Fifty Shades of Betrayal

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The latest “Hollywood buzz” has been for the movie “Fifty Shades of Grey,” the film version of the pornographic novel series of the same name. Despite its upcoming “Valentine’s Day” release, “Fifty Shades of Grey” is anything but a tender romance. The story depicts graphic and perverted immorality, and the male lead is a controlling stalker-type who enjoys predator/prey relationships.

Many “God-fearing” American women devoured these books and discussed it publicly with a wink and a nudge. Now that the film version is being released, Christians (both male and female) will have to decide whether or not to participate. You can read an online review if you wish to know the details of the movie. However, based on the well-known facts of the film’s content, here are three ways Christians would be betraying the Lord if they go to see this movie:

Betraying God’s Design for Marriage and Intercourse. At the simplest level, the movie in question is based on intercourse outside of marriage, otherwise known as fornication. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” One-fifth of the movie is graphic immorality.

Betraying God’s Plan for Christians to Be Examples. The apostle Peter laments those who have “escaped the pollutions of this world” through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and become entangled once more in them (2 Peter 2:20). “Pollution” would be a kind word to use for this movie. A Christian would be betraying God to participate in such filth because it sends the message to the world that nothing is “off limits,” and that Christians can continue to live in sin.

Betraying the Work of Jesus on the Cross. To willingly return to sin is to betray Christ’s work on the cross, shedding His own blood to redeem us from our wicked deeds. The book of Hebrews says that to fall into such sin again is to crucify Christ again, and put Him to open shame (Heb. 6:6)! What better way to put Christ to public shame than to revel in the sin shown on the big screen that Jesus died to save you from!

There are many other “shades of betrayal,” such as wasting the time and money God has blessed us with, but these three should suffice to encourage Christians to steer clear of this movie.

Matt Clifton
BulletinDigest.com