Before I conclude this long and intense series, I wanted to make a couple points to balance these things out and be clear about what God’s heart is about these things.
God has created the things we have perverted (in one way or another … you’ll see). It is important for us to remember God’s will in their creation.
God created sex (woo hoo!). A man and a woman in a committed, married relationship should enjoy this wonderful aspect of life. Under the New Covenant, it expresses the intimacy between Christ and the Church, a oneness both physical and spiritual between two beings made in the image of God. is also designed to produce children, not for intimacy and relationship alone. We were meant to produce life out of intimacy and relationship (also very symbolic of the Christ/Church relationship). “Be fruitful and multiply” was a command even before the fall … and it is still a command today. Anything outside of this is not God’s will, therefore, displeasing to Him. The further we get from this will, the closer we get to terms like “abomination.”
God created material things. Our physical bodies require physical things, barring some miraculous intervention, food and clothing particularly, and God desires for us to have these things. As much of the world understands, our actual needs are very basic, and the scriptures are not ignorant of this in its strong focus on ensuring no lack among the Church and giving to those in need. Of course, we also must remember that it is His will we trust Him for our needs, not seek to produce them in our own strength.
Now we get to violence. Did God create violence? Hmn. Probably not the semantics I would use, but it does come from Him. He violently dealt with the rebellion of Lucifer. He promised death as the main consequence of sin for Adam and Eve. He destroyed the world in a flood (a violent act to punish a violent people) and gave the death penalty along with the rainbow. Violence as an act of wrath against rebellion and sin is part of God’s character.
Many noble pacifists see any violence by man as unacceptable, but in the whole of scripture, we see several acceptable times when men are ordained to be violent (the death penalty, the discipline of children, or the role of punishment by the government by the sword, as Romans states). God expects certain people in certain roles of worldly authority to punish evil, even violently, for in so doing they teach a God who seriously considers sin, judges, and punishes.
Of course, the true argument is whether the people of God, set apart from the world, are to be involved in these worldly systems. But that doesn’t negate the God-given place for violence at times.
As for false religion, we must remember a certain amount of latitude exists within the Church. Some people teach that if the Bible does not address it, it is not allowed in the Church. Of course, this was not the agenda in the writings of the NT nor why we have the scripture in general. Too strictly adhering to our foggy understanding of biblical tradition can create the very system the New Covenant seeks to set us free from. This does not give complete liberty, however, only balance that rests upon the Spirit to give life.
And there is much to be said of us as a unique, individual creation. Christ ministered to individuals as well as groups of people. Losing all individuality would be denying the Church the gift God has placed within each of us. Some are a hand, some a foot. We are not all a hand.
As for entertainment, it can be a useful tool. Of course God can use it. He’s not opposed to using it (hopefully He’s using it right now!), but when it ceases to become a tool and instead the substance, the focus, or the substitute for true relationship in the Body, it becomes a problem.
Remember, nothing of God or created by Him is in and of itself evil. It becomes such when we use it outside His design, His will, and His direction. He has given us all good things to enjoy, just not to feed or s or to have control over us.
There is the balance.
Peace.