“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”
Exodus 20:12 KJV.
In Part 1 of this article, we showed that we are living in the last days now, and that there is a great problem with disobedience to parents, and the children or youth despising and mocking them. There are many problems in society in these last days, including rebellion, which often develops out of disobedience to parents. Now we want to present some of the problems with the entertainment and music media, and how it relates to the Fifth Commandment. In addition to portraying or promoting sin and violence, they also sometimes portray disobedience and violence against parents, and of course rebellion against God. They are training the children and youth to disobey God and sin greatly, making them unfit for Heaven and society. Since parents are given the responsibility of training their children up to obey God and love Him, this is a very big deal! The Entertainment Media is counteracting what parents should be teaching their children! Because of this and because God has commanded everyone to honor their father and their mother, it is also necessary to show the responsibility of the parents’ to teach their children to obey them and God, and to be a good citizen; to treat others the way they should be treated. Yes, it’s not just the children’s fault for disobeying and rebelling against their parents, God and society, but in many cases the parents are to blame too. If nothing is done about Hollywood‘s influence in your family, your job as a parent too teach your children the truth of how to be happy and be saved is in vain. And we will show that even though you are saved by grace, God still wants you to love Him supremely, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which includes honoring your father and your mother.
There are children, youth and adults who can still be saved from the pit of ruin the devil has planned for them. It is not yet too late! In this article we will also appeal to your heart, and help you to know what to do, to help yourself and your children or youth before it’s too late. We want to show you the start of the solution to these problems: it always starts and ends with God, because no one can ever save themselves, much less their family. Only God can do this, if you willingly cooperate with Him.
And now to our message…
Life is not a movie. There are consequences to what you think, say and do, your life does not have a script writer ending. Nothing good can come from watching violence or any other thing prohibited by the Bible on the silver screen. We are also including in this the music, music videos, and computer games produced nowadays that portray sin, vice and violence as well, especially those that are appealing to children and youth, but also to the adults as well. We are sorry for watching and listening to this stuff in the past. It required much prayer and struggling against the flesh, but God gave us the victory over it and other bad entertainments. We want everyone who wants it to get the victory over sin.
There is a price to pay for watching violence, disobedience to parents, rebellion and all wrong doing, regardless of how Hollywood portrays it. This is what the word of God, the Bible, teaches. And there is a price to pay for fantasizing over the evil that is presented in these movies, TV and bad music. We know someone will say, ‘I have watched or listened to that and I have not done anything bad.’ Oh really? No one can fill their mind with corruption and not be affected in some way by it. The very act of watching impurity or corruption is sin, whether any action is taken or not that was portrayed in the movie. It invites evil angels into someone’s life that tempt, annoy and bind them into sin. This can influence them into getting irritated or angry with others, or losing their self-control if nothing else. The movies also implant thoughts in the minds of those who watch them, which may play out at a later date, if the person watching them gets into a similar situation as in the movies they watched. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8 NASB. Do you want to reap eternal life? Then sow to the Spirit, and stop planting the seeds of corruption from the world’s entertainments.
The apostle Paul admonishes us: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just [or righteous], whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8 KJV. We are to fill our mind with the mercy, love and goodness of God, not violence, conflict, sexual impurity, corruption, anger, resentment, sadness or any of the other things that are presented in the Entertainment media as ‘food’ for our thought. The reality is that these entertainments are not food at all but poison! As long as these entertainments are indulged in, these “idols” will make it hard to have a spiritual life with God, they will ruin it! They form habits of sin that weigh you and your children down. It causes a loss in true spirituality. God loves you and your children and doesn’t want anyone to fantasize or make believe about any kind of wickedness or anything prohibited by the Bible, or to be trapped in sin. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost, or hurt anyone else. So He doesn’t want anyone to fill their mind with these sinful entertainments.
Since the Bible tells us that we are to think on whatsoever is pure, true, good, lovely, honest, praise worthy, virtuous, just, etc., this excludes all worldly or sinful entertainments of the world for the believer. This excludes all impure, all evil, all unlovely, all dishonest, all shameful, all unvirtuous, all unjust, and all unrighteous entertainments, thoughts or activities. When was the last time you saw a movie which extoled all of the virtues that we are ‘to think on,’ as Paul declared, with no sinful suggestions? How many times is dishonesty or lying shown in a good light in the movies? Have you ever seen them extol the virtues of their so called “good guys” in the movies, who were really bad guys or robbers? Like ‘Robbin Hood,’ who robs from the rich and gives to the poor? This is dishonesty any way you slice it. If you go by Philippians 4:8, it probably prohibits everything produced by Hollywood! We are not to think on or contemplate anything that doesn’t match the standards in Philippians 4:8, or in any of the other places in the Bible where God gives the standards of righteousness. Even many of the movies that appear innocent on the surface are pushing subtle lies that people may not detect, including some of the so called heart-warming movies, or even children’s movies or shows.
In the days of Moses and in the Old Testament, a son or daughter could be put to death if they hit or cursed their parents! Even though we are not living today in a theocracy state, ruled directly by God, as the children of Israel were in the Old Testament days, you can be sure that God takes note of all those who harbor any bad thoughts, or say any hurtful or hateful words to their parents, or do anything bad to them. He is not happy with any of this! We know that not all who watch or listen to worldly entertainment will do what is portrayed in them, but it will have an evil effect of some kind on them. Jesus made it clear that anyone who hates someone or calls them a fool has committed something similar to murder in the eyes of God, and will be guilty before the court of Heaven. See Matthew 5:21-22. This includes hating and cursing parents too.
