What Does Having Fun Look Like for a Christian?
Of all people, we Christians are the most free of all. Christ paid the extremely high price of our freedom from sin using His blood, and now that we are free from sin and the devil we can live our lives unhindered for God's glory and purpose.
But is the freedom that's given to us a license to live our lives in pursuit of fun? Let's talk about that: what having fun looks like if you're a Christ-follower.
Real fun
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Fun is a three-letter word many people keep searching for. They go to parties, spend a lot of time vacationing, go long distances traveling, and even dedicate time and money simply working at their hobbies. For these people, it's worth spending what you have if you will enjoy and have fun.
Christ-followers, however, don't live in pursuit of fun. Their lives aren't spent for the purpose of enjoyment, and their days aren't lived out for the purpose of having fun. But while that may be the case, Christians aren't uptight people who can't have fun.
Christ-followers have a different view of fun. If something enjoyable is good and brings glory to God, it's worth doing again and again. If something enjoyable is beneficial and helps people find God and know Christ, it should be done. If something enjoyable is sinful, however, then it's not fun at all.
For the Christian, to live is to live for Christ (see Philippians 1:21; 2 Corinthians 5:15). His primary goal is not to have fun but to follow Christ (see Matthew 16:24). His desire is to do the will of God (see John 4:34, 6:38). He finds his satisfaction seeing the plans of God fulfilled, the salvation of those who aren't saved, and the betterment of the lives of men through the Christian's good works and testimony.
That's real fun.
More than just enjoyable
The Lord Jesus promised to give an abundant life to those who believe in Him (see John 10:10). This abundant life is more than just having material riches and financial gain; it's about having His joy and peace, and receiving God's love to the overflowing. Think about it:
- Christ paid the price for us to be free from the oppression of sin (see 1 John 2:2);
- Christ came to destroy the very thing that causes our lives to be destroyed (see 1 John 3:8);
- Christ came to show us that God loves us regardless of our sins, imperfections and shortcomings (see Romans 5:8);
- Christ came to end our seemingly endless search for meaning (see John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Romans 14:8);
- Christ came to give us new life, a life that will never end (see John 3:16).
No credit card could purchase what Christ bought for us. No partying can even compare to the joy Christ gave to us. No amount of temporal enjoyment can ever compare to the eternal joy that is given to us in Christ. Only Christ satisfies.
