Recreation

Useful Employment Versus Selfish Pleasure

Students are sent to our schools to receive an education that will enable them to go forth as workers in God's cause. Satan would lead them to believe that amusements are necessary to physical health, but the Lord has declared that the better way is for them to get physical exercise through manual training, and by letting useful employment take the place of selfish pleasure. The desire for amusement, if indulged, soon develops a dislike for useful, healthful exercise of body and mind, such as will make students efficient in helping themselves and others. In the place of providing diversions that merely amuse, arrangements should be made for exercises that will be productive of good. PH145 47.2

God bestows talents upon men, not that these talents may lie unused or be employed in self-gratification, but that they may be used to bless others. God grants men the gift of time for the purpose of promoting His glory. When this time is used in selfish pleasure, the hours thus spent are lost for all eternity. PH145 48.1

The Lord calls upon all who claim to have received Christ as their personal Saviour, to obey the words, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” “We are laborers together with God; ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.” “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” PH145 48.2