There were reasons why God instituted the death penalty against children, who committed violence against their parents or cursed them. He was leading the children of Israel out of the bondage of slavery, and may have instituted these harsh penalties to teach them to stop these practices which He hates. We are not suggesting here that we should return to these penalties. We are not living in a theocracy state ruled by God in our day. But make no mistake, there will be a price to pay for those who do not treat their parents with love and kindness, unless they confess it and repent.
What does the Bible say regarding those who love violence? “The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” Psalm 11:5 NASB. Those who love violence God hates. This is clear. God tests the righteous and the wicked to see who are good or bad, and those who love watching or committing violence will prove to be the wicked. Can anyone doubt that it is a bad thing to watch violence? Can anyone still believe that there are no consequences for watching violent entertainments? There will be a price to pay for watching any kind of violence, wickedness or any sin or listening to music with vile lyrics or angry tones; when God is aroused, He will despise their form. Psalms 73:12-20. It will be a sad day for them when God is aroused and despises their form! We don’t want this to happen to anybody. See also Haggai 2:21-33; Hebrews 12:25-26.
But God has not left us without the blessed hope, the Gospel; He wants to save us from ruin! He will not forsake those who are sick of sin and corruption, who want a new, better life, and cry to Him for help! He will give all who want it the victory over all sin, bad entertainments and addictions. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4 KJV. If you allow God to make you born of Him, you will get the victory over the world, because whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Amen! This is the Gospel.
Parents should shield their children and youth as much as possible, by not allowing them to watch or listen to bad entertainments. The parents can help by removing the temptations, by getting rid of the bad movies, bad music, bad games and the devices that play them (if there is no good use for these devices), from around the home, to help keep them from getting off track. If these devices or media are your children’s, it probably won’t be easy to get rid of them, because they will resist it. * It is best to have a talk with them about this, praying with them, teaching them from the Bible, and explaining what needs to be done and why, and that you love them, and don’t want them to be misled or lost. You should take your situation to God in prayer, praying for His divine guidance and to have His sweet Spirit in your home as an aide to your quest. But these entertainments should be gotten rid of. You and your family will not be able to continue to make spiritual progress, unless you want to do what God has asked you to do.
* In the Bible, there were men like Gideon, Josiah and other leaders or kings who went out and destroyed the idols that were owned or built by others without their permission. There was a cost to these idols, so there was also a monetary loss when their idols were destroyed. See 2 Chronicles 34:7; Ezekiel 6:4, 6; Judges 6:25-32. Is it right to destroy a modern “idol” that leads someone away from God? We won’t answer this. It is best to discuss the destruction of the idols in your home with your children first. We are told in Acts 19:17-20 that the new believers at Ephesus voluntarily brought their books on magic and burned them, and their value was found to be 50,000 pieces of silver. So you should teach your children the truth of the way that God wants us to live in love first, teaching them from the Bible what honors Him and what does not and what will hurt them. Maybe they will want to get rid of these ‘idols’ like the new believers at Ephesus did? We hope so.
The reason for our ministry, White Raiment Evangelism, is to help people get closer to God, so that they can get all the help from Him that they need to battle evil and be an overcomer. We are sorry if this article sounded way to hard or unpleasant to you. We don’t like writing articles like this, because they seem out of place, since God is love. 1 John 4:8. But there are people out there who need to hear this message, because it is the truth. Who knows? It may be just what you need to help you get out of the spiritual rut you might be in. We struggled with some of these things in our past life, before getting the victory over them by God, and do not want anyone else to have to go through the problems these things cause! We want everyone to have the love of God in their heart, and be free from addictions, vice, corruption and worldly entertainments. No one can be happy or be at peace or have the Holy Spirit and indulge in worldly entertainments or sinful addictions. They will crush the life out of your soul if they are continued. We hope you stayed with us.
There is a time to preach the harder truths. That time is now, because we are living in the last days! Ecclesiastes 3:1. But never fear, because Jesus came to free the captives (Luke 4:18-21), and if you long to be free from this or any other sin, Jesus will help you! Call out to Him for help, give yourself into His hand! Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36 KJV. This is what Jesus wants to do for you!
Jesus said in the book of Revelation: “'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.' Revelation 2:7 NASB. Dear reader, do you want to be an overcomer and eat from the tree of life in Heaven? Do you want your children to be an overcomer too and to be able to eat from the tree of life in heaven? Then don’t go it alone! You need God’s precious Holy Spirit in your heart and in your home, or you will surely fail. You and your family cannot do it alone, don’t even try. Both parents should devote themselves to God, praying daily and moment by moment for their children and youth; that they would be good parents, faithfully representing God and the truth to their family. And that God’s Spirit would be in their home at all times, and that their children would not choose companions who are rebellious against parents or God. If there is just one parent willing to devote themselves completely to God, they should by all means do this, and pray for their spouse that they would too. Do your best, and pray for divine help! We all need God’s help! Don’t go it alone!
