Is the game of soccer a sin? Yesterday when I put a post about how some people idolize football there was a flood of comments. While some commentators were right on some point, others just gave lopsided views. The football game itself is not a sin. The bible says “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come-I Tim 4:8” What this means is that physical exercise (Sports are examples of physical exercise) have some value, while spiritual things are of greater value. It is not a sin to participate or follow sports to some extent but an uncontrolled love for football or any sport is the problem. When sports rule your heart, when you engage in heated and noisy public arguments about clubs and teams, when you do reckless things because your team wins, when you lose your peace and sleep because your team loses, when football stars become your gods, then you have a problem. I love sports but to what extent? I read sporting news just like I do politics, business, foreign and other interesting news. But you will not find me at noisy public viewing centre or news stand debating sports. I will not miss church service because of a game. I can watch at home or in the office or listen to a radio broadcast. I will not lose sleep or peace if a team wins. But seriously, would Jesus attend go to watch a football game? I guess he would if he knew he was going there to see people to preach to or heal. But, I guess Paul the Apostle would if only to cultivate the friendship of a soccer lover to win him to Christ. He said in 1 Cor 9: 20-23 “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law. To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospels sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” Now I am wondering, if Paul were to be living in our day would he not also say “To the soccer lovers I became a soccer lover that I may win them for Christ. Before I conclude, can a true Christian aspire to be a professional sportsperson. I will not personally recommend it because of the potential damage it could do the spiritual life but I do not have any Biblical reason to say it is wrong.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 12:22:00 +0000
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