Should you play video-games? Scriptural answer

Flowful

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About week ago God talked through my mother that I opened a door to devil through video games. Then He said to me Himself that I have to repent about it. He free'd me once, but I went back to it.
I did not think there was something wrong in playing, waste of time maybe, but maybe playing and listening to some sermons from youtube was fine. I liked it that way, I didnt like focusing on someone talking for hours, but playing while listening seemed fine as long as it was some city-building game. And it didn't seem such a waste of time as long as I listened to sermons.. I was wrong.

Quick googling about it and I found scriptures to support what was said to me.

"Will playing video games build up your love for God, knowledge of Him, and ministry to others? “‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is constructive” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24; Romans 14:19). When God gives us relaxation time, we should find uplifting activities to enjoy. Do we choose permissible over praiseworthy activities? When we have a choice between good, better, and best, we should choose the best (Galatians 5:13-17)."

"Will playing video games obey self-will or God’s will? God’s will for His children can be summed up in His greatest commandment: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Luke 10:27). Our will has been polluted by sin. Because we have been saved from our selfish desires, we should surrender our will (Philippians 3:7-9). God’s will transforms our will (Psalm 143:10). Progressively, His desires for us become our deepest desires as well."

"Does the video game glorify God? Some video games glorify violence (many of them). As Christians, our activities should bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31) and help us to grow in the knowledge and grace of Christ."


"Will playing video games result in good works? “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10; see also Titus 2:11-14 and 1 Peter 2:15). Laziness and selfishness violate God’s purpose for us—to do good works to others (1 Corinthians 15:58; see also Galatians 6:9-10)."

"Will playing video games redeem the time? You will give account for how you use your limited minutes. Spending hours at a time playing a video game can hardly be called a good use of time. “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is” (Ephesians 5:15-17). “Live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:2; see also Colossians 4:5, James 4:14, and 1 Peter 1:14-22)."

"7. Does it pass the test of Philippians 4:8? “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). When you play video games, is your mind focused on godly or secular things?"

"Will playing video games fit in with my life purpose? Paul wrote that in the final days people would be “…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4). Western culture fits that description. We love to play. Non-Christians become addicted to entertainment such as movies, sports, and music because they do not have a purpose higher than to enjoy life before death. These amusements cannot truly satisfy (Ecclesiastes 2:1). When Christians become addicted to the same things as non-Christians, can we truly say that we are exhibiting the new life “in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:15)? Or do we prove to others that we are really no different than they are and that Christ has not made a significant difference in our lives?"

"Will playing video games give me an eternal focus? Christians have hope of eternal rewards in heaven if they are faithful on earth (see Matthew 6:19-21 and 1 Corinthians 3:11-16). If we focus on living for eternity rather than the passing pleasures of earth, we will have surrendered resources, time, and hearts for ministry (Colossians 3:1-2; 23-24)."


The question is not “Can I play video games?” but “Would video games be the best choice?” Will this edify me, show love to my neighbor, and glorify God? We are to pursue praiseworthy activities, not simply permissible ones. However He leads you, passionately follow Him above all else. Prepare for eternity. Every sacrifice will seem insignificant when we meet Jesus.
From: http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-video-games.html



God bless you all! God will provide better options to spend your time if you want to.
 
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ClothedInGrace

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About week ago God talked through my mother that I opened a door to devil through video games. Then He said to me Himself that I have to repent about it. I already quit playing everything over a month ago, deleted all games from my PC and did not think there was something wrong in playing, waste of time maybe, but maybe playing and listening to some sermons from youtube was fine. I liked it that way, I didnt like focusing on someone talking for hours, but playing while listening seemed fine as long as it was some city-building game. And it didn't seem such a waste of time as long as I listened to sermons.. I was wrong.
This topic falls into the category of Christian liberty: While I can play video games without my heart condemning me (for I know who my savior is), that may not be the case for another like yourself. We should be sensitive to those who believe it is wrong, yet we should not be quick to condemn those who believe it is permissible.

From my perspective the scriptures do not condemn enjoying the arts of entertainment. Video games are no worse than tv, movies, or sports. If you want to say video games are sinful based on your criteria, then all forms of entertainment are.
 