You have an obligation from God to do everything in your power to train up your children, your beautiful sheep, that you have been given, to love the Lord God with all of their heart, mind and soul and strength, and to love their neighbor as themselves, and to love, honor and respect you. If you would see your children saved and in the kingdom of Heaven, and have no marks against your name in the book of life, you must do everything that you can, by God’s mighty strength and power, to help your kids become overcomers against evil. If you love your children, how can you do otherwise? Teach them to love and respect you, if you want them to love and respect God and love their neighbor as themselves. Do not take these warnings lightly dear reader, if you are a parent. Jesus takes all wrongs or sins of neglect done to others, including your children, as if they were done to Him personally, as we saw in our message: “Who is My Neighbor? Part 1” http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/02/who-is-my-neighbor-part-1.html
A lot of problems in society can be traced back to family life, with the deficiencies some had in their training as a child or youth. Many children are not taught to love and obey their parents or God the way they should be, if at all. Solomon exhorts parents to train up their children in the ways of salvation and God: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 KJV. You should also discipline your children when they do something wrong and need correction. Solomon declared, “A fool rejects his father's discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible.” Proverbs 15:5 NASB. And: “Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death.” Proverbs 19:18 NASB. To fail to discipline your children when they need it is to enable their physical or spiritual death. ‘Do not hold back discipline from the child’ Proverbs 23:13 NASB. Discipline your children while there is still hope that they can learn to love Jesus and His Father, before their peace, love, joy and happiness and their hope for eternal life is forever ruined.
In order for your children to love, obey and respect you like the fifth commandment requires, they need to learn to love and obey God and how to receive the Holy Spirit. They should not be compelled to do this. When they see your love for them, and your love and devotion to God, the Holy Spirit can awaken in them the desire for the good things that God wants to give them! The gifts that God wants to give to you and your children are sweet indeed! How precious and sweet is the love of God! It has to be experienced to be understood. It is the strongest motivating power in the universe! Love begets love, love awakens love, and love awakens trust and obedience. There is a beauty and wonder when God’s Holy Spirit is in your heart, and when your children discover how much God loves them! Children and youth are naturally ideal, and when they see mommy and daddy living what they teach, who have love for each other and them, they will see it, be happy and glad! Hypocrisy turns many children and youth from God, but it doesn’t have to be this way! God has made a provision for you and your family, if you would appropriate these blessings for yourself and your family that He wants to give you. Oh if there were more parents living God’s love, what a difference their children and youth would make in this world! How different their lives would be! Allow Him to work in your family the miracle that only His Divine grace can do.
God’s grace covers our sins when we confess them, but the grace He gives doesn’t mean that we do not need to love Him, our neighbor or our parents. God forbid! “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2 KJV. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Romans 6:15 KJV. “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31 KJV. So because we are save by grace does that mean that we do not need to honor our father and our mother, or our heavenly father or to love our neighbor as ourselves? “May it never be!” as the NASB says this in all of these passages. So to sum it up, God’s grace is forgiveness for our sins, not a license to sin. Notice that Jesus didn’t tell the man to keep God’s commandments in his own strength; He makes no mention of being saved by your own works or strength there in our Matthew 19:16-19 passage. He is making a statement about the choice that all should make if they would enter in to life, to want to obey God. Don’t believe what we are saying here? Notice Jesus said ‘there is none good but one, that is, God.’ Since no one is good but God, to be able to do that ‘good thing’ that you may have eternal life, you must get it from God, not yourself, or you will be unable to do it, since only God is good!
If you have broken God’s Law of love, the 10 Commandments, or have not honored your father and mother like you should have, you can ask God for forgiveness and receive mercy. There is no reason to have this sin on your conscience if you will confess it, and ask God to help you treat your parents with respect, kindness and tenderness.
Revelation states how everything will conclude. Those who wish to enter into the pearly gates, and walk on the streets of gold in Heaven, will want to keep God’s commandments. These are the words of Jesus that He declared in Revelation: ‘blessed are they that do His commandments.’ Those who keep and want to keep God’s commandments will have the right to the tree of life, and will enter into the gates of Heaven. “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” 1 John 2:3 NASB. It is quite simple really. Those who know Jesus will keep His commandments, because He will help them keep it. Those who love Jesus will obey Him, and He and His Father will make their abode in them. “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.’” John 14:23 NASB. Wonderful promise! Wonderful love! This is the secret of how you can obey God, if Jesus and His Father make their abode in you! If you want to obey them. If you love Jesus, choose to keep His word, and He and His Father will make their abode in you! Is that what you want? This promise is yours, dear reader, if you want it!
If you love Jesus and His Father, love their commandments and take delight in keeping them. Obeying God is not a burden to those who love Him. Oh no! It’s a delight! “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.” 1 John 5:3-4 NASB.
Dear reader are you born of God? Do you long for the victory and to overcome? Do you long for God’s sweet Spirit to fill your heart, and make you a vessel of love to the world, to your parents and to your children? Then give your heart to God now, asking His forgiveness for your sins and failures. Dedicate your heart completely to Him, and receive the benefits of your new life with Him, the seal of the Holy Spirit, to seal you for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30. And God will help you to honor your parents and train your children the way He wants you to. Amen!
May the grace of God be with you. May you honor your father and mother, that your life may be long on the land which God gives you. May you enter into the gates of Heaven and eat from the Tree of Life. Amen.
