Question:

Which tv programs are not good to watch? In church today our pastor talked about a movie which I watched called “The excorism of Emily Rose”. Are programs like “Shortland st, coronation str and C.I.crime programs wrong to watch?

Answer:

There is of course nothing in the Bible about TV, but all God’s principles are there and we should just apply them and live according to them. Firstly, we are told to love God with everything in us – heart, soul, mind, strength. That does not exclude much! And then we are told that we should do everything to the glory of God.

Mark 12: 29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

So let’s apply this to TV. Are we watching TV to the glory of God? Are the things we watch drawing us closer to Him or further away? Can you invite Jesus to sit and watch your regular programmes with you? Is our love for God increased or decreased by what we watch? Before you answer, let’s look at some more principles.

God says that we should not love the things of the world. If we do, we make ourselves His enemies. So what are the things of the world? Could our TV programmes be included, or are they heavenly? What are the programmes about, the regular everyday things of this world, or things that lift your spirits to heaven?

James 4: 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 John 2: 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

And then the last principle, God tells us to fill our minds with good things, things that are ennobling, encouraging, heavenly. Can we class the programmes you mentioned under any of these topics?

Philippians 4: 8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Someone said that successful TV programmes are all about the breaking of God’s commandments: murder, adultery, stealing, coveting, treating parents like trash, etc. I think there is a lot of truth in that statement. Personally I have stopped watching TV, unless I know that it is a programme that is uplifting. There are not many of those! Remember, the devil is trying to stop us from giving our lives to God, and he will use every avenue that he possibly can, including TV, the Internet, magazines, books, etc. And the way to keep our minds off of God and His kingdom is to fill it with the worst things of this world, which is exactly what a lot of TV programmes are about.

God has given us His Word, and He has given each of us the power of choice. We can wallow in the things that the world dishes up to us and be just like everyone else, not standing out as Christians. Or we can fill our minds with good, positive, uplifting things of God and become His visible reflection to the rest of the world. Your choice. It really comes down to total surrender to Him, to knowing Him personally, or else just do what everyone else does. But we should be crystal clear as to the outcome. Jesus said that many “Christians” will not enter heaven, even though they had done wonderful things in His name. Yet He says to them that He does not know them.

Matthew 7: 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

John 17: 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Finally, God wants to change us into His image, so that we can witness to the rest of the world. This happens as we watch Him, read about Him, get to know Him and are changed by Him. He wants us to be transformed, having the mind of Jesus, showing His love to others. This we do not get from watching TV.

2 Corinthians 3: 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Philippians 2: 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

I hope that this gives you some new insights, and that it aids you in coming closer to God. God bless as you study these passages!

Remember the key text

1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

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