Well, we have talked about the deadening power of the entertainment age in which we live.

Just recently, we saw this in APJ 1811 and we have talked a lot on this podcast over the

years about the flippancy of the age and of how humor and glibness sort of works his

way into the language of the church if we're not careful.

On this point, I'm reminded of APJ's 328 and 905.

I'm going to address that directly.

But here's an interesting question about humor from a listener named Brian.

Hi, Pastor John.

A question I have wondered about for a while is these commands to Christians in general

and requirements for elders specifically that we be sober-minded.

I see this in text like 1 Timothy 3, 2, and verse 11, 2 Timothy 4, 5, Titus 2, 2, 1

Peter 113, 4, 7, 5, 8.

I ask because my question is about humor.

My default mode is outgoing and humorous, so I've wondered if maybe this is something I

must repent of.

I can understand not wanting to make light of things that are serious or holy, but do these

commands to be sober-minded mean we should be serious all the time.

There are several different Greek words behind the idea of sober or sober-mindedness.

The basic idea is either not drunk and all that implies as it applies to our mind, and

the more general way we use it, namely thoughtful, self-controlled without any reference to drunkenness.

In both cases, the import is the same, a mind that is alert and clear and able to take

reality into account for what it really is and process things wisely and draw informed

...