Hey guys... how exactly do you know that having fun (aka: playing sports, video games, skiing, whatever) isn't a sin? How do you know that you're not just gratifying your own desires? The Bible says that in everything we do, we should do it for His glory... so how do we know whether or not we're glorifying Him in these things?

A teacher once asked his students which was more valuable, a physical experience or a spiritual one. Unanimously they agreed that the spiritual experience should be considered the most valuable and enduring.
The teacher then posited a hypothetical situation; "suppose you are having the most amazing physical experience of your life, and you are offered the opportunity to trade it for a spiritual experience...would you make the trade?"
In light of their previous remarks the class answered yes, of course.

A student then asked the teacher a question, "suppose you are having a spiritual experience, and you are offered the opportunity to have a wonderful physical experience...would you take it? In this case, the offered experience is to have some of the best ice cream in the world.?

The teacher, to their surprise, said YES! "I would accept the ice cream, and then say a blessing over it thereby elevating the physical experience to a spiritual one."

The point is that the physical and spiritual are not mutually exclusive; they are both part of the same creation, irretrievably intertwined. We do not have to deny ourselves physical pleasures in favor of seeking the spiritual. What we need to do is recognize the significance of the physical in relation to the one who offered it all to us in the first place. It is most unfortunate that so many of us go through life without really experiencing the joys of this world in its proper context relative to the loving God who willingly provides it to us.

when God created man He place in him the ablity to enjoy those things around him. therfore we should be able to enjoy his creation, and all the He has given us as His children.
to glorify God is to place him first in everything you do. Knowing that he is at the top of our priority list. Give God what is His, in regards to time, dedication, tithes, and do His work, then take time to have fun with family and friends. Theres is no sin in that, unless the fun is sinful. Some people can commit all kinds of sinful practices in the name of "fun". That we need to stay away from as christians!

God Bless
Poimen

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I agree, Poimen!

See, hardcorefreak (nice name!), Romans 11:36 says, "For from him and through him and to him are all things." Everything that God created was intended to glorify Him. Glory is the expression of the nature and perfection of God. When we do and act as God intended us as humans to do and act, in accordance with His good nature and perfection, we bring Him glory. Thus, when we work we glorify Him. When we create, we glorify Him. When we marry, exercise, rest, learn, we glorify Him. When we play, we glorify Him. With all these things in careful balance, as we live out our lives in dedicated honor and zealous devotion to the things of God... we glorify Him.


Everything exists to bring glory to God.

I would like to post a BIG WARNING on some of the ways we are having fun, but I have to get ready know to go and Worship the Almighty Father of my Messiah.

Thank you

If we have dedicated our lives to honor and glorify Christ, then he works through us, and everything we do is, or should be Christ like. If you go to the movies; what kind of movies to you see? If you play games: what kind of games are they? Like the Bible states to:" Examine all things, retain the good and reject the bad."

God Bless
Poimen

My Pastor was preaching on ," A fresh glimpse of Glory" and this was his main scripture reference.

1 Corinthians 10:31
Well, whatever you do, whether it's eating or drinking or anything else, do it all so as to bring GLORY to GOD.

I will go a step further on this and post the last two verses

1 Corinthians 10:32-33
Do not be an obstacle anyone--- not to Jews, not to Gentiles, and not to GOD's Messianic Community.

Just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not looking out for my own interests but for those of the many, so that they may be saved;


Also there you might want top ask yourself this Question," Is it pleasing to the Messiah Y'shua when I do that?"



Scriptures taken from the
Complete Jewish Bible By David H. Stern Copyright 1988 (c)

Just food for thought...

We can all probably agree that children like to and do have fun in some way...all children do. That being said, then it is safe to probably say that Jesus did too when He was a child. If that is the case then having fun would make Jesus a sinner and, well, we know that is not the case. He also loved little children and I just can see Him having fun with them! "Come ye as little children" means several things, but being carefree and laughing and enjoying life is meant also. If we all were indeed more like little children!

Secondly, our Heavenly Father didn't mean for life to be all work and no play. If one is a Christian he/she already knows what is acceptable and what is not, that should be a given. When we play sports or laugh at funny-shaped clouds or play bubbles or have a bbq, for examples, we automatically take the Spirit of Christ with us and I know for me personally I can't do anything without giving Him the limelight. Some get tired of me doing that and well...oh well! LOL!

Even as an adult Jesus is sure to have had "fun" and/or enjoyable times. I think having dinner with friends is very fun and we all know that Jesus did a lot of bread-breaking with friends and some enjoyment was surely to have come from it even when it was a serious gathering at times.

Mel Gibson's movie gave an excellent example. In "The Passion of the Christ" he portrayed Jesus having a bit of fun with his mother, Mary, when he got her wet by flipping water on her with His hands after he washed them. Are we not created in God's image? Of course, so where would our laughter and fun spirit come from?! God Himself!

There are many well-known people that used their "fun" and/or work to glorify Jesus every single chance they could and the latest one I can think of is Reggie White, a pro football player who recently died. That is how I'm going to remember him first and foremost is as a servant of Christ, not football. Surely he played football because he enjoyed and had fun at the sport; hence making it not a sin.

In all things carry Christ as your light and then glorify everything you do with that light!

