God never says, “Thou shalt not have fun, nor shalt thou smile in all thy days.” Having a good time is not a sin, but we should pay attention to the principles God has laid out for godly living when we do engage in leisure activities.
First and foremost is Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” When we are relaxing and having fun or when we are seeking entertainment, we should always make sure these activities are pleasing God.
Our freedom to relax and enjoy our lives should never cause others to stumble in their faith. A classic example is that we should not serve wine at dinner if we have invited someone who is a recovering alcoholic. We should follow Paul’s lead, “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:19, 22). God also does not want us to be under the influence of unbelievers. We may associate with them, as Christ did when He sat at dinner with sinners and tax collectors, but we should not allow ourselves to be influenced by them.
According to Colossians 3:17, we should also give thanks to God through Jesus Christ for the fun and entertainment He provides. Someone once pointed out that “recreation” means to “re-create” or “renew.” God allows us this time to be renewed and to grow in our faith. James tells us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). Fun and entertainment is a gift of God, given so that we might come closer to Him. We should remember this when we are planning our recreation and remember to thank God for such a good and perfect gift.
Tags: christianity, Lyfestyle
