Quest

Last Time: We looked at the gospel in video game terms. We saw how our loving Designer rescued us from our rebellion and now offers us free membership in His eternal guild.

If you haven’t yet accepted that offer, I invite you to keep exploring who God is and what He is like. He continues to pursue you as long as there is time, so don’t put off the most important decision of your eternity. For those of you who have accepted that offer, welcome to the family! The Bible says that you are now a “new creation!”

Today’s study will begin to look at what it means to live (and game) in light of our transformation.

One of the biggest lies about Christianity is that we need to earn heaven. This causes us to “be good” out of fear and to judge those who don’t act like we think they should. But the Bible is clear that salvation is a gift. Our motive for living well comes from gratitude and God pouring out His love through us (Eph 2:8-9; 4:23; Rom 12:1).

Until the return of our King, we will fight a battle every day. The battle starts in our minds between our sinful nature (attracted to animal desires and especially things that dishonor God) and our renewed spirit that wants to team up with God (Gal 5:13-26; Rom 8:5-17).

So, how does this play out in our gaming?

Do you find yourself tempted to play games or make in-game choices that celebrate evil or immorality, simply because it feels cool? Do you sound like any non-Christian or lose your cool when things don’t go your way? Are you unwelcoming, even abusive, to certain kinds of players? Do you cut corners to get games you can’t afford or access legitimately? That’s how people (who don’t have what you have) live, who are still deceived by the villain. (Eph 4:17-31).

Our enemy wants us to scarf dessert (immediate pleasure) as much as we can as soon as we can. This distracts us from God, who sits in the room with us, and this distracts us from our fulfillment and health. I’ve heard it said that a carnal Christian (someone who denies God’s leadership) is the most unhappy kind of person of all because they can’t enjoy their sin. In contrast, a Spirit-filled believer has a steady joy that is unshakable whether circumstances are happy or horrible. We know that the hard things are small and short compared to the forever treasures we are storing up in heaven (John 8:42-44; Phil 3:18-21; 1 Cor 2:14-16; Matt 6:19-21).

Keep your eyes fixed on your Guildmaster all day, through prayer, the Bible, and fellowship. Make a practice of small decisions that delight your Heavenly Father. Some examples: saying “gg” to all, praying for friends and enemies, asking Him to help you choose wisely, speak kindly, and live generously. Over time, God will use those micro habits to develop in you a character that points others to God. You see, God wants you to work with Him to rescue your family and gaming friends (2 Cor 5:14-21)!

Prayer: “Lord, thank you for rescuing me. Help me surrender every part of my life to your leadership, and please use me to rescue others.”

Application Questions:

1. What area of your gaming most needs to change to honor the God you love?
2. Who do you know (online or irl) who needs to hear about what God has been teaching you?
3. How has God equipped you (passions, talents, resources, connections) to uniquely contribute to His kingdom?

Conclusion

The Psalms give an awesome truth that speaks volumes about the importance of daily Bible reading. It goes like this: "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalms 119:105 (NLT) In the same way a lamp lights our path in the dark, God's Word illuminates our journey through life. When we make it a part of our daily routine, it's like having a trusty companion lighting our path. It shows us where to go while giving us the confidence to keep moving forward. We hope that the time spent in completing “God and Gaming” will help light your path forward.

Next Steps

A great next step would be to invite someone else to go through this plan with you. To do so, go to "My Plans" in your profile and look in the "completed plans" section for this plan. Start the plan again, but this time, do the plan "With Friends."

We hope your ongoing journey with God won’t be alone. Work with brothers and sisters in your local church, or send us an email (gaming@cru.org) to say hello. We would love to talk about how God can use you to reach others through gaming. You can learn more through our website: Cru Gaming