Total Separation from This World (Part 6)

Sports World – This is truly a touchy subject around the church. It seems as though the matter is left up to the individual to decide. That being said, this is how God showed it to me. I loved sports! I attended many sports events, including baseball, basketball, football, and hockey at all different levels. The one thing they all had in common was, they all partied! The reason for the assembling was to watch the game for some, but for most is was to party. Please take this the right way, sports are good; in the driveway, backyard, or in the gym for recreational purposes. However, as soon as it becomes more than a hobby type of fun, I believe we have crossed the threshold of the scriptures that tell us to love not the world.

Many people feel it’s not a sin to have a favorite sports team, or a favorite player. Before I got saved, I followed several teams in several different sports. I betted money and other stuff on games. I dedicated lots of time to watch the games. I followed what my team did, how the players on my team performed, what the coaching staff did. I even looked into their personal lives. I was concerned about how my teams performed. I wanted them to win. I had a sick feeling inside when they lost. I sometimes argued with friends and family over games, even to the point of violence!

I hung out with athletes, they were very ungodly men. You may be saying “oh I don’t like sports that much,” but if you’re concerned about a team or players, and if we look back on what the definition of the world is, it says “a concern for.” Sports have placed a barrier between the outside world and the church. It has placed a compromise in many a Christian home. It has placed a division within congregations. If it has done so much and yet and still we choose to make it a choice, what kind of church do we leave God to work with?

I don’t wear team clothing anymore; I don’t follow after teams anymore; I don’t follow after the players anymore; I don’t concern myself with that world! The “sports world” is so strong, I heard an individual say it was the reason they can’t get saved; they can’t see themselves giving that world up. God will not have any “fans” other than Christian fans in heaven! God help us all to see it, and apply it as necessary.

In summary, God is looking for a people to represent his church. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 27 says: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. The more of the (my) world that is in us, the more likely we have spots, or wrinkles, or a such thing.

When God chose the Israelites, he told them to stay to themselves, inside their walls. If someone wanted to come in, that was fine as long as they served the Israelites’ God. Too many times we have allowed the enemy to come in and to bring his god with him. And as a consequence, that god is worshipped over the true and living God. Worship means show devotion to, a feeling of profound love and admiration. It doesn’t have to be that we’re making graven images; we’re just devoted to and have too much admiration for those things that are not of God. Let us take inventory of “our worlds”; do we still have some things we need to put out so more of God can come in?

I truly trust and hope this article has been an encouragement. Let us all strive to get closer to God. He’s waiting to bless his church! Amen.

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