Affirm Truth

AffirmTruth.org is a Christian, evangelical, theologically conservative, and non-denominational ministry, based out of Chennai, India.

Tag: Q&A

Question: I am a Christian, can I watch movies/series?

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From Affirm Truth,

It’s a great question for the current generation to ponder. We want to encourage and say that the above question we face is very common among believers and at some point in our lives we all wrestle with such questions and decisions to make.

A movie/ series is a just a story portrayed on screen. Just like how we are writing this content to you, a movie on screen is just words/ messages conveyed by moving pictures. It is God who has given us this ability to creatively think via our imagination and produce movies converting thoughts into audiovisuals.

Now just like information, thought, content, values and knowledge, a story too can be either good or beneficial or harmful or evil. So it is our responsibility as believers to discern and evaluate a movie before watching it.

Today there are so many ways in the internet to learn about the movie before we can decide to actually watch it. A good practice for a believer is to always ask this question – “can I watch this movie with Jesus sitting next to me?” Almost always the Spirit of God in us will convict and prompt us to take the right decision. And it is wise and godly to stand your ground and reject the temptation to watch a film which is not suitable and would not honour the presence of the Lord.

Secondly, Ephesians 5:15-16 states, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (ESV). A Christian should consider the amount of time spent on movies. We should ask ourselves whether spending a certain amount of time will be the best use of our time and if it will help me grow spiritually or personally. Because we must seek to honour the Lord even during the leisure time.

Thirdly, we should remember a movie can be instructing, influential, entertaining and/or inspirational. We are given complete freedom in Christ to watch the movies we want to but, we need to remember that we are given this freedom so that we embrace only what is good and reject what is bad.

1 Corinthians 10:23 says, “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. (ESV)

Also, we must take care not to let this freedom disturb other believers (Rom 14:13). Romans 14 calls for mature believers to not be a stumbling block to a fellow believer if they have a different conviction on matters like this and negatively affect their Christian witness.

Finally, we would also encourage you to join us to pray for godly producers and directors to rise up and make movies that would uplift and encourage people, reflect biblical values, provide hope, increase faith and bring glory to God. Today in our community some tend to address movies or film producers as evil. Media platform offers a tremendous opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of all nations. Jesus said the harvest is plenty but labourers are few. So we should encourage the film industry and constantly pray for them to be used by God.

“In conclusion, Christians are not prohibited to watch movies but are called to be discerning in picking the appropriate movies and deciding how many movies we watch would make best use of our time.”

Question: As a Christian should I attend social drinking parties even though I do not drink?

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From Affirm Truth,

Really good question. The short answer to the question would be “it depends on the party you are planning to attend.”

As human beings we are designed and created as social beings. And as Christians we have a greater desire to fellowship with people. The Greek word translated “fellowship” in the New Testament is koinonia, which means “partnership, participation, social interaction, and communication.”

In 1 John 1:7, John tells us that, as believers, we have fellowship with one another by virtue of the blood Jesus shed for us on the cross.

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (ESV)

The problem with the parties mentioned in the question is that they are not always a fellowship party. In fact, if there is a party which is focused on Christian fellowship, we don’t even have to ask whether we should attend it. But if a party involves alcohol, drugs, and other immoral or illegal activity it is better to not get involved. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Moreover, parties in which sinful activities occur even if you are not an active participant, weakens our witness and brings reproach on the name of Christ.

Now coming to professions and for the need of having social interactions to build contacts, customer satisfaction, finishing a deal, team building and team outing, the question that really comes up is will such parties give you a platform to be professional and will it give you any opportunity to witness Christ and have a fellowship with the people you are participating with. Often times such parties could make us compromise our life in Christ and witness to the world. Even though we can resolve within us to be in control to not involve in anything immoral in the party, as a believer it is wise to not open one self to temptation. So our humble suggestion would be to evaluate, discern and prayerfully listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit before taking a decision to attend such parties.

