Touchdown Jesus?
Brethren,
How does God communicate with His human creatures about the things that bring Him pleasure? He teaches about them over and over.
In an oral culture like the Middle East, He can disseminate these doctrines through the facility of storytelling. Even in modern times now, almost 5 billion people are oral learners even if fully literate.
The kingdom of God is the theme that Jesus Christ hammers home in His gospel record. Christ speaks over a hundred times about the kingdom. And only three times about the “church.” The population, maturation, and completion of the kingdom is His eternal purpose.
But what areas of human life do not fit into His kingdom? What are the unholy deeds, the worldly works, and the activities that fight and compete against the population, maturation, and competition of that most important kingdom?
Worldly sinful behavior is fairly easy to discern: whatever the world does, or does to excess, is sinful and to be avoided.
The important areas of life in the Western culture can be seen as simply as the feature sections of a modern newspaper. Here are some we see. Families: a good thing ordained from God. Money: a necessary tool for commerce and to alleviate suffering as long as it’s not idolatrous mammon. A-muse-ment: not to muse is against His command for we must muse on the things of God (Psalm 39, 77, 143)
And one more…
Sports: the area of devotion where all Christendom seems to find itself. Is it pleasing to Jesus? Does it bring the Father the glory due to Him because of His character?
Sports is so mainstream in the faith now that hardly anyone questions its purpose or effect, especially on our Lord’s kingdom and the lives of His citizens. When anything so revered and idolized by pagans is no longer scrutinized by the so-called faithful, alarms should go off in our heads. May our hearts be holy like Him!
As somewhat of an ex-sports “fan-a-tic,” I personally attest to its pervasive grip. Today, after fleeing its demonic influence, I still quickly scan the sports section every day to be conversant, praying for wisdom so I may engage those captured in its ever-increasing allure.
Sports, Christians, & The Kingdom
Why do we do the things we do? Has this ever spiritually invaded your heart through the Holy Spirit? Is it because we mimic others that are having “fun?” What traditions, God’s or Satan’s, are we following since “we’ve always done it this way?”
As a disciple of Jesus Christ, if we truly love Him and respect His Word and His authority over our lives, we need carefully evaluate all our choices in light of our allegiance to Him.
Christians and magic? Pat Williams and Jimmy Hewitt who claim to be Christians
Why would a follower of Christ “believe in Magic,” a local basketball sports team’s slogan in Orlando, FL, USA whose very name speaks of witchcraft or the occult? Or spend any precious time in any other competitive sport for that matter. Would Jesus?
How, you say, can I make such a dogmatic statement? Perhaps you too need to question your belief and practice in this most crucial area.
Why is it that we see more bumper stickers today on the back of cars driven by Christens that shout their love and devotion to sports teams, and politics, than to their love and devotion to the Savior that died to redeem them from an eternity in the lake of fire? Could this be just another sign of the gross idolatry that has swept our world in many forms in these last few decades?
“Oh”, we say, “but sports has been around since ancient times, right?”
Yes, that’s entirely true. But…have we ever considered the origin of these “games” that legions of people play and watch with such fervor and devotion? Has it occurred to us, or would it even bother us to know the pagan roots of these events?
The Greeks first used “the games” as part of their worship of their pagan gods and as preparation for their children for war. The first games were held inside their temples. Many of our modern-day Olympic Games are modeled still after the events of their day.
Later when the Romans conquered the Greeks, they absorbed the “games” into their own culture through the Greek slaves that they used as teachers for their children. Very soon, the Romans grew more and more fond of the violent aspects and found ways to make them more gruesome as time went on.
Sound familiar?
The orthodox Hebrews and the early Christians had nothing to do with these events and even considered them offensive to a Holy God. As a matter of fact, they were mocked, scorned and some of them lost their lives for not submitting to participate or attend the games.
We see this quote in the historical records by a pagan named Minucius Felix, Octavius, Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean, chapters 8,12:
See, many of you – in fact, by your own admission, the majority of you – are in want, are cold, are hungry, and are laboring in hard work. Yet, your god allows it…Take notice! For you, there are threats, punishments, tortures, and crosses…
In the meantime, living in suspense and anxiety, you abstain from respectable pleasures. You do not attend sporting events. You have no interest in public amusements. You reject the public banquets and abhor the sacred games.
Athena the sports goddess
Athena…sports goddess
The word “athletics” originally meant “devoted to Athena,” the Greek goddess. Likewise, “gymnasium” meant to “exercise naked,” and many of the “gyms” of that day tended toward homosexuality. The main thrust of the games was to seek glory for themselves.
“But that was just ancient history,” we might say. “What does that have to do with us…sophisticated, modern Christians? We’re not using the games as worship to gods, are we?” said rather sarcastically.
Or really?
Idolatry has been defined as the blind admiration or devotion of something or someone other than the true God. How many times have you or someone you know shown just such deep love and devotion to sports?
Is it too painful to admit the truth that we are so much more easily able to spend large amounts of time in the watching or even in the participation of such events than we are in the matters that please our dear Lord? Matters such as earnest discipleship, zealous and intense corporate prayer, evangelism, ministering to the poor, blind, lame, and crippled?