Scriptures for further study:
Leviticus 19:1-4; Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 10:28-31; Proverbs 2:1-12; 3:1-12; 3:21-26; 4:20-22; 5:1-11; 10:1; 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:26-27; 20:20; 23:22-28; 29:3, 15.
The responsibility of keeping this commandment is not just for children and youth, but for parents as well!
In Part 1 of this article, we showed that we are living in the last days now, and that there is a great problem with disobedience to parents, and the children or youth despising and mocking them. There are many problems in society in these last days, including rebellion, which often develops out of disobedience to parents. Now we want to present some of the problems with the entertainment and music media, and how it relates to the Fifth Commandment. In addition to portraying or promoting sin and violence, they also sometimes portray disobedience and violence against parents, and of course rebellion against God. They are training the children and youth to disobey God and sin greatly, making them unfit for Heaven and society. Since parents are given the responsibility of training their children up to obey God and love Him, this is a very big deal! The Entertainment Media is counteracting what parents should be teaching their children! Because of this and because God has commanded everyone to honor their father and their mother, it is also necessary to show the responsibility of the parents’ to teach their children to obey them and God, and to be a good citizen; to treat others the way they should be treated. Yes, it’s not just the children’s fault for disobeying and rebelling against their parents, God and society, but in many cases the parents are to blame too. If nothing is done about Hollywood‘s influence in your family, your job as a parent too teach your children the truth of how to be happy and be saved is in vain. And we will show that even though you are saved by grace, God still wants you to love Him supremely, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which includes honoring your father and your mother.
There are children, youth and adults who can still be saved from the pit of ruin the devil has planned for them. It is not yet too late! In this article we will also appeal to your heart, and help you to know what to do, to help yourself and your children or youth before it’s too late. We want to show you the start of the solution to these problems: it always starts and ends with God, because no one can ever save themselves, much less their family. Only God can do this, if you willingly cooperate with Him.
Please read The Fifth Commandment: Love your Father and Your Mother Part 1 if you haven’t already read it:This is not going to be a strictly “feel good” article, for it deals with some of the sterner truths. But since the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32), and to those who want to obey Him, and since you must be born again if you want to enter the kingdom of Heaven, these harder truths need to be presented. You cannot have or keep the Holy Spirit if you just want to dwell on pleasant topics, unless you have already made your peace with God and have removed all the offensive things to Him from your life. Those who are not willing to cooperate with God, cannot have the Holy Spirit or will lose Him if they stop obeying Him. This means that you should want to learn and do all that God wants you to do, so that you can please Him and grow in grace. So we are presenting articles on the 10 Commandments, God’s Law of love, so that you may know all that God expects from you, so that you may have the full indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is not salvation by works, it is salvation by the Holy Spirit! If you want to be on the path of peace, love and joy, you will want to study God’s Law of Love and ask Him to help you keep it.
And now to our message…
Violence against parents:
There was an MTV video: a hard rock ‘n roll or heavy metal music video showing an angry teen pushing his father down the stairs, probably after they were arguing as we remember it. What is the reality of this? Someone falling down the stairs could very easily die, if their neck is broken or something hits their temple area. This is what happens in real life in some cases! This video was portraying violence against parents. It was made in the 1980’s or 1990’s we believe. We are bringing it up as an example of what the media is teaching children and youth, not because it was necessarily the worst. We are fairly certain it is much worse in our day than when that video was produced and watched. And it was set to music with a heavy beat and angry tones, to stir up anger and resentment. The video didn’t show anything bad happening to the dad afterwards, if we remember correctly.The entertainment media trivializes violence:
There are many shows for people to watch that trivialize violence, especially the cartoons. Many movies mix comedy with violence, trying to make people giggle or laugh when someone gets hurt or killed. In the older cartoons that they used to make, the character would always get up after being dealt a blow that could kill them. These shows and movies are conditioning your children to evil. Some of them imply that it may be ok to commit violence if there is a justification for it. (I.e. if the teen doesn’t get their way, or if their parents or authorities try to restrain them.) And these shows and movies teach that nothing bad will come from acts of violence in some cases, the person who was hurt will get back up again.The entertainment media portrays violence as the solution to problems:
In some of the movies, violence or killing is taught as the solution to someone’s problems. In some of the movies “the bad guy” who was against “the hero” or doing something bad gets killed by the “hero”, and suddenly the “hero’s” problems are fixed, and the audience claps and shouts out ‘yeah!’ The audience is led to believe that the killing of the villain will solve the problems of the “hero.” For instance, the law might have accused the hero of murder. But when the movie shows who the real killer was and the “hero” kills the villain, the movie usually ends there or it is mostly done there, leading the audience to believe that everything is good for the hero. We have personally seen things like this in the movies or on TV when we used to watch them. But in real life, if what happened in the movies happened, the hero would probably go to jail and be convicted of murder! In real life law enforcement do not watch “the movie” of someone’s life. Therefore those who take the law into their own hands, vigilantes, may be punished as murderers. There will be and investigation. The police do not watch the movie and do not necessarily come to the same conclusion that the audience did. In real life there will be an investigation when someone gets killed, and the person doing it may be arrested, the outcome to be decided in court. Thus the media is lying to its watchers about the true nature and the consequences of violence and the sin it presents. But the entertainment media is also lying about many other things besides the consequences of violence or ‘getting even,’ or ‘payback.’Life is not a movie. There are consequences to what you think, say and do, your life does not have a script writer ending. Nothing good can come from watching violence or any other thing prohibited by the Bible on the silver screen. We are also including in this the music, music videos, and computer games produced nowadays that portray sin, vice and violence as well, especially those that are appealing to children and youth, but also to the adults as well. We are sorry for watching and listening to this stuff in the past. It required much prayer and struggling against the flesh, but God gave us the victory over it and other bad entertainments. We want everyone who wants it to get the victory over sin.
