“You formerly walked according to the course of this world” (Ephesians 2:2)
What is and isn’t okay for Christians to do? Scripture doesn’t give a comprehensive checklist of dos and don’ts. Instead, it points us to a clear “before and after”—a former way of life and a present way of life. So, if you’re wondering, “Is this okay?” then vet that particular activity by the following criteria and see how it measures up.
We once followed the ways of the world, but now we follow Christ. That means our lives should look noticeably different. Our values and goals should be set by God, not by culture. It’s dangerous to indulge the thoughts and desires of our old nature (Ephesians 2:3), which are worldly, ungodly, and evil.
Yes, evil. We tend to reserve that word for things like terrorism or murder. Yet in Genesis, the first act of evil was one bite of forbidden fruit. Evil, at its core, is anything that departs from God’s good intentions, breaks fellowship with Him or others, or seeks to take what is not ours.
But too often, believers are entertained by things God calls evil. That’s why we need to measure everything we read, watch, and listen to by God’s standard. Whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise… dwell on these things (Philippians 4:8). Do your entertainment choices influence you to think like Christ—or more like the world? You won’t act differently until you think differently.
Oswald Chambers wrote, “If I am in the habit of continually holding God’s standard in front of me, my conscience will always direct me to God’s perfect law.” In other words, the Holy Spirit helps us discern what honors God—not by ticking off a list of “don’ts,” but by learning to think and walk in step with Him. And how do we learn that? By consistently reading His Word.
How different is your present life from your former life? If there’s not an unmistakable “before and after,” then it’s time to make some changes. Be honest with yourself about what you allow into your mind. Leave behind anything that dulls your love for Jesus. Instead of asking, “Is this okay?” ask, “Does this please and honor God?” Because in the Christian life, “okay” isn’t the goal—Christlikeness is.