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NothingIsImpossible

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Well you replace games with anything...
Will playing video games build up your love for God, knowledge of Him, and ministry to others?
Will eating steak build up your love for God, knowledge of Him, and ministry to others?
Will biking build up your love for God, knowledge of Him, and ministry to others?
Will snoring build up your love for God, knowledge of Him, and ministry to others?
Will going to the doctor build up your love for God, knowledge of Him, and ministry to others?
Will owning a car build up your love for God, knowledge of Him, and ministry to others?
Will paying rent build up your love for God, knowledge of Him, and ministry to others?

You can see where I am going with this. Thats why if people want to be really extreme they are better off living in a cave with nothing. But then you wonder is it ok to wear clothes or not... or to even live in a cave or not. Or to breath the air or not. Theres nothing scripturely wrong with gaming per say. I mean games perhaps aren't the best source to fill our heads with stuff. But it is not a sin to play a game. Though a game can turn into sin. Such as if your playing sex games. Or your addiction to a MMO has you playing 24/7 and you don't go outside, don't hang out with anyone, don't even go to church. Games can also become an idol. So yes we can play games, watch movies and so on. But we have to know our boundaries and when we cross a line.

For example I don't play (or watch) horror/slasher stuff. Or anything with the occult.

On a side note, how do you know your mother wasn't lying to you just because she didn't want you to play games? Granted you said God talked to you. And obviously I can't know if He really did or not. But seeds can be planted by others.
 
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Xalith

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Let us remember that to partake of an entertainment that features sin, is to partake of the sin itself.

If you watch a movie where there is someone fornicating, then you are partly guilty of the sin yourself.
If you watch a movie that features murder, then you are partly guilty of murder yourself.

Remember: Christ said to LOOK upon a woman and desire to be with her is committing adultery with her in your heart.

So... you have to ask yourself... does this game cause you to fantasize about anything that is sinful? Are you blowing people's heads off in a first-person shooter? If so, you could be guilty of fantasizing about murder and violence. A game like Hatred is most certainly demonic, but I would argue that anything that features graphic violence against people is sin.

Games that are about gambling (even if no money is exchanged) could cause you to sin with greed and mammon even though you're not actually exchanging money.

Remember: All sin is conceived in the heart. You don't necessarily need to do the sin to be guilty. Fantasizing about it is just as bad as committing it, because at the end of the day, you are judged by what is in your heart. You could be a gamer who spends hours a day, drooling at the sight of spilt blood and body parts flying everywhere, but yet never commit a violent act in your life, and if you didn't repent for that, and turn away from it, you would still have to answer for all of the violence you cultivated in your heart.

I used to play violent video games (I stopped after coming to Christ last year), and I will tell you that I felt a definite change when I stopped playing those games. I still play a game that has some violence (but not against humans), but it isn't graphic by any means and I don't play anywhere near as much as I once did.

I'll tell you that there's a definite change in my thoughts, my emotions, my attitudes ever since I came to Christ and stopped playing those kinds of games. I used to have violent thoughts in my head on a regular basis (even though I've never once got into a fight since I graduated school). I dreamt of violence, I used to fantasize about violence, I used to write stories based upon violence. Violence and sex ruled my life for the better part of almost 20 years. It was on my mind constantly, until I came to Christ.

These days, I limit myself to a few games -- Cities: Skylines, Terraria, Stardew Valley, Starbound, Cat Goes Fishing, and very rarely, Plants vs Zombies. Once in a blue moon I'll tinker with an old-school J-RPG. Only three of these games have violence in them, and the one I almost never play anymore (PvZ). Terraria and Starbound have violence, but they are very much pixel art and in Starbound's case, the violence is nowhere near the center of the game's focus. The game is more about exploration and building. Terraria... is a little heavy on the violence side, but I see it more as a good vs evil struggle. The game is not perfect, no... but yet it is much more tame than many other games out there.

Oh, and I guess Stardew Valley has violence in it... but absolutely no blood and it is very minor and it is only a little side-thing. The main focus of that game is farm life.
 
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I used to help develop Christian video games. Non-violent, 3D, action. Think Mario 64 but the only enemies are large boots, pits, fire. Read scripture (each game was based on a whole book) to answer questions to collect jewels to receive the Crown of Life. I love blowing up monsters and space ships like the next guy (I can play anything from 70s on except human vs human violence) but these games (I did the maps, QA, and story writing) were addicting and fun for me.

I also do not play sport games. :) I play almost anything else. Got my classics from 70s and 80s, some RPGs and current titles (currently playing Transformers Devastation).

Tid bit..... I was also a 1990 Nintendo World Championship semi-finalist. So, yes, I like (most) video games.
 
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