The entertainment media versus God:
The entertainment media tries to package sin as desirable or something that should be done. It gives the watchers a fantasy of getting ‘even’ with those who have wronged them, i.e. ‘payback’. This is very popular because it pumps up people’s pride and appeals to their lower nature. It appeals to those who want revenge on those who have wronged them or slighted them in anyway. The entertainment media promotes revenge and ‘payback.’ But this is the exact opposite of what Christ taught. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the meek [or gentle] for they shall inherit the earth’. Matthew 5:5 KJV & NASB. And: “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28 NASB. This is the exact opposite message than what is usually taught in the movies or TV! We are not to take revenge on those who have wronged us, but to let God take the vengeance when it is needed (His decision). We are to be like our Father in Heaven who loves and forgives others, who is merciful and long suffering with them, not willing that any should perish; He is rich in mercy. 2 Peter 3:9; Ephesians 2:4. Sometimes we forget that we are not worthy to live, because we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that the ‘wages of sin is death.’ Romans 3:23; 6:23. God does not treat us as we deserve, because we all deserve to die for any of our sins. But it is because of His mercy that we have a chance to be saved. “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:19 KJV. Those who love the world’s entertainments are making themselves unfit for Heaven.There is a price to pay for watching violence, disobedience to parents, rebellion and all wrong doing, regardless of how Hollywood portrays it. This is what the word of God, the Bible, teaches. And there is a price to pay for fantasizing over the evil that is presented in these movies, TV and bad music. We know someone will say, ‘I have watched or listened to that and I have not done anything bad.’ Oh really? No one can fill their mind with corruption and not be affected in some way by it. The very act of watching impurity or corruption is sin, whether any action is taken or not that was portrayed in the movie. It invites evil angels into someone’s life that tempt, annoy and bind them into sin. This can influence them into getting irritated or angry with others, or losing their self-control if nothing else. The movies also implant thoughts in the minds of those who watch them, which may play out at a later date, if the person watching them gets into a similar situation as in the movies they watched. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8 NASB. Do you want to reap eternal life? Then sow to the Spirit, and stop planting the seeds of corruption from the world’s entertainments.
The apostle Paul admonishes us: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just [or righteous], whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8 KJV. We are to fill our mind with the mercy, love and goodness of God, not violence, conflict, sexual impurity, corruption, anger, resentment, sadness or any of the other things that are presented in the Entertainment media as ‘food’ for our thought. The reality is that these entertainments are not food at all but poison! As long as these entertainments are indulged in, these “idols” will make it hard to have a spiritual life with God, they will ruin it! They form habits of sin that weigh you and your children down. It causes a loss in true spirituality. God loves you and your children and doesn’t want anyone to fantasize or make believe about any kind of wickedness or anything prohibited by the Bible, or to be trapped in sin. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost, or hurt anyone else. So He doesn’t want anyone to fill their mind with these sinful entertainments.
Since the Bible tells us that we are to think on whatsoever is pure, true, good, lovely, honest, praise worthy, virtuous, just, etc., this excludes all worldly or sinful entertainments of the world for the believer. This excludes all impure, all evil, all unlovely, all dishonest, all shameful, all unvirtuous, all unjust, and all unrighteous entertainments, thoughts or activities. When was the last time you saw a movie which extoled all of the virtues that we are ‘to think on,’ as Paul declared, with no sinful suggestions? How many times is dishonesty or lying shown in a good light in the movies? Have you ever seen them extol the virtues of their so called “good guys” in the movies, who were really bad guys or robbers? Like ‘Robbin Hood,’ who robs from the rich and gives to the poor? This is dishonesty any way you slice it. If you go by Philippians 4:8, it probably prohibits everything produced by Hollywood! We are not to think on or contemplate anything that doesn’t match the standards in Philippians 4:8, or in any of the other places in the Bible where God gives the standards of righteousness. Even many of the movies that appear innocent on the surface are pushing subtle lies that people may not detect, including some of the so called heart-warming movies, or even children’s movies or shows.
What does the Bible say regarding violence to parents?
"He who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” Exodus 21:15 NASB. And: “He who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” Exodus 21:17 NASB.In the days of Moses and in the Old Testament, a son or daughter could be put to death if they hit or cursed their parents! Even though we are not living today in a theocracy state, ruled directly by God, as the children of Israel were in the Old Testament days, you can be sure that God takes note of all those who harbor any bad thoughts, or say any hurtful or hateful words to their parents, or do anything bad to them. He is not happy with any of this! We know that not all who watch or listen to worldly entertainment will do what is portrayed in them, but it will have an evil effect of some kind on them. Jesus made it clear that anyone who hates someone or calls them a fool has committed something similar to murder in the eyes of God, and will be guilty before the court of Heaven. See Matthew 5:21-22. This includes hating and cursing parents too.