1 Peter 5:8 says, Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And Matthew 5:16 says, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Finally, concerning our relationship with people of the world, Apostle Paul reasons 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, that, “9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.” We are called to be in the world yet not of the world. It is okay to be friends as long as those relationships do not affect those friendships with God (James 4:4). Friends can significantly influence our lives— for better or for worse! So we must wisely choose our friends and maintain healthy boundaries within our friendship.

Should Christians go to doctors?

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There are some Christians who believe that seeking medical attention is demonstrating a lack of faith in God. In the Word-Faith movement, consulting a doctor is often considered a lack of faith that will actually prevent God from healing you. In groups such as Christian Science, seeking the help of physicians is sometimes viewed as a barrier to using the spiritual energy God has given us to heal ourselves. The logic of these viewpoints is sorely lacking. If your car is damaged, do you take it to a mechanic or wait for God to perform a miracle and heal your car? If the plumbing in your house bursts, do you wait for God to plug the leak, or do you call a plumber? God is just as capable of repairing a car or fixing the plumbing as He is of healing our bodies. The fact that God can and does perform miracles of healing does not mean we should always expect a miracle instead of seeking the help of individuals who possess the knowledge and skill to assist us.

Physicians are referred to about a dozen times in the Bible. The only verse that could be taken out of context to teach that one should not go to physicians would be

2 Chronicles 16:12- “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians.

What people usually misunderstand from the above verse is that it was wrong for Asa to have consulted physicians, but actually the real issue was “he did not seek help from the LORD first. The above verse does not condemn the approach to physicians. But it does condemn the fact that for Asa God was second resort in his sickness and not the first. So point is even when visiting a doctor, our ultimate faith is to be in God, not the doctor.

There are many verses that speak of using “medical treatments” such as applying bandages (Isaiah 1:6), oil (James 5:14), oil and wine (Luke 10:34), leaves (Ezekiel 47:12), wine (1 Timothy 5:23), and salves, particularly the “balm of Gilead” (Jeremiah 8:22). Also, Luke, the author of Acts and the Gospel of Luke, is referred to by Paul as “the beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14).

Mark 5:25-30 relates the story of a woman who had trouble with continual bleeding, a problem that physicians could not heal even though she had been to many of them and had spent all of her money. Coming to Jesus, she thought that if she but touched the hem of His garment, she would be healed; she did touch His hem, and she was healed. Jesus, in answering the Pharisees as to why He spent time with sinners, said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Matthew 9:12). From these verses one might sift out the following principles:

1) Physicians are not God and should not be viewed as such. They can surely help, but there will be other times they will themselves fight the boundaries of medical science

2) Seeking physicians and using “earthly” remedies are not condemned in Scripture. In fact, medical treatments are viewed favorably. Its as per the plan of God. He does not despise it so should we.

3) God’s intervention in any physical difficulty should be sought (James 4:2; 5:13). He does not promise that He will answer the way we will always want (Isaiah 55:8-9), but we have the assurance that all He does will be done in love and thus in our best interest (Psalm 145:8-9).

So, should Christians go to doctors?

God created us as intelligent beings and gave us the ability to create medicines and learn how to repair our bodies. There is nothing wrong with applying this knowledge and ability towards physical healing. Doctors can be viewed as God’s gift to us, a means through which God brings healing and recovery. At the same time, our ultimate faith and trust is to be in God, not in doctors or medicine. As with all difficult decisions, we should seek God who promises to give us wisdom when we ask for it (James 1:5).

What we really need to understand is God in his divine power has given wisdom and knowledge to humans to perform healing via faith and by skills. Both are ways of God. There is no doubt. However what we humans make mistake is when we put our faith completely on Doctors and forget the fact that God is the one who provides. Our eyes should always be upon the Lord and other things will follow as he answers when people seek him.

Also on an different perspective God always sees how you handle and take care of your body. Work and Faith go hand in hand. So if my body is sick God sees what efforts you take to get fit. As the bible says

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own” -1 Corinthians 6:19

Once God sees you are willing to take care of your body by doing the right thing using medicine or habits or realize your mistake which made you sick the first place. Once your efforts are evident the Miraculous and supernatural power of God will surely come through.