I know we all just want to get entertained, and have a good time with movies or novels.
One of the popular niches of movies and novels is romance.
But now, you are at a crossroads, thinking if it is really okay for you to watch romantic movies or read romance novels
Is it a sin to read romance novels or watch romantic movies? Let us get into it, right away!
Is Reading Romance Novels a Sin?
It is not a sin to read romantic novels, but you must be careful about what you read.
But before you run off, wait and understand this. The bar when it comes to romance novels has seemed to have been raised.
For me, romance novels are just novels that have a theme of love.
But there should be a limit to what you can take in as a Christian.
What are the limits? Continue with me to know this.
Is It a Sin to Read Wattpad?
It is not a sin to read Wattpad, but you need to be careful and picky about what you read, as a Christian.
Wattpad is a platform for both writers and readers. Writers put their novels on the platform, and people read.
You need to understand that Wattpad is filled with different kinds of novels that you can read.
This means that, as a Christian, you need to be picky about the novels you read there.
Is Watching Romantic Movies a Sin?
Watching romantic movie is not a sin, but you must be careful what you watch.
Romantic movies, just like romance novels can be interesting to watch. But are they sinful to watch? No.
But before you run off, wait and understand this. It really feels like the era of innocent romantic movies has fast gone past us.
So, we must be careful what we refer to as romantic movies.
For me, romantic movies are just novels that have the theme of love.
But there should be a limit to what you can take in as a Christian.
So, what are these limits? Check out the next subheading.
The kind of Romance Novels or Romantic Movies to Avoid By All Means
The truth is, even though watching movies or reading novels with love themes is not sinful, we are in a world where we have to watch what we watch.
We need to guard this heart with all diligence. This means that we cannot watch all kinds of romantic movies or read all kinds of romance novels.
You know the kinds that you cannot watch with your kids or your younger siblings. Well, let us get into talking about this:
1. The one with covert or overt adult scenes
Don’t indulge in watching movies or reading novels with adult scenes.
No, don’t give excuses like, “it is just going to be probably a few scenes.”
No, don’t indulge. Run as fast as you can. The Bible says, “flee every youthful lust, and pursue after righteousness.”
I remember when I watched this popular series, “Bridgeton.” Oh, no! It affected.
It had a lot of adult scenes. It really did affect me.
So, if you indeed want to pursue after righteousness. Be careful what you watch or what you read.
When it comes to novels, reading adult things is exactly the same as watching them.
It has the same effect. Yes, you are reading it, but your mind is working on putting the images together.
So, once again, be careful what you watch.
2. The ones with ungodly agenda
I don’t know what the issue is exactly, but I really think it is an agenda.
Why would most or let us say many Netflix movies have unnecessary scenes of a lady with another lady having an unusual intimate relationship?
These scenes are honestly negligible, and avoidable, but they always find their way to the screen.
This was not so two decades ago in the movie industry.
If the values are shifting, our values as Christians are not volatile, we are meant to stand on the solid rock, Jesus Christ.
So, be careful to watch these kinds of movies, because your mind will continually get used and accustomed to all these ungodly ideas.
Also, if you have children, shape their ideology using the word of God, and don’t allow these kinds of movies to be the ones to shape them
How to Choose the Romance Novel to Read as a Christian
Now, how do we go about choosing the right romance novels to read as a Christian?
I will be giving tips that should surely help you in choosing romance novels that you can read.
1. Who is the writer of the romance novel?
There are some novel writers that are already known for writing adult scenes in their novels.
And there are Christian romance writers who are known to write clean and pure romance novels that are good to read.
Examples of Christian romance writers are Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers, Itunu Taiwo, etc.
Once you know what a writer is tagged with, and if it is not in line with your Christian values, it is best you stay away.
2. What is the book cover depicting?
There are just novels that you know that are going to be filled with different kinds of whatnot.
You can know what to expect in the novel once you see the cover with an indecently dressed lady or a couple posed in a sensual manner.
You can really be able to know what to expect with the book cover.
3. What about the book description?
Just like the book cover, the description is a way to know what the novel will be like or what to expect from the novel.
4. What if it is bad after everything seems right?
If after checking all of these, you still find out some things about the novel that affect you, just drop the novel.
I mean, just stop reading it.
So, you must learn to know what works for you, and what you can read that affects you.
And the first way to do that is to never assume that you have the power to withstand just a little. Nah, don’t do that.