There were reasons why God instituted the death penalty against children, who committed violence against their parents or cursed them. He was leading the children of Israel out of the bondage of slavery, and may have instituted these harsh penalties to teach them to stop these practices which He hates. We are not suggesting here that we should return to these penalties. We are not living in a theocracy state ruled by God in our day. But make no mistake, there will be a price to pay for those who do not treat their parents with love and kindness, unless they confess it and repent.
What does the Bible say regarding the watching of violence or wickedness?
“I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” Psalm 101:3 KJV. This last part means: ‘I hate the work of them who turn aside from truth and righteousness, this shall not be part of me.’ This Psalm seems to be speaking directly against watching violence or any sinful thing in the Movies, on TV, in computer games, or on the Internet, etc. No Christian should fill their minds with any kind of wickedness, violence, or anything prohibited by the Bible. This excludes watching or listening to every sinful thing presented by the entertainment media. Dear reader, set no wicked thing before your eyes. Turn not aside from the truth or righteousness. This is what God commands. If you love and want to obey God, ‘it shall not cleave to you.’What does the Bible say regarding those who love violence? “The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” Psalm 11:5 NASB. Those who love violence God hates. This is clear. God tests the righteous and the wicked to see who are good or bad, and those who love watching or committing violence will prove to be the wicked. Can anyone doubt that it is a bad thing to watch violence? Can anyone still believe that there are no consequences for watching violent entertainments? There will be a price to pay for watching any kind of violence, wickedness or any sin or listening to music with vile lyrics or angry tones; when God is aroused, He will despise their form. Psalms 73:12-20. It will be a sad day for them when God is aroused and despises their form! We don’t want this to happen to anybody. See also Haggai 2:21-33; Hebrews 12:25-26.
But God has not left us without the blessed hope, the Gospel; He wants to save us from ruin! He will not forsake those who are sick of sin and corruption, who want a new, better life, and cry to Him for help! He will give all who want it the victory over all sin, bad entertainments and addictions. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4 KJV. If you allow God to make you born of Him, you will get the victory over the world, because whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Amen! This is the Gospel.
The Responsibility of Parents:
What to do for your children and family:
You should have family worship, teaching your children to love and respect you and God, and love others. The home can be made better, if the parents have the Holy Spirit in their heart and are devoted to God. You have no ability of fighting against evil, or the sin in the world trying to invade your home, or the minds of your children apart from God. You and your children need the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in full, to shield and protect you and them from sinful thoughts, words and actions. Look around your home to see what is contrary to God’s Law of Love and standards of righteousness, and pray to God what you should do about them.Parents should shield their children and youth as much as possible, by not allowing them to watch or listen to bad entertainments. The parents can help by removing the temptations, by getting rid of the bad movies, bad music, bad games and the devices that play them (if there is no good use for these devices), from around the home, to help keep them from getting off track. If these devices or media are your children’s, it probably won’t be easy to get rid of them, because they will resist it. * It is best to have a talk with them about this, praying with them, teaching them from the Bible, and explaining what needs to be done and why, and that you love them, and don’t want them to be misled or lost. You should take your situation to God in prayer, praying for His divine guidance and to have His sweet Spirit in your home as an aide to your quest. But these entertainments should be gotten rid of. You and your family will not be able to continue to make spiritual progress, unless you want to do what God has asked you to do.
* In the Bible, there were men like Gideon, Josiah and other leaders or kings who went out and destroyed the idols that were owned or built by others without their permission. There was a cost to these idols, so there was also a monetary loss when their idols were destroyed. See 2 Chronicles 34:7; Ezekiel 6:4, 6; Judges 6:25-32. Is it right to destroy a modern “idol” that leads someone away from God? We won’t answer this. It is best to discuss the destruction of the idols in your home with your children first. We are told in Acts 19:17-20 that the new believers at Ephesus voluntarily brought their books on magic and burned them, and their value was found to be 50,000 pieces of silver. So you should teach your children the truth of the way that God wants us to live in love first, teaching them from the Bible what honors Him and what does not and what will hurt them. Maybe they will want to get rid of these ‘idols’ like the new believers at Ephesus did? We hope so.
How to be an overcomer and help your family:
You cannot have the full indwelling of the Holy Spirit, unless you have yielded to God all the way and want to obey Him. If you would like to have this full indwelling of the Holy Spirit, you need to get rid of everything in your life that is offensive to God, including the entertainments of this world, with His help. You should study the Bible thoroughly and pray much, asking God to reveal to you what is offensive to Him in your life and home. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17 KJV. So if you want to abide forever, do His will. If you want to live forever, ask Him for the help to love not the world, or the lusts of the flesh, or the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. These are not from God, but from the world. If you pray this prayer and truly want it, God will hear your prayer and help you! If you are not there yet, pray to God, ‘Please be merciful to me a sinner! Please help me to be willing to obey you.’ And He will help you! Luke 18:13-14. If you pray this prayer and desire it, you will go to your home justified before God. This is Jesus’ promise to you! Is that what you want? To be just before God? Then pray, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’The reason for our ministry, White Raiment Evangelism, is to help people get closer to God, so that they can get all the help from Him that they need to battle evil and be an overcomer. We are sorry if this article sounded way to hard or unpleasant to you. We don’t like writing articles like this, because they seem out of place, since God is love. 1 John 4:8. But there are people out there who need to hear this message, because it is the truth. Who knows? It may be just what you need to help you get out of the spiritual rut you might be in. We struggled with some of these things in our past life, before getting the victory over them by God, and do not want anyone else to have to go through the problems these things cause! We want everyone to have the love of God in their heart, and be free from addictions, vice, corruption and worldly entertainments. No one can be happy or be at peace or have the Holy Spirit and indulge in worldly entertainments or sinful addictions. They will crush the life out of your soul if they are continued. We hope you stayed with us.
