Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
This passage of scripture sets before us a much higher standard of conduct and righteousness than is currently approved by the overwhelming majority of contemporary Christians. On the issue of irreverent or frivolous comedy and jesting, the Bible states clearly that God's approbation does not rest upon such activities, neither should we as Christians be found as active supporters or subscribers to shows like Saturday night live, or to Comedy central, where the low and the vile are made the subject of jokes and funny witticism of men whose hearts are not imbued with The Spirit of God.
Now it's not to say that we should be stone-faced in our demeanor, nor should we as Christians carry about ourselves as being destitute of joy and laughter, because in the service of God there is very much to rejoice about, that will not drag us down to the carnal, vile, and satanic, but will rather lift us up where we can breathe of the pure atmosphere of heaven. As a matter of fact, when we reflect on the goodness of God in saving us from the slavery of sin, and the many blessings and deliverances He has procured in our behalf, there is without a doubt good reason for us to rejoice with laughter, singing and praise, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God. Let's read:
Psalm 126: When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion" ..... 2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. 3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
However, the thoughts that are often expressed in many of the comedy shows that have now become popular, dwell a whole lot on the misfortunes, short-comings, and idiosyncrasies of those who may have made verbal, political, or moral blunders, and there is not a single verse of scripture that teaches us to gloat over the failings of anyone. Therefore when we indulge in these exercises we literally participate in the spirit of corrupt communication, which the Lord has told us to avoid, since it grieves the Holy Spirit, and puts us at odds with the uplifting nature of the work of salvation that He is performing in our hearts. Let's read:
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
In our own experiences we may find it necessary to make some adjustments as to what we watch on television, or to what we indulge in personally, as far as the issue of comedy is concerned, but whatever may do in this matter, let it always be said that our speech was seasoned with grace, and let's make certain that what we deliberately listen to can meet the approval of a Holy God. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which calls us to a much higher standard than is currently acceptable with the world, and through the grace of God, our conversations and what we listen to can rightly reflect the purity and exalted nature of The Eternal. Let's read:
James 3:2 " If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!