Join us in this insightful episode where we delve into the role of recreation in a Christian’s life. With current societal pressures and the increasing inclination towards leisure activities, how does one maintain a balance between recreation and spiritual duties? Explore this intriguing topic with Jeff Archie from International Gospel Hour as he examines the biblical stance on recreation and offers practical advice for believers.
Much stress and pressure exists today, and we need renewal and refreshing along the way. However, could such recreation pull one away from God? Let’s talk about the Christian in Recreation today from the International Gospel Hour. We’ll be right back.
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Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour.
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Welcome to our broadcast today. For over 90 years, Churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s Word through our broadcasts. Just ahead is another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour. Let’s begin.
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Well, thank you to our J-Web and greetings to everyone. We are always delighted for each and every listener of the International Gospel Hour. If you are new to our broadcast, we thank you for joining us for our studies. And we want you to know that we have a number of options for your listening pleasure in Bible study. Now, you are currently listening to our daily 15-minute broadcast. It’s available five days a week. And we are thankful for you tuning in and for the station to which you are listening. And as I say at the end of the broadcast, friends, keep listening right here on this station or platform of your choice for International Gospel Hour. We also have available our weekly 30-minute program that you may hear on this same station. Occasionally, you may hear our shorter segments called 60 Seconds for the Savior and A Couple of Minutes for Christ. We also have a weekly television broadcast, and that’s available via our YouTube channel, which is International Gospel Hour, and on a number of over-the-air television markets and available at this time around the world. You can find our programming options at our website, internationalgospelhour.com, and when you’re there, scroll down just a bit, and you’ll see all of our programs, even our Hispanic podcast, Christianos Fieles, with our friend and brother, Marlon Ratana, of SpanishBibleSchool.org. We’re thankful for each and every opportunity to speak the oracles of God. 1 Peter 4, 11. We want to declare the whole counsel of God as we note from Acts 20 in verse 27. We thank you for joining us and stay right here where you listen to International Gospel Hour to have access to our program. It can scarcely be seriously questioned that the people of our land have developed a mania for recreation. Millions of people in this country live largely for fleshly indulgence, and their weekends are spent on the lakes and the mountains and at the seashore. And many of these are professing Christians who do not hesitate to forsake the assembly of the church, to lie in the sun on public beaches, to fish in the lakes of the land, and to play golf on the fairways. And some of these seek to satisfy the conscience by a quick stop on the way to the beach for worship, or by carrying the emblems of the Lord’s Supper with them. To all such, the Lord’s Day has lost all real significance. It is a national holiday providing freedom from responsibility and affording opportunity for a lazy routine of fleshly pursuits. Friends, I know that sounds a little strong, but we’re going to talk about the Christian in Recreation and look at this today. Before we do that, we want to pause for our Jay Webb, who’s got a free offer for you, ladies and gentlemen, as all of our items, all the things we offer, are absolutely free.
