Whatever....

I would guess that many of you are familiar with Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things". It is a good verse and is pretty challenging, but I would wager that most of us don't take it completely seriously. I remember a year or two ago in my small group that I'm apart of, we were discussing a certain movie(s). Most of the guys thought that the movie in question was okay. I disagreed and used Phil 4:8 as my reference. I had heard a bit about the movie, and it appeared not to line up with the guidelines set in the verse, and I said as much. I got shot down however, and was told that we really didn't need to take that verse completely literally. After all, no movie is perfect, and as long as it mostly good, and very little bad, it should be fine.

I regret to say that I didn't say anything else and was sort of taken in by their reasoning. I figured as long as what I watched was for the most part okay, and maybe had very little things wrong with it, it would be an okay movie. That has been my reasoning up until a couple of weeks ago. Phil 4:8 didn't need to be taken completely literal. After all, Paul himself said that "everything is permissible..." and I had heard several arguments that since we are free in Christ, we can do a lot of things that are just okay, even if they aren't the greatest, because of our freedom. As long as it wasn't obviously sinful, it was okay.

However, Paul didn't leave that one verse with "Everything is permissible..."He finishes it by saying, "but not everything is beneficial". I've been learning more and more that as a Christian, I need to be set apart. I had previously assumed that Phil 4:8 didn't need to be taken literally, just like there are sections of the Old Testament that don't need to be taken literally. (Like not shaving your beard) I figured that I can do whatever I want, as long as it wasn't wrong, because I had freedom in Christ.

I've been learning, however, that we are called to be set apart and holy for God. (I'll be blogging more on that later on!) Phil 4:8 is meant to be taken literally, contrary to what I previously thought. That is an attitude that I am working on cultivating. Will it make me look strange to others? Absolutely. My brother was reading my post from yesterday and exclaimed "What do you mean "Get Smart" isn't the greatest TV show!? I thought you liked it?!" To his response, I explained that there are some things in the show that weren't the greatest. (They certainly didn't line up with Phil 4:8 in some areas.)

I have been increasingly more critical of what I see or hear and have been comparing it to Phil 4:8. I've been finding that a lot of things I thought were okay really aren't the greatest to spend my time on. There is not a lot of good, decent things out there that line up to that verse. Abstaining from those things that don't line up with God's word seems to be a radical and unnecessary move, at least, in the eyes of most. I admit that I am hesitant to take this plunge, and have been letting go of things that aren't the greatest a little bit at a time. It is extremely hard and uncomfortable to let go of things that while they aren't the greatest, I enjoy. However, God does not call us to be comfortable.

Therefore, though it will be hard, and most people will think me crazy, I am going to abstain from anything that doesn't line up with this verse. Why? Because I am called to be set apart for my King, letting go of anything that doesn't bring honor to Him. This is part of being a warrior poet, being willing to let go of everything for His King!

For Christ's Glory