Is jesting a virtue?

Thomas Manton wisely said,

“The praise of a Christian is not in the wittiness, 424094_chatter_teeth_3but in the graciousness of his conversation. That which is Aristotle’s virtue is made a sin with Paul* (foolish jesting). You should rather be refreshing one another with what experiences you have had of the Lord’s grace; that is the comfort and solace of Christians when they meet together. …A Christian that has God and Christ, and his wonderful and precious benefits to talk of, and so many occasions to give thanks, he cannot want [lack] matter to discourse of when he comes into company; therefore we should avoid vain discourse.”

*Ephesians 5:4 in the KJV says, “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” The Greek term for “jesting” here is eutrapelia, which Aristotle, in his Ethics, makes a virtue. Today, the term “jesting” is simply taken to mean harmless joking around. But the ESV translation captures its original, worldly sense: “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”

Lord help us to please you with our lips.
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Worldly ways

Back to the book “UNFASHIONABLE” by Tullian Tchividijian, kept near my reading chair in hopes of finishing it soon….

A worldly way of thinking is any mind-set 9781601420855mthat, unconciously or consciously, eliminates God and his revealed truth (the Bible) from how we approach life. the biblical notion of worldliness is a sleepiness of the soul in which the status, pleasures, comforts, and cares of the world appear solid, stunning, and affecting while the truths of Scripture become abstractions — unable to grip the heart or guide our everyday activities.

Let’s awaken and arouse our hearts and minds with the Word of God and prayer, to fend off this fiend of worldliness!

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