Love through Jesus,
Ref

If your mother prepared a great feast for you, and you only ate a few of the dishes she prepared...how would she react? I can just hear it, "I went to all this trouble...the least you can do is try everything!!"
There is a traditional story that when we stand before God at the end of our lives, we will be held accountable for all the pleasures God provided but we failed to experience.
Of course we are to experience them within the context He intended, anything less would detract from the potential of the pleasure and diminish us in the process.

[quote="Anonymous";p="29769"]Just food for thought...

We can all probably agree that children like to and do have fun in some way...all children do. That being said, then it is safe to probably say that Jesus did too when He was a child. If that is the case then having fun would make Jesus a sinner and, well, we know that is [u][b][i]not [/i][/b][/u]the case. He also loved little children and I just can see Him having fun with them! "Come ye as little children" means several things, but being carefree and laughing and enjoying life is meant also. If we all were indeed more like little children!

Secondly, our Heavenly Father didn't mean for life to be all work and no play. If one is a Christian he/she already knows what is acceptable and what is not, that should be a given. When we play sports or laugh at funny-shaped clouds or play bubbles or have a bbq, for examples, we automatically take the Spirit of Christ with us and I know for me personally I can't do anything without giving Him the limelight. Some get tired of me doing that and well...oh well! LOL!

Even as an adult Jesus is sure to have had "fun" and/or enjoyable times. I think having dinner with friends is very fun and we all know that Jesus did a lot of bread-breaking with friends and some enjoyment was surely to have come from it even when it was a serious gathering at times.

Mel Gibson's movie gave an excellent example. In "The Passion of the Christ" he portrayed Jesus having a bit of fun with his mother, Mary, when he got her wet by flipping water on her with His hands after he washed them. Are we not created in God's image? Of course, so where would our laughter and fun spirit come from?! God Himself!

There are many well-known people that used their "fun" and/or work to glorify Jesus every single chance they could and the latest one I can think of is Reggie White, a pro football player who recently died. That is how I'm going to remember him first and foremost is as a servant of Christ, not football. Surely he played football because he enjoyed and had fun at the sport; hence making it not a sin.

In all things carry Christ as your light and then glorify everything you do with that light!

Love through Jesus,
Ref[/quote]

Let it be known to everyone who read this. The post above has added and subtracted from God's Word to suit a perosn's own beliefs. Using the assumption that Jesus "had fun" as a child. There is no proof of what Jesus did as a child. We all know that running outside in the yard is innocent fun. Jesus didn't have video games and many of the other pagan evils created by modern society. Don't bring Jesus into the 21st Century unless you are willing to burn in Hell. Also, don't put words into the mouth of our "Heavenly Father". His Words were made clear in the scriptures. If it says to have fun, then by all means follow it. Otherwise, you better be 100% certain that what you do is acceptable to God's purpose. Otherwise, you will be fooling yourself.

Even further, stating "Mel Gibson's movie gave an excellent example" is another foolish statement. This was entertainment. Acting. It does not portray Jesus. The Bible portrays Jesus in every way we NEED to know. Using entertainment to portray God distorts Him. Television and play was not intended by God. Those things were born out of paganism. Be smart. Start following God instead of foolishly believing while indulging into the world. Jesus already told you that you would see Hell if you did these things.

It is possible to be a Christian and still have fun. Throughout time sin has been considered by some to be the fun thing in life. This is shallow thinking. Of course the fact that Christians seem to be known as people who don’t have fun is not real helpful to our overall thinking.

This is a good point to add everything in moderation. This would include the sports that can get people so fired up. The sin is fun thinking is one we as group need to work on. We know there is a costs based on cause and effect. Maybe we need to think about how to communicate this in a way that does not seem “fun” to people, not sure how.

Clearly we need to do a much better job at telling people fun is ok to have. I went to church talent show more than once that was fun on many levels. It was also a great way to invite all kinds of people. You know I think the Bible brings up joy at least once. Just a thought based on the question.

Hi Helen

Quote: › You know I think the Bible brings up joy at least once.

Thats not many times for 2000 years of history. The bible also seems to be largely devoid of humour.

But I largely agree with you Christianity can be fun. If you disagree you have to equate more fun= less Christian and less fun= more Christian and if you extrapolate the graph back, more misery= more Christian and you end up like those dark ages monks at Lindisfarne spending your day up to your neck in the freezing sea being thoroughly miserable but marvellously Christian.

I made the joy comment as a joke, to have some fun. It comes up many times. along with singing and dancing. and as for misery = more Christian, not sure what you mean. We are called to carry our own cross, but to suggest that misery can be avoided or lessened in some way by not coming to Christ..... there is no example of that. we all suffer, regardless of your believes.

The Bible never will make the same shelves as comedy this is true, but you can still find humor........


3 pastor meet for the first time in Los Vegas due to the convention they are at. they talk and end up splitting a room to save money. one says " hey we should tell each other one of our sins we fight with"
They all agree. the first one says " I hate work and all I do is copy other pastors work and share that with my people."
the second one says " I love these things because as soon as we are done here I am going gambling all night long."
the third one then speaks up and says" Then we should go, My issue is Gossip and I can't wait to get to a phone."

It is ok to laugh, and have fun, just saying......