There is a time to preach the harder truths. That time is now, because we are living in the last days! Ecclesiastes 3:1. But never fear, because Jesus came to free the captives (Luke 4:18-21), and if you long to be free from this or any other sin, Jesus will help you! Call out to Him for help, give yourself into His hand! Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36 KJV. This is what Jesus wants to do for you!
Jesus said in the book of Revelation: “'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.' Revelation 2:7 NASB. Dear reader, do you want to be an overcomer and eat from the tree of life in Heaven? Do you want your children to be an overcomer too and to be able to eat from the tree of life in heaven? Then don’t go it alone! You need God’s precious Holy Spirit in your heart and in your home, or you will surely fail. You and your family cannot do it alone, don’t even try. Both parents should devote themselves to God, praying daily and moment by moment for their children and youth; that they would be good parents, faithfully representing God and the truth to their family. And that God’s Spirit would be in their home at all times, and that their children would not choose companions who are rebellious against parents or God. If there is just one parent willing to devote themselves completely to God, they should by all means do this, and pray for their spouse that they would too. Do your best, and pray for divine help! We all need God’s help! Don’t go it alone!
Parents: Where are your sheep?
Where are thy sheep, thy beautiful sheep? “Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful sheep?” Jeremiah 13:20 NASB. In many Bible prophecies the enemy comes from the north. The prophet Jeremiah said to look and see those coming from the north, the invading army, implied in verses 17-19, and then asks: ‘Where are your sheep?’ Parents: where are your sheep? Where are your little lambs? Do you know where they are? Do you know what they are doing? Do you know if they love Jesus and His Father? Do they want to learn how to please Him? Do they love, respect, and obey you? There is an invading army from the north that seeks to destroy your children. Where is the flock that God has given you?You have an obligation from God to do everything in your power to train up your children, your beautiful sheep, that you have been given, to love the Lord God with all of their heart, mind and soul and strength, and to love their neighbor as themselves, and to love, honor and respect you. If you would see your children saved and in the kingdom of Heaven, and have no marks against your name in the book of life, you must do everything that you can, by God’s mighty strength and power, to help your kids become overcomers against evil. If you love your children, how can you do otherwise? Teach them to love and respect you, if you want them to love and respect God and love their neighbor as themselves. Do not take these warnings lightly dear reader, if you are a parent. Jesus takes all wrongs or sins of neglect done to others, including your children, as if they were done to Him personally, as we saw in our message: “Who is My Neighbor? Part 1” http://whiteraimentevangelism.blogspot.com/2018/02/who-is-my-neighbor-part-1.html
A lot of problems in society can be traced back to family life, with the deficiencies some had in their training as a child or youth. Many children are not taught to love and obey their parents or God the way they should be, if at all. Solomon exhorts parents to train up their children in the ways of salvation and God: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 KJV. You should also discipline your children when they do something wrong and need correction. Solomon declared, “A fool rejects his father's discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible.” Proverbs 15:5 NASB. And: “Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death.” Proverbs 19:18 NASB. To fail to discipline your children when they need it is to enable their physical or spiritual death. ‘Do not hold back discipline from the child’ Proverbs 23:13 NASB. Discipline your children while there is still hope that they can learn to love Jesus and His Father, before their peace, love, joy and happiness and their hope for eternal life is forever ruined.
Why are we showing the responsibility of parents in this article on the First Commandment?
Why did we spend so much time on this? Because many parents are culpable when their children break this and other commandments. As a parent you have a responsibility to your children and youth, your little lambs. You have a responsibility to God and society to help them become good citizens, being helpful to others and keeping the laws of the land. Jesus may ask you someday, ‘Where are your sheep, your beautiful sheep?’ If you don’t know where they are, or if they loved Him, you will be speechless before Him. We don’t want this to happen to you! Jesus loves your children and doesn’t want them to be lost. There are two sides to every story, not just the side of the youth obeying or disobeying their parents. This article needed to be written, because there are way too many families where the home is not the way it should be. And when these children grow up and have their own children, this problem is perpetuated. We want to help stop this downward spiral of society, so that more families can be happy and be saved. As a parent you have the care of your children, your little flock that Jesus wants you to bring to the kingdom for Him. Please don’t let Him down.There is still hope!
