Yes, Christ slept in the boat. He did not 'chill' with a beer in front of the TV. He was refreshing His human nature and/or demonstrating the insignificance of the storm's danger to Him, label it as you will. He was not 'kicking back'.
Please, please understand that in starting this thread, I am one of the worst offenders and thus am seeking a Scripturally sound way to handle this and lay out a proper path. But while I will curl up in bed with a simple flu, Calvin dictated sermons and doctrine in spite of severe and unrelenting pain. He was carried in to preach and sat as he was unable to walk or stand. Milton dictated his best work to his daughters after his sight was taken and soon before he died. I am sure there are examples
ad infinitum among reformers and Puritans alone but my point is that these men understood the sense of urgency and the responsibility which they undertook living each moment for God.
Adam, you once posted a quote by Spurgeon that I have read at least a dozen times since. Included in there is:
Quote:
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I believe that one reason why the Church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the Church. Nowadays, we hear Nonconformists pleading that they may do this, and they may do that,—things which their Puritan forefathers would rather have died at the stake than have tolerated. They plead that they may live like worldlings, and my sad answer to them, when they crave for this liberty, is, "Do it if you dare. It may not do you much hurt, for you are so bad already. Your cravings show how rotten your hearts are. If you have a hungering after such dog's meat, go, dogs, and eat the garbage! Worldly amusements are fit food for mere pretenders and hypocrites. If you were God's children, you would loathe the very thought of the world's evil joys, and your question would not be, 'How far may we be like the world?' but your one cry would be, 'How far can we get away from the world? How much can we come out from it?' Your temptation would be rather to become sternly severe, and ultra-Puritanical in your separation from sin, in such a time as this, than to ask, 'How can I make myself like other men, and act as they do?"'
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And no, I am in no way suggesting that those who watch TV are chewing on "dog's meat". But why do we seek after the things of the world? Even on the most innocent of TV shows or movies we will be assaulted by inappropriate behaviour, inappropriate dress, and a variety of other things which are not edifying to anyone, let alone the Lord our God.
Mark, I think this issue that I have with this is not so much "how much can I partake of before I will be spotted by it" but instead, "if I live to serve Him, what desire can I
possibly have for it?"
When we over-work, where does our refreshment lie? In Him? Or in the bear-baiting of our day? I myself engage in mindless pursuits in order to refresh but why is it that when my tank is empty, I am not refilling with 93 octane, but instead am pouring in the offal of the world and the product of a Godless industry.
We are ready to condemn Arminians at the drop of a hat and engage in virtual hand to hand combat with each other over Exclusive Psalmody or Baptism, but are glad to roll in the filth of the world during most of our resting moments. I just don't understand the disconnect there. Again, this is me looking into the mirror, there is no pointing of fingers at anyone here.
If I tell you that I listen to Boston in my time off, or I tell you that I listen to Iron Maiden instead, why does the attitude of the listener change? Both are Godless, both are apart from His will for our lives, and both represent the same world, but because one is more conspicuously wicked, we somehow make a distinction between the two.
What is it that makes this garbage so palatable to us and why do we continue to consume it?