Can You Sin While Playing Video Games?
Are Video Games inherently Sinful?
A Biblical Look At The Possibility Of Sinning Through Entertainment Mediums
Are All Video Games Dangerous or Sinful?
We at Video Game Gospel are all too aware of the dangers certain Video Games hold. Most of us here are people who play video games. For some it can be an addiction, some it can be a crutch or an idol, and for others it can be a blockade in their lives from accepting the Gospel. Video Games like all media have their fair share of dangers, but are all games bad in nature?
No not at all, if someone were to believe this, then they would have to stop watching Youtube, Tiktok, and Twitch. They would have to stop with Books, TV, Anime, Movies and Radio! Why?
Because all of them contain evil and sin but not all of what's available are evil and sin. The main difference of it being a sin or not is:
If it goes against what the Bible condemns overtly. like the demonic, witchcraft, or evil.
If its purpose and design is that which the Bible Condemns.
If your interaction with it is unedifying.
Some Video Games by nature are benign but does that mean that we give blanket approval for any and all video games? Well the answer is no, you need to have discernment when playing Video Games, and whether the acts you're committing are sinful or not. My guess is if you are feeling guilt and condemnation over a particular thing you are doing, this is either your moral conscience crying out or the Holy Ghost convicting you of your sin and you should listen to that. Not all Video Games are okay, or safe.
Let’s look at some of the criteria you can use when judging this for yourself:
Some criteria you can use when judging this for yourself:
Am I participating in something the Bible calls sin like lying, stealing, or fornicating?
Am I surrounding myself with those people or things that the Bible forbids?
Is the focus of this game on evil and destruction where the Bible commands we focus on what is good? (Philippians 4:8)
Is this weighing on me? Causing me to change the way I think and feel?
Is it an addiction, or is it consuming my life?
Is it more important than serving God?
Do I play games for the wrong reasons? (Reasons such as enjoying killing, or stealing, or essentially virtually feeding your sin.)
Are All Video Games Inherently Evil?
No. However Video Games can aid you in your pursuit and indulgence into sin and evil. But its worth stating they also can be used for good, such as:
Evangelism.
Relaxation.
Friendship or Couple Bonding
Community growth.
However, they always carry a danger, and they should be played and absorbed in moderation. Now that being said there are in fact Demonic Games out there. Games that have no redeeming qualities, games that are all around worthy of being burned up and thrown away.
There are a number of games you should avoid as they are deeply demonic and evil in nature, here is our incomplete list in no particular order.
List of some popular games Christians shouldn’t play:
Cult of The Lamb
Dead By Daylight
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Phasmophobia
Visage
Doom Series
Amnesia Series
Silent Hill Series
F.E.A.R.
Resident Evil Series
Outlast Series
The Evil Within
Call of Cthulhu
Clock Tower Series
Observer
Condemned: Criminal Origins
Layers of Fear
The Forest
The Mortuary Assistant
The Backrooms Games
SPC Games
Ghost Watchers
Don't Starve Series
DEVOUR
Inscryption
Poppy Playtime
This is not a complete list, however you should stay away from any game that focuses on the supernatural, or possession, Demons, or contains pentagrams, or demonic symbolism. Pretty much any game with grotesque and a evil nature should be avoided.
What about other popular games like Rust? Or Ark? Or games like Fortnite?
Well this will come down to what you are doing in it, if you are stealing or killing, griefing players, or being a jerk, you should know this is wrong, as although it's just a video game, it is still a sin to lie, steal, and hurt others. If you did the things in real life, do you think it would be okay? If not then why do it in a video game?
““But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.””
““Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.””
If Jesus considers Lust a sin, which is something we do in our hearts and minds, but not in the real world, how much more do you think he sees your lying and stealing in video games as sin?
If the word of God says, those whom we hate, we have murdered, how much more then will our hate and destruction of another be counted as murder?
What we do in Video Games matters, there is no get out of jail free card. We cannot lessen sin by changing its medium. Sin is sin, and to lie, cheat and steal, is a sin no matter what. So if you’re doing this in a Video Game, you are sinning.
