What does the Bible say about Christian entertainment?

Scripture calls believers to a life of holiness and separation from the world, encouraging them to avoid any form of entertainment that can lead to sin. Passages like 1 John 2:15-17 remind us not to love the world or anything in it, as such love is incompatible with the love of the Father. Moreover, James 4:4 clearly states that friendship with the world constitutes enmity with God, emphasizing the importance of distancing oneself from sinful influences.

In light of this biblical teaching, various Puritan voices echo the sentiments that stage plays and theaters serve as instruments of the devil, leading individuals away from God and into moral decay. Richard Baxter and John Bunyan both depict the theater as a 'nursery of lewdness' and as a place where one may be spiritually harmed. Therefore, the believer is encouraged to exercise discernment and to pursue what is pure and pleasing in the eyes of God, setting their minds on things above rather than on earthly distractions.