestyle?

As Christians we are called to live a certain way. We are to be “imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1), and as such we are to live the way that Christ taught us while on Earth and continues teaching us through the Bible today. How, then, should we Christians act and speak? Should we be participating in the things we participate in? If we were to hold our lives up to the Bible, which we profess to believe is the inspired and infallible written word of God, how would we measure up? Are we making a respectable effort to live out what we say we believe? Have we made compromises anywhere that we ought not to have made? Are we so far off the mark that no one would think that we were a Christian at all? If we are honest, the vast majority of Christians will fall somewhere smack in the middle of any or all of those categories at any given time. I know I do.

Should I Choose That One?

How do such questions relate to our entertainment? For my part, I cannot simply brush these questions aside when the conversation ends. They niggle at my mind every time I choose something to read or watch. Am I truly making the right choice? Will the selected book leave me with a mind full of thoughts that are pure, lovely, excellent, praiseworthy, etc. (Philippians 4:8)? Will that movie force me to take captive my thoughts and bend them to the will of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) rather than allowing my mind to dwell on things that are unwholesome and unbecoming for a redeemed child of God?

There is a fine line to be walked here. On the one side is legalism which strives to live by rules and regulations rather than by faith and grace. I do not necessarily think that Christians should participate in things only created by and for Christians. I have known people of this kind and I have to admit I found them rather stale. On the other side, however, is the slippery slope of compromise which will lead to blatant disregard for Christ’s example. I know people of this kind too. I admit that I am one of them though I am not proud of this fact. I am grateful that the question has been posed, that it has made me look at myself, and that I have recognized my shortcomings in this area (we shall leave other shortcomings for another time).

In addition to having my sin exposed, I was also recently reminded of God’s infinite grace. He is always ready and willing to forgive me and set me back on the righteous path. All that is required is the humbling of myself to repent of the sin and ask for that forgiveness. Nothing I can do is so bad that I will not be taken back into the fold. My decisions, whether they are willfully sinful, or simply not the wisest one, cannot keep me from Jesus’ love and mercy.

This freely given forgiveness is not a pass to do as I please, but it is a comfort when I do choose unwisely. I do not have to be swallowed up by shame for choosing the wrong option because I can confess it, know that I am forgiven, and stand firm in the knowledge that Jesus will help me make the right choice the next time if I will only do as He says. The Bible is filled with everything we need to know about who Jesus is and how we, His followers, should live.

Choosing To Walk In the Way

I will be making some tough choices in my life in the very near future. I have already been contemplating previous choices and some were definitely not the right ones. Some were the wrong choice for the hundredth time and I have no excuse to give. I willfully ignored what I know to be right. I know that some of the choices I will have to make will involve the giving up of things that I enjoy, but holding onto them, when they are not what is best, is foolish. Ultimately, I am giving up nothing at all, rather, I am gaining freedom in my spirit. I am gaining the better things that I did not choose before. I will lose nothing of value, but I will gain everything in the knowledge that my heavenly Father is pleased with me. You can be sure that any choice which results in His pleasure is the right one.