Can we overlook the addictive power and seduction of such worldly activities? How many husbands and fathers neglect the basic emotional needs of their families because of their greater fulfillment and devotion to sports? Now, one can admit there are many other “idols” just as seductive to distract us like media, music, movies, books, foods, etc. But they are not our focus here.
Further, do we dare to expose our children to “heroes,” the idols of our age, whose lives are often immoral and who make millions of dollars for “playing a game?” All the while millions in the rest of the world suffer without the basic needs of life such as food and shelter? What values are these things instilling in our dear children?
There is a principle found in I Corinthians 6:12 that can apply at times to all areas of our lives when seeking holy living: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” This is written in the context of food, not all activities. We should carefully ask the Lord, “What’s Your ideal? How can I best please You? Many things are not beneficial for us, and we’re not to be brought under any addicting thing.” We will not be mastered by anything.
Are we more interested in complete obedience to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us than we are in defending our favorite “past-times?” Isn’t this true especially in the light that the Word commands us to “make the most of every opportunity…to redeem the time” (Eph. 5:16). Isn’t it never for our pleasure and entertainment, but for God’s glory and work to be done in and through us?
Some might say that God uses sports so it’s fine. Well, God saves people in Asian whore houses too but it doesn’t mean we should frequent them. Besides, this reasoning is the logical fallacy of an appeal to practicality, or pragmatism. In essence, this fallacy claims if it works, it’s OK. For example, we can all get a wonderful view of the world atop Mt. Everest. But many die trying to do so.
The Word of God speaks
What else does the Holy Scripture have to say?
Jesus told us to love our enemies, do good to them, bless them (Matt. 5:44; Luke 6:28, 35). Paul described love as being patient, kind, not jealous; does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked or irritated, does not take into account a wrong suffered (I Corinthians 13:4,5).
The Philippians were admonished to have the same attitude as Christ.
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others as better than himself…look out not only for your own interests but the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:3-5)
This is contrary to the spirit of competition that is the hallmark of sports. How many times have you observed tempers lost, puffed up players exalting themselves, team members hatefully treating opposing team members especially with trash talk? Even family or friends feuding over which of their favorite teams will win?
The Romans, even in the heyday of competitive sports, were admonished to “…be kindly affectionate to one another in brotherly love. In honor giving preference to one another.” (Romans 12:10)
Jesus described true greatness from God’s perspective as “child-likeness,” not childishness, and also “servant-hood.” (Matt. 18 1-5;23:1-12; 20:25-28; Mark 9:33-37; 10:35-45; 12:38-40; Luke 9:46-50; 20:35-47)
Peter said that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Pet. 5:6-7). Be honest now, how do competitive activities promote humility in any respect? “In order to do well in competitive sports, I have to make the other guy do poorly,” says one brother.
Paul told Timothy that “the man of God must not be quarrelsome,” or competitive (2 Tim. 2:24). And to the Corinthians, he instructed them not “to compare themselves” with others (2 Corinthians 10:12). James said that believers should beware of the sources of conflict among themselves, which could very well mean various competitions. (James 4:1)
John commanded us not to “love the world or the things in the world” for if we love the world the love of the Father is not in us! Friendship with the world is enmity, or deep-seated hatred toward God (1 John 2:15-16).
The Word tells us that God’s great purpose for us as believers is to become conformed to the image of His dear Son (Romans 8:29). As 1 John 2:6 says, “…the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” Isn’t it Christ that we should model our lives after and teach our children to be like, not some modern-day “sports hero?”
Again, we turn to the written Word of God to rightly divide the Word.
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:16-17)
“And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.” (1 John 2:28-29)
“Little children, guard yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5: 21)
“And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY (pagan revelry).”(1 Corinthians 10:7)
The bottom line is simply this: Does my life show that I am supremely devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ, or am I trying to “fit in” to this world as far as I can without going over the line of paganism? Am I holy in all my behavior (1 Peter 1.15-16)
In 2 Corinthians 5:10-11, Paul warns believers of a fact that is little taught in this day of “cheap grace.”
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore knowing the fear (terror) of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.”
1 Corinthians 3 declares,
“For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire. ”(I Corinthians 3: 11-15)
Can we truthfully say that all the time, money, and effort we put into sports whether as participants or spectator is Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones in our heavenly account of eternal rewards? Wood, Hay, and Straw will burn up when put to the test of fire, then what will we have to present to the Bridegroom at His wedding feast, as we stand before His Glorious Throne?
Please, dear brother or sister in Christ, let’s consider what the world, our children, and grandchildren see in our testimony and ask ourselves what kind of ambassadors we are. Our eternal rewards, and even eternal destiny, depending on the choices we make today….decide carefully!
In addition, are we causing any to stumble into the lake of fire? Well, are we? The Word claims with holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12.14)
Let us be sober in all ways. Remember that practiced sin excludes us from the kingdom of heaven.
1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1 John 3:10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
Am I saying that involvement in sports is practicing sin? Yes…
Remember, we are one day closer to His return!
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” (2 Peter 3:10-11)
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Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,
Marc
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Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!
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Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.
Marc White, Director, Walk Worthy Ministries, www.WalkWorthy.org