If you have not been a good parent all the time, or if your record has been “spotty,” or even if you have been a bad parent, there is still time to confess this to God, get forgiveness and a clean record before Him. Plead with Him for help, and give your heart to Him all the way, so that you can do your best to repair the problems in your family, by His grace and power. He will listen to this prayer, if you pray it and mean it!In order for your children to love, obey and respect you like the fifth commandment requires, they need to learn to love and obey God and how to receive the Holy Spirit. They should not be compelled to do this. When they see your love for them, and your love and devotion to God, the Holy Spirit can awaken in them the desire for the good things that God wants to give them! The gifts that God wants to give to you and your children are sweet indeed! How precious and sweet is the love of God! It has to be experienced to be understood. It is the strongest motivating power in the universe! Love begets love, love awakens love, and love awakens trust and obedience. There is a beauty and wonder when God’s Holy Spirit is in your heart, and when your children discover how much God loves them! Children and youth are naturally ideal, and when they see mommy and daddy living what they teach, who have love for each other and them, they will see it, be happy and glad! Hypocrisy turns many children and youth from God, but it doesn’t have to be this way! God has made a provision for you and your family, if you would appropriate these blessings for yourself and your family that He wants to give you. Oh if there were more parents living God’s love, what a difference their children and youth would make in this world! How different their lives would be! Allow Him to work in your family the miracle that only His Divine grace can do.
Are we making too big a deal out of honoring your father and mother?
Aren’t we saved by grace, not by works? What did Jesus say? Listen carefully to His answer: “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matthew 19:16-19 KJV. Jesus answered the question that the man had asked, ‘What should I do that I might have eternal life?’ What was one of the things that Jesus told the man? Honor your father and your mother. If you would enter into life, honor your father and your mother. This is part of loving your neighbor as yourself as Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40. If you would enter into life, ask God to help you keep His commandments, to love Him and your neighbor as yourself. You will hear us harping on this over and over again in our articles. This does not go against being saved by grace! No, not by any means!God’s grace covers our sins when we confess them, but the grace He gives doesn’t mean that we do not need to love Him, our neighbor or our parents. God forbid! “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2 KJV. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Romans 6:15 KJV. “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31 KJV. So because we are save by grace does that mean that we do not need to honor our father and our mother, or our heavenly father or to love our neighbor as ourselves? “May it never be!” as the NASB says this in all of these passages. So to sum it up, God’s grace is forgiveness for our sins, not a license to sin. Notice that Jesus didn’t tell the man to keep God’s commandments in his own strength; He makes no mention of being saved by your own works or strength there in our Matthew 19:16-19 passage. He is making a statement about the choice that all should make if they would enter in to life, to want to obey God. Don’t believe what we are saying here? Notice Jesus said ‘there is none good but one, that is, God.’ Since no one is good but God, to be able to do that ‘good thing’ that you may have eternal life, you must get it from God, not yourself, or you will be unable to do it, since only God is good!
If you have broken God’s Law of love, the 10 Commandments, or have not honored your father and mother like you should have, you can ask God for forgiveness and receive mercy. There is no reason to have this sin on your conscience if you will confess it, and ask God to help you treat your parents with respect, kindness and tenderness.
Conclusion:
If you would enter into life, dear reader, keep God’s commandments. Ask God for the help to keep them. When you have broken them, come to Him for forgiveness (this is God’s grace and mercy), and ask Him to help you keep them. No one who defiles, makes a lie, or is unfaithful or steals or covets will enter into Heaven. Jesus declared: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Revelation 22:12-15 KJV. Those who don’t want or ask for God’s help to love and obey Him and others, will not enter into that beautiful city, but will be outside of its gates, to be cast into the lake of fire, make no mistake about it.Revelation states how everything will conclude. Those who wish to enter into the pearly gates, and walk on the streets of gold in Heaven, will want to keep God’s commandments. These are the words of Jesus that He declared in Revelation: ‘blessed are they that do His commandments.’ Those who keep and want to keep God’s commandments will have the right to the tree of life, and will enter into the gates of Heaven. “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.” 1 John 2:3 NASB. It is quite simple really. Those who know Jesus will keep His commandments, because He will help them keep it. Those who love Jesus will obey Him, and He and His Father will make their abode in them. “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.’” John 14:23 NASB. Wonderful promise! Wonderful love! This is the secret of how you can obey God, if Jesus and His Father make their abode in you! If you want to obey them. If you love Jesus, choose to keep His word, and He and His Father will make their abode in you! Is that what you want? This promise is yours, dear reader, if you want it!
If you love Jesus and His Father, love their commandments and take delight in keeping them. Obeying God is not a burden to those who love Him. Oh no! It’s a delight! “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.” 1 John 5:3-4 NASB.
Dear reader are you born of God? Do you long for the victory and to overcome? Do you long for God’s sweet Spirit to fill your heart, and make you a vessel of love to the world, to your parents and to your children? Then give your heart to God now, asking His forgiveness for your sins and failures. Dedicate your heart completely to Him, and receive the benefits of your new life with Him, the seal of the Holy Spirit, to seal you for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30. And God will help you to honor your parents and train your children the way He wants you to. Amen!
May the grace of God be with you. May you honor your father and mother, that your life may be long on the land which God gives you. May you enter into the gates of Heaven and eat from the Tree of Life. Amen.
Scriptures for further study:
Leviticus 19:1-4; Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 10:28-31; Proverbs 2:1-12; 3:1-12; 3:21-26; 4:20-22; 5:1-11; 10:1; 15:20; 17:21, 25; 19:26-27; 20:20; 23:22-28; 29:3, 15.
#Honor #Respect #Love #Father #Mother #Violence #Parent #Responsibility #Disobey #Wickedness #Commandments #Train #Children #Entertainment #Movies #TV #Games #Revenge #Enemy #Corruption
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