How to Choose the Romantic Movie to Watch as a Christian
Now, how do we go about choosing the right romantic movies to watch as a Christian?
I will be giving tips that should surely help you in choosing romantic movies that you can watch.
1. Who is the filmmaker?
The truth is, we know the kinds of movies some filmmakers can or might produce.
We know some with good family movies, while others are known to produce Christian movies.
If the Kendrick brothers or the Mount Zion Film Production Crew puts out a movie today, I am sure expecting a Christian movie from them.
So, the filmmaker can really what you can expect from the movie you are about to watch.
If the Kendrick brothers decide to work on a Christian romantic movie, I can be sure that it will be clean and good for Christians to watch.
2. Which streaming platform are you watching from?
So, the thing I have noticed about Netflix is that, if you don’t get adult scenes in the movies, there will be some sort of unnecessary unusual lady to lady or man to man scenes on many of the movies there.
There are still Christian movies on Netflix, like The Chosen (about the life of Jesus), but if you are going to use that streaming platform, be sure to be picky with what you watch.
You might as well just go for another streaming platform.
I know of Amazon Prime Videos, but I really do not know how much it is family-friendly. So, be cautious.
Pureflix is a great option for Christians who love entertainment and don’t want entertainment that can affect their spiritual walk.
You can create an account, and enjoy the beauty of Pureflix here.
3. What about the synopsis of the movie?
The synopsis is a way to know what the movie will be like or what to expect from the movie.
4. What if it is bad after checking all these measures?
If after checking all of these, you still find out that some scenes in the movies are not okay and it affects you, just stop watching the movies.
I mean, just stop watching it.
So, you must learn to know what works for you, and what you can watch that affects you.
And the first way to do that is to never assume that you have the power to withstand just a little. Nah, don’t do that.
Why You Should Be Careful About What You Watch?
You must be wondering why so much hassle about Christians watching things they consume.
Here are the reasons why you should be careful about what you watch as a Christian:
1. You need to guard your heart with all diligence
Your heart is very important. And guarding the gateways of the mind is one of the ways you can guard your heart.
The gateways of the mind are simply what you see, what you hear, what you say, etc.
What you watch actually has power over your mind, and you can become what you watch.
2. What you watch can fuel your sinful desires
The sincere truth is that if you watch movies with adult scenes, your desires can be fueled whether you notice it or not.
It is not advisable to give a chance at all. If someone is trying to stain your clothes, one thing you will do is stay away from them by all means.
So, staying away from anything that can make you be tempted to sin is a way of keeping and consecrating yourself.
Why You Should Be Careful About What You Read?
You must be wondering why so much hassle about Christians watching things they consume.
What you read is equally powerful as what you read, you access both with your eyes, and the mind is involved.
So, you need to be careful with what you read.
What If You Were Already Reading or Watching What You Should Not? How to Stop?
I understand if you might have been indulging in reading or watching anything as you deemed fit before you found the love of Jesus.
But now, that your identity has changed; you need to walk in the light of your new identity.
Romantic movies or romance novels might not necessarily be generally sinful, but you must be careful because “the kind of romantic movies you watch and the romantic novels you read.”
Now, let us talk about how to stop if you have already been watching or reading things you should not:
1. Know that you can stop
The Bible says that. “reckon yourself to be dead indeed to sin.”
Let me give a back story. By the reason of our faith in Jesus, we have been made dead to sin. This is a done deal.
But you also have to think like it, to walk in it. So, first, know and be sure that the Holy Spirit residing in you has made you dead to sin.
2. Walk in the Spirit
The Bible says, “walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.”
The best way to explain this is by using the analogy of light and darkness.
If your room is dark right now, and you switch on the light, the darkness vanishes.
So, walking in the Spirit and fulfilling the desires of the flesh cannot cohabitate just like light and darkness.
Walk in the Spirit by communing with God every day, pray, study the word of God, and share the gospel of Christ with people.
3. Be accountable to someone
Find someone in your local church that you can tell about this, and tell them to keep you accountable.
This person will check upon you from time to time to know how you are faring in your walk with God, and how things are faring with not going back to what God has saved you from.
4. Be disciplined
Yes, there will be temptations to lure you back into what you have repented from.
Trust God, and also resolve in your mind that you are not going back to it.
Before You Go
I hope you found the answer to your question, “Is watching romantic movies or romance novels a sin?”
You can send in your comments. I wish you the best. God bless you. Keep enjoying God’s love.
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