While they are promising them freedom, they themselves are existing as slaves of corruption. For whoever is overcome by another is enslaved by this one.”​—2 Peter 2:18, 19.

29. What is the Scriptural view of entertainment or recreation, and just when do we need to be on guard?

²⁹ Clearly, there is need for balance in our approach to matters of entertainment and recreation. The Scriptures do not call upon God’s servants to live a life of asceticism, nor do they represent self-denial as having virtue in itself but only when it is engaged in with some good objective in view. (Compare Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:1, 4, 13; 8:15; 1 Corinthians 13:3; Colossians 2:20-23.) But this does not give any excuse for going to extremes, letting the fallen flesh take control and using Christian freedom as a cloak for badness. (Galatians 5:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:16) Such a course can never be harmonized with the love of God and the love of one’s neighbor as oneself, the “kingly law” that we are under. (James 2:8, 12) Those who argue otherwise, and who ridicule those who do not agree with them in their excesses, show they are still slaves to their own selfish leanings.

30. What can eventually happen because of corrupt influence inside the congregation?

³⁰ So there is need to keep our senses and avoid both extremes. There is an undeniable danger of being led into a course of heedless pursuit of pleasure. One can gradually be pulled into a whirlpool of parties that, over a period of time, deteriorate in quality, slipping more and more into extremes in dancing or drinking, or of viewing entertainment that glorifies sexual immorality and sadism. It is unreasoning to claim that these unwholesome influences pose no danger. They can hardly help but have a weakening effect on the Christian conscience, breaking down one’s moral fiber. Persons pretending otherwise often wind up as victims to drunkenness and sexual misconduct.​—Proverbs 13:20.

31, 32. What will some members of the congregation continue to do until “the day of judgment” and with what consequences?

³¹ Truly, the apostle Peter accurately depicted what will continue to happen among God’s servants until “the day of judgment [for unrighteous people] to be cut off.” (2 Peter 2:9) There will always be persons who try to extend the limits of Christian freedom far beyond what is reasonable so that they can satisfy their desires for sensual pleasure. They do not want to follow the Biblical injunction: “Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness.” (Colossians 3:5) Instead, they choose the very entertainment that incites these wrong desires. When involving others, they may argue: ‘If our conscience allows it, there is nothing wrong with it.’ But they fail to recognize that a defiled conscience is not a safe guide. These persons are yielding to their wrong desires and are, therefore, in slavery to these. Their promises of “freedom” to others are misleading.