Dear Christians, Let's be praying about “Christian” entertainment. The accurate presentation of God's Word is so important! And Satan is looking for things to undermine biblical truth.
I'm not advising you not to watch Christian shows. Instead, I'm asking you to evaluate them honestly.
The fact that a show has good qualities shouldn't cause us to overlook things which contradict Scripture. This isn't being legalistic or critical. It's being "noble" like the Bereans, checking all things against God's Word (Acts 17:11).
If we're unable or unwilling to address errors we shouldn't be watching these shows (Jude 1:3; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:15).
Scriptural errors can appear attractive (Matthew 7:15). And Satan loves mixing truth with error. He even tried this with Christ (Matthew 4:1-11)!
That's why we must test the spirit behind all things—1 John 4. That means we examine the motives and discernment of writers and directors as well as the content.
It's wonderful for the gospel to be shared, and there's nothing wrong with taking some artistic license. But it's never necessary or appropriate to contradict Scripture.
God wants the gospel shared accurately. If we faithfully recognize and address these "small" errors, we'll improve our discernment so we aren't taken in by false teachings (Luke 16:10).
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If you are watching The Chosen, please recognize that Scripture does not support an arrogant John the Baptist who disrespects Christ's advice (John 1:15;26-27;30). Nor does Scripture support Jesus needing human input when preparing the Beatitudes (John 12:49). These are two of many Scriptural errors in The Chosen. Be careful to identify the errors so they don't influence and distort your view of the gospel or the character of Christ. If you're watching this show with your children, be sure they understand these errors.
Regarding the discernment of The Chosen's creator and author:
In an interview with a Mormon host, Dallas Jenkins said,“One of the top three most fascinating and beautiful things about this project has been my growing brotherhood and sisterhood with people of the LDS community...we love the same Jesus. That’s not something that you often hear…I’ll sink or swim on that statement…I don’t mind being called a blasphemer…” (source) underlining mine.
Jenkins has clarified, repeated, and confirmed this statement multiple times. This shows a serious lack of discernment. See When Angels Tell Lies, Cults are Formed.
For More on specific errors in The Chosen, see Use Discernment When Watching the Chosen, Be Careful You Don't Let The Chosen Affect Your Discernment, and Why Scripture Refutes the Chosen's "I am the law of Moses" Statement.
If you watch The Jesus Revolution, please learn the back story. People are already using Lonnie Frisbe's “fall” into homosexuality in the 1980's and his death from Aids to claim that a practicing homosexual can be an anointed Christian. Frisbe repented of his homosexual behavior and clearly called it sinful in his autobiography before he died. Practicing homosexuals cannot have eternal life according to Scripture (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
Some people are also excusing Frisbe's sexual sins based on his childhood abuse and rejection, but God's spirit can heal and give us victory over sin no matter our background (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 5:4; Galatians 6:7-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
While The Jesus Revolution doesn't contradict Scripture, I am concerned about how it will be used.
When asked, “Would you consider sending this film to gay and lesbian film festivals?” Di Sabatino, the director of The Jesus Revolution, said, “Absolutely. And I've already applied for some of them. That's where I want this played…My primary goal was not to make a documentary for Christians… I want to go to the people that Lonnie went to, and that would be the disenfranchised. I have made this documentary in the spirit of Lonnie —edgy, on the cusp, on the periphery, truthful, and with an eye toward those who were on the margin of society. ” (Christianity Today). underlining mine.
To call a group disenfranchised means they are denied rights and respect that they deserve. However, in our current culture the LGBTQ community is supported, celebrated, and favored. It is Bible-believing Christians who are becoming disenfranchised. And I'm not sure why a gay organization would agree to promote this film. Would they want to promote the gospel because it can set them free from their homosexuality? Or would they want to promote, celebrate, and Christianize Frisbe's homosexual behavior?
Promoting the spirit of Lonnie Frisbe can be taken several ways (1 John 4).
I am expecting to be criticized for questioning aspects of these movies, but I feel like we are facing greater challenges to our faith, and we must faithfully address these areas or we will lose our discernment at a time when we need it more than ever before.
Hi Gail, i'm grateful for Christians ministers like yourself who encourage us to consistently hold fast to the truth of God's Word. Please continue to write these Scriptural critiques regarding Christian-themed entertainment.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. I appreciate the encouragement. When something is this popular, I tend to get some negative feedback as well.
DeleteI've been looking forward to seeing the movie: 'Jesus Revolution'. I was 'saved' during that outpouring so I am interested in how it's portrayed. I do watch some of Greg Laurie's vids and read one of his books after his son died (I, too, am a Bereaved Parent). May I ask, do you know if the film covers Lonnie's fall at all? If so, to what degree? I never met him, but had been at Calvary Chapel. I'm not surprised that the enemy will do all he can to attack this film, if even subtly by trying to twist the Truth and use it to promote sin.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the movie, but from my research, it doesn't mention his fall at all, but it's become the source of quite a few articles. I recommend the video by Alisha Childers regarding The Jesus Revolution. Her father was part of the Calvary Chapel movement at that time and she recommended the movie with a few cautions.
DeleteOh...very good. I will do that. TY very much!
DeleteI did not see the vid by Alisha but did listen to the 1st 20 mins. of her 80 min. podcast. She began it by saying she went into it (the movie) with a negative attitude and sounded somewhat surprised that she 'really, really liked it'. In her opinion, she felt on the negative side that it was not portrayed well enough as to how much the Gospel was preached at Calvary Chapel and that she wished Chuck Smith was portrayed a bit better. She said she absolutely hated one line near the end of the movie which in the movie was spoken by Chuck's daughter, but per Alisha, was actually spoken by his wife in real life which was something like: "When you let the hippies in, you let Jesus in". Alisha didn't like this because she felt it implied that Jesus had not been at Calvary Chapel before. Again, her objection was with how she felt Calvary Chapel was presented, but not with anything Scriptural.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, Alisha 'really liked' the movie. Her personal objections were not in any way about the Truth of God's Word being mishandled, but rather about her personal feelings on how Calvary Chapel and Chuck Smith were portrayed. In what I listened to, she took no issue with anything Scriptural. She just wanted Calvary Chapel portrayed a bit differently.
After she began her interview with her dad who had been there at the time, he indicated that once he got past his expectations of the movie being a documentary and that the movie, per her dad, was more about Greg Laurie's experience there than Calvary Chapel itself, he also enjoyed the movie and watched it 3 times.
So, I'm very glad to hear that neither Alisha nor her dad (in what I listened to) had any concerns about anything being 'non-Scriptural'.
I appreciate your courage in tackling unpopular/divisive issues Gail + you do it with clarity. Thank u.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bev.
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