1 John 2:15-17 warns us not to love the world or the things of the world. But what does that mean practically for the entertainment we consume? How do we distinguish worldly from godly content?
Defining the Difference: Worldly vs. Godly
The apostle John writes in
1 John 2:15-16: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — comes not from the Father but from the world." This is the foundational biblical distinction between worldly and godly: not a cultural preference but a spiritual orientation.
Worldly entertainment is content that promotes and celebrates the lust of the flesh (sexual immorality, substance abuse, physical pleasure as ultimate value), the lust of the eyes (materialism, envy, the glorification of wealth and status), and the pride of life (self-exaltation, the rejection of accountability, fame as salvation). Godly entertainment, by contrast, reflects truth about human nature and the world as God made it, points toward virtue and redemption, and honors rather than mocks what Scripture values.
The Godly Score Framework
The 1-100 Godly Score provides a practical measurement of this spectrum. A score of 90-100 (Christ-Centered) means content that is explicitly and primarily about Jesus, the Gospel, or Christian discipleship — The Chosen, The Passion of the Christ, Christian worship music. A score of 70-89 (Spiritually Safe) means content that is clean, virtuous, and free from spiritual harm even if not explicitly Christian — many family films, nature documentaries, clean comedy. A score of 50-69 (Mixed) means content with genuine virtues but significant worldly elements requiring discernment. Below 50 ranges from Caution to Avoid as the worldly elements increasingly dominate.
Romans 8:5-6 says "those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." What we consume consistently determines what our minds are set on.
Entertainment That Is Worldly But Not Evil
An important nuance: not all worldly entertainment is equally harmful, and some is essentially harmless. A formulaic romantic comedy with no explicit content but a thoroughly secular worldview is "worldly" in the sense that God is absent — but it is very different from content that actively mocks Christianity or celebrates sexual immorality. The Godly Score accounts for this spectrum.
Christians are not called to cultural separation from all entertainment that doesn't mention God. 1 Corinthians 9:22 — "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some" — suggests that cultural engagement has value. The question is whether our entertainment habits are shaping us toward Christ or away from Him.
Making the Shift Toward Godlier Entertainment
The goal is not a watchlist of only Christian-produced content — much of which is artistically weak. The goal is a media diet that nourishes the soul rather than depleting it. This means prioritizing content that is true, noble, and admirable; being discerning rather than passive; and regularly auditing what your entertainment diet is actually producing in your heart and mind. A simple quarterly review of what you've watched, read, and listened to — evaluated honestly against Philippians 4:8 — is one of the most practical spiritual disciplines available to modern Christians.