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by Katie Erickson

Anyone who knows me that I am not a sports fan. I never have been, and I’m pretty sure I never will be. If I had to choose a favorite sport it would be baseball, simply because I know the most about it, having gone to numerous baseball games with my baseball-fan family growing up. While I will attend an occasional game as a social event, it’s not something I often choose to do in my free time.

So the question this week is what does the Bible say about sports? There are a number of sports metaphors in the Bible. For example, Philippians 3:13b-14 says, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 uses sports metaphors to explain having self-discipline in our spiritual life: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

1 Timothy 4:8 takes that one step farther, saying, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

When the apostle Paul was nearing the end of his life, he compared it to the end of a race in 2 Timothy 4:7-8: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day —and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

While the Bible does not mention specifics for every sporting situation, we need to look at its overall meaning and realize that whatever we are doing (whether it be playing sports, watching sports, or some other activity), we should be good witnesses of our faith and the God we serve in everything. We see this in 1 Peter 3:15, Matthew 5:14-16, and 1 Corinthians 10:31.

We also need to be cautious against sinning within the context of sports. The main cautions we get from the Bible that would apply to sports are pride and idolatry.

We can easily become prideful when either we are particularly good at a certain sport, or when our favorite team is doing very well. There are many verses in Proverbs that talk about the negative effects of pride, but here are a couple. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 27:2 says, “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.” When we boast in ourselves and our own accomplishments, we are being prideful. Sports frequently bring attention to the accomplishments of the individual, rather than giving glory to God.

Idolatry is addressed in Matthew 22:37-38: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” If we put anything else as a higher priority in life than God, then we are loving that thing and not loving God with our whole heart. 1 John 5:21 is pretty self-explanatory: “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” Anything that we worship more than we worship God is an idol in our lives.

How can you tell if sports are an idol in your life? If you play sports, do you make games or practice a priority over spending time with God in your life? If you watch sports, can you name all the players on your favorite team, but not the books of the Bible? Does watching sports get in the way of your time spent worshiping God? Do you wish the pastor would preach a shorter sermon on Sundays so you can get home in time for kickoff? Consider how you spend your time and where your priorities are at.

There is nothing inherently sinful about sports according to what the Bible says, but we should be cautioned that sports of any sort (or anything else for that matter) are not to be a higher priority in our lives than the God who created us with the abilities and passions He has given us.

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