Imagine a group of Christian young people gathering for a party. There’s laughter, excitement, and celebration in the air. They’re eating together, playing lawn games and chatting with their friends. They’re fellowshipping together in joy.

Then the music comes on, and they begin to dance to songs like “Perfect” by One Direction and “Fergalicious” by Fergie.

In case you haven’t heard of these songs, here are a few lyric snippets:

But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms,
And if you like having secret little rendezvous,
If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn’t do,
Then baby, I'm perfect, baby, I'm perfect for you.” (One Direction)

“Fergalicious definition: make them boys go loco.
They want my treasure so they get their pleasures from my photo.
You can see me you can't squeeze me,
I ain't easy, I ain't sleazy;
I got reasons why I tease 'em:
Boys just come and go like seasons.” (Fergie)

Finally, they dance to one last song: “Raise Your Glass,” by P!NK.

“So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways,
All my underdogs! We will never be, never be
Anything but loud and nitty-gritty dirty little freaks!
Won't you come on and come on and raise your glass?”

And then they quickly switch into a time of worship, with songs from the ever-popular Rend Collective and All Sons and Daughters, praising the Lord for His presence and His glory.

Do you hear the tension there?

I tell you this story because I was part of such a gathering, and it was a wake-up call for my heart.

Oh, friends, this is foolishness.

Let's look at that first set of songs. Sure, we can justify singing the words on account of nostalgia (“Fergalicious” was played in my eighth grade PE class) or a good beat. But they're essentially professing loose morals and promiscuity at best, and nonchalant rebellion, sex, and pornography at worst. Yet somehow, as a community of Christians, we willingly and even joyfully sang and danced to them. Despite the whisper of the Holy Spirit calling me to “stop, leave,” I did not.

Less than three minutes after belting out the words “nitty-gritty dirty little freaks,” we started singing “Build Your Kingdom Here” by Rend Collective. And that’s when it hit me, and the feelings of guilt and humiliation began to flood over me. In that moment, the Holy Spirit made me painfully aware of the double standard I held for myself that night. I was embarrassed and angry with myself; in fact, I still am. It is hard to confess my hypocrisy to friends and family. Here I am, claiming to live an upright life, following God, and then I go and dance to songs that proclaim things I don't stand for, or desire to be a part of my life as a follower of Christ. And even though I didn’t really mean (or even really pay attention to) what I was singing, I still did.

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!

My mouth tried forming the words: “We seek Your kingdom first, we hunger and we thirst, refuse to waste our lives, for You’re our joy and prize.” I stood there for a few minutes, wanting to sing and worship alongside everyone else, but it felt like a cheap display. I went outside and sat in the rain, weeping and asking God’s forgiveness.

Even now, thinking back on it, I am ashamed and embarrassed, and I know those feelings of shame aren’t from Satan (although he can wield guilt as a weapon). No, I sinned blatantly, and the two-edged sword of the Spirit is opening my eyes to my hypocrisy and sin. I thank God that His Spirit is rendering me unto Himself.

Lord, have mercy on your Church, a broken group of people who don’t realize how they have conformed to the world.

First, I do not say this to point fingers at anyone, for I was participating, too. No, I write this as a way of humbling myself and confessing my sin, and meekly asking all of you to check your hearts as well.

What if our Savior had returned during that party? I don’t know about you, but I know I would not want to be found participating in such an atmosphere with His own Bride, in His name.

Oh Church, how can we bring glory to God and claim to be different if we’re proclaiming messages just as full of sin and corruption as the rest of the world? It does not matter how or when, whether it’s in subtle ways or when nobody is watching. (Truthfully, it doesn't matter if anyone is watching or not. That’s where integrity comes in.)

So why do we do we do things like this, especially in community? I think we know we are meeting as a group of Christians, and for some reason, we think that puts us, by default, above reproach. But it doesn’t. In fact, I think it drastically raises the standard for how we ought to live and behave. We’re meeting as a group of people in Jesus’ name. We have been saved by grace and we are free, oh yes, but that doesn’t mean we are free to take advantage of it and mindlessly sing and dance to every worldly song that comes along.

The Savior who is our Righteousness, Healer, Peace and Provider deserves infinitely more than a 20-minute praise session after an hour of dancing to songs that preach everything but the Gospel.

He deserves everything we can give simply because He alone is worthy of our worship as expressed through our time, our hearts, and the dedication of our words and actions unto Him.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God… for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. (Ephesians 5:3-5, 8-11)

Church, many of you have watched films and TV shows that contain excessive sexual content (“Deadpool” anyone?) I have heard crass music that occasionally gets played in the cars of Christians.

Please recognize that I’m not calling you to a place of moral legalism in the name of appearing righteous. But I am asking you to check and see if your entertainment/media choices are bringing you closer to God or driving you further from Him. Asking “Is it _____?” questions from Philippians 4:8 is really helpful for me if I honestly am not sure. (Is it true? Is it honorable? Is it pure? Is it just? Is it commendable?) If the answer to these questions is “No!” then take the time to sincerely examine your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes, because self-deception is real, and it is ugly and we underestimate its power. Our sinful, hopelessly selfish flesh is persistent, and by nature, we want to deceive ourselves into believing we’re better than we really are.

(Side note: we are indeed free in Christ, and yes, there are some aspects of entertainment that, although they portray sin, do not cause us to sin. I also know the Holy Spirit convicts children of God on different levels in different areas of life. However, I know it can be tempting to use such reasoning as a means of justification, so be honest in your self-evaluation.)

Oh, how I love the Church of Christ. Time and time again, I have been brought closer to God through the words and living examples my fellow Christians set for me. The Lord has used the Holy Spirit to work through others to confront me and restore and reconcile me from sin. May He continue to mercifully reveal our self-deception until:

“…we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…” (Ephesians 4:13-15)

In light of these words from Paul, I challenge all of us to check our actions. If our actions are too closely aligning to those of the world, something has to change. He’s called us to a higher standard, and the least we can do for the One Who died for us is give Him reign of our tongues, our bodies and our fellowship.

Now Church, I “submit myself to you out of reverence for God.” Hold me accountable to the standard Christ has set in order that He may be glorified. May His Bride be a community of believers committed to loving one another and the lost and living life by pursuing Jesus, His glory and His character above all else.

Saved by grace alone,

Carly