The entertainment industry is big business in today’s world. According to this site, in 2017 we Americans spent $11 billion at the box office, the recorded music industry was worth over $18 billion, video game revenue was over $23 billion, and book sales were over $37 billion. If you add up all those numbers, the entertainment industry as a whole was worth over $89 billion dollars last year - I’d say that’s definitely big business!
However, “entertainment” is a relatively new thing. Until this modern area, people spent much of their time working, and when they weren’t working they were likely taking care of things related to their survival. Free time and entertainment weren’t part of daily lives until in the 20th century when we developed technology that made working for survival easier. It was not until advances in technology in the 20th century that we had the capability to have recorded music, then movies, then video games. So, because of all this, the Bible does not speak directly to entertainment, since it didn’t really exist in Biblical times like it does now.
But even if the Bible doesn’t speak directly to entertainment, it does give us some guidelines to follow as we have the opportunity to entertain ourselves.
First of all, Colossians 3:17 should be our guiding principle: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” When we entertain ourselves, are you doing it all in the name of Jesus and giving thanks to God through the choices you make?
Along with that, Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, 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.” Think about the last movie you saw or video game you played; was it true, noble, right, pure, lovely, or admirable? Even if it’s just a few hours of entertainment, your brain was focused on it during that time. We are commanded to think on that which is right and holy.
Not only that, but our entertainment choices can affect others as well. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul writes to the church at Corinth about eating food sacrificed to idols, which was a big issue for them. Verse 9 says, “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” The principle we can take from this is that the freedom we have to relax and be entertained in our free time should not cause others to stumble in their walk. You may be a mature enough Christian that you can listen to certain music and remain strong in your faith, but someone around you may be weaker and your choices could cause them to stumble.
Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” We must be careful that our entertainment does not become our master, since we cannot serve entertainment and serve God at the same time. We must be careful that we do not put our own entertainment as a higher priority in life than God is.
Does that mean we should never watch movies, play video games, or listen to music? Well, the answer really depends on the message of those things and the attitude of our hearts. Ephesians 5:8-11 tells us, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” If the entertainment we choose is part of the “fruitless deeds of darkness,” then no, we shouldn’t bring those things into our lives. We are walking in the light of the Lord and we should live as such.
Entertainment in and of itself is not evil. If our attitude is right and we are still honoring God with the entertainment choices we make, then we can enjoy its part in our lives. But as we’ve seen, the Bible clearly warns against letting our life choices (whether entertainment or otherwise) draw us away from Him. What kind of choices are you making for your entertainment?
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