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Let’s continue our thoughts on the Christian and recreation. You know, all recreation is not to be condemned, and the Scriptures teach that man is so constituted as to need rest and relaxation. God set apart and made holy the seventh day of the week as a rest day, and the law of Moses made provision for many feast days on which the people of Israel were given opportunity for physical and social recreation. Christians, as well as Jews, also need release occasionally from the taxing responsibilities of life and our civilization is vastly more complex than it was in the day of Moses. Ours is indeed a time of great stress and pressure, both mental and physical, and children of God need sessions and seasons of refreshing to renew and reinvigorate the physical man. God wants us to use our faculties to His glory and in the most useful manner possible, and this can be done only if our physical frame is kept in efficient order. All human beings need rest and recreation. Jesus practiced it in Mark 6, 31 and 32, and the apostles taught it in 1 Timothy 4, verse 8, and we must have it if we are to discharge fully our potential here. We must, however, be careful that we keep our recreational activities under restraint and maintain the proper perspective regarding them. Paul the Apostle endorsed some recreation in the following statement to his associate and co-worker Timothy from 1 Timothy 4 and verse 8. For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things having promise of the life which now is and of that which is to come. There is profit in it. Exercise provides needed stimulus for unused and dormant muscles, and by it the apostle is stimulated and encouraged. From it the mind derives diversion, and therein it relaxation from the tension and pressure of everyday living. Bodily exercise provides zest for life and extends the span of it, and it is profitable. The profit to be thus derived is, however, for a little, that is, for a limited time, and in a restricted and small area. Our earthly span is, at best, brief, and that which has to do with the fleshly part of man extremely temporal. Moreover, the area of fleshly activity is small, affecting only the individual engaging therein. Godliness, or piety, or reverence, however, is profitable for all things, matters running out to every direction, and having promise of the life which now is and of that which is to come. Such involves not only those about us and the life we now live, but also that which is to come. It is therefore vastly more important to practice godliness and bodily exercise, though useful, must never be permitted to interfere with the obligations which a life of godliness enjoins. It is possible to engage in the wrong kind of recreation or, as many do today, place too much emphasis on the right kind. Some prolong their rest until it is indolence. More idleness is not exercise. To engage in recreation is to recreate the mind and body with proper and pleasurable pursuits. Moreover, there are some amusements classified as recreation, which are really sinful and prohibited activities. Anything wrong must be avoided. Some acts are not in themselves sinful, but they lead to the neglect of proper duties and ought therefore to be avoided. Solomon said in Proverbs 21, 17, He that loves pleasure shall be a poor man. He that loves wine and oil shall not be rich. When recreation is pursued until it has become one’s chief interest in life, it is sinful and subversive of the soul. Any activity, questionable in nature, ought to be shunned, and all suspected amusements must be avoided. It is never safe to follow a course which has proved to be disastrous to others. These questions we ought to ask regarding any proposed form of recreational activity.
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Do the Scriptures condemn it?
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Does it bear on its face the suspicion of evil?
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Have others found participation therein to be harmful to their spiritual welfare?
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Does it tend to break down the distinction between the church and the world?
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Do good people generally approve it?
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What effect will my participation therein have on others? 7. Will it lead on to the indulgence of bad habits in other areas?
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Will it cause me to be associated with people who are not good?
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Will it take me into places of doubtful propriety? 10. Will my example influence others in a harmful fashion?
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Can I afford the cost in time and money? These questions properly answered will enable us to evaluate correctly any given type of pleasure or recreation. We must not allow the world to set up the standards of permissible recreational activity. God’s Word is the only proper criteria of what is right or what is wrong. The retirements which our Lord occasionally engaged in provided us with a pattern to follow. They were for rest, relaxation, meditation. From His example, we will engage in recreational pursuits only at the proper time and never when such will interfere with our obligations to God and to our fellow men. only for the proper purposes and not for freshly ease or indulgence, and third, only in the right way, avoiding all sinful or questionable activity. Bodily exercise is profitable only if it serves to equip us better for life’s duties and responsibilities, and when it interferes with such, it is sinful and should be shunned. Friends, that’s quite challenging, isn’t it? What if I were to tell you those words were penned in the Gospel Advocate publication March 16, 1972, well over 50 years ago? An article titled, The Christian in Recreation by Guy N. Woods. Have things changed? Friends, I dare say they probably have worsened. And may this study today help our lives be in the proper perspective of what is the distinct use of recreation in our lives. Sad to say, I have known of the day that ball fields were silent on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, and such is not the case anymore. And many a parent have emphasized the importance of that over Bible teaching. And many a parent today wish those same children would bring their grandchildren to Bible school and worship. Friends, let’s think on these things, and may I also share with you as we bring our study to a close today, that we here at International Gospel Hour want to be of help to you in any way possible in the study of the Word of God, and that as we offered our free material earlier, our free copy of Discovery, know that our Bible courses by mail are always free. 1-855-444-6988. Let us hear from you if we can be of further help to you, and thank you for joining me today here on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
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God be with you till we meet again.
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Thank you for listening to our broadcast today, and we hope you continue onward with your search and study of God’s Word. Please join us next time and visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com God be with you till we meet again
