Safely Home
By Randy Alcorn

"This book has been recommended to me by more people than any other book. An incredible story." - Steve H.

"Is this the day I die?" wonders Li Quan as he endures persecution for his faith. Half a world away his college buddy, businessman Ben Fielding, steps on the plane to China. Reunited after 20 years, both men face decisions that will determine their destinies---and the fates of their nations and the world. 400 pages, softcover from Tyndale.

Can Christians have fun?

If we have to do what the Bible says, I guess that means we can't have fun any more.

It depends on what you mean by "fun".

If fun means eat, drink and be merry -- yes, Christians do that.

If fun means drugs, premarital sex and vandalism -- I'd have to ask whether these really result in happiness. After all, what is the point of having fun, if the end result is not happiness? Sure, you feel good when you are high, but the rest of the time your life is an empty hell on earth. This is not the way God intended us to live. God has a better plan for your life.

Eat, drink and be merry: When you hear someone say this it usually means: eat to excess; get drunk; and do stupid things you'd never do if you were not drunk. It also refers to a philosophy of life based on doing whatever makes you feel good, without regard to anything else.

The problem is, a philosophy of eat, drink and be merry does not lead to happiness. It results in a feeling of emptiness and despair.

Drinking: Christians have parties and celebrations. There is nothing wrong with eating, drinking or being merry (or dancing, going to movies, etc.), when done within reasonable limits. For example, Jesus and his disciple drank alcohol (wine). Drinking is not something that is wrong, getting drunk is.

"Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life." (Ephesians 5:18 NLT)

You'll find that most Evangelical Christians do not drink at all. This is because it is so easy to lose control and get drunk. We have the freedom to drink if we chose, but the better path is to chose not to drink.

Eating: There is nothing wrong with going to a party and eating good food--even eating lots of good food. The problem is when eating becomes gluttony--eating to excess on a regular basis. The problem is when food becomes the focus of our lives.

"Do not carouse with drunkards and gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty." (Proverbs 23:20-21 NLT)

Partying: Concerning going to parties, Jesus went to parties. Jesus performed his first miracle at a party:

"On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding." (John 2:1-2 NASB)

Not only did Jesus attend the wedding celebration, when they ran out of wine, he made more wine (John 2:3-10). The problem is not with attending an occasional party, the problem is with centering your life around attending parties. The problem is going to a party that results in our losing control and doing things we would not normally do.

"We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don't participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy." (Romans 13:13 NLT)

What do all these have in common? Do you see a trend in the above? God tells us that we are not to participate in those things that will control us. If we do, we lose our freedom and become slaves to those things that control us.

"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.'" (John 8:34 NASB)

God created us in His image. He knows more about how we can be happy than we do. So it's not so amazing that if we obey God, we will have fun and find happiness.

So you want to rebel against society? (Conforming is so boring.)