Culture Warriors

During a recent visit with some friends from North Carolina, the subject of sports betting in North Carolina came up. Our friends told us about the prevalence of sports betting commercials on television. The bill legalizing sports betting in North Carolina was signed into law on June 14, 2023. The first online bets were placed on March 11, 2024. There are eight licensed interactive sports wagering operators. Sports betting while new in North Carolina is firmly established in a number of states. The rapid increase and popularity of sports betting raises an important if not alarming question. Is sports betting becoming an imbedded and accepted part of our culture? If so, should we be concerned? In my opinion we should be concerned about sports betting in our culture. We should be concerned about all things that shape our culture. Some of the relevant questions are: Is it healthy? Will it generate addictive behavior? Will this behavior be a positive or negative force in our society? What will the long-term consequences be?

When human activity progresses from the individual to the group and then to the society, culture is formed. When isolation becomes mainstream, behavior becomes a part of the culture. It is natural that things will in time take on cultural expression and this is not necessarily a bad thing. Cultural expression must be evaluated and graded according to what it contributes to or detracts from the society. Does it make us a stronger society? Are we a better people? Even if some individuals profit, is the corporate body diminished and harmed?

In the opening pages of the Bible, we see how the culture can become detrimental to the welfare of mankind and displeasing to the will of God. Consider how violence that began in the first family when Cain killed his brother Abel spread to the entire society. Wicked intentions spread from the individual to the entire populace.

"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth" (Genesis 6:11, 12).

Am I equating sports betting in North Carolina and other parts of our nation to the violence and wickedness of the people in Genesis? Not exactly! I am saying that sports betting is quickly becoming mainstream in our society, and I do have legitimate concerns about its long term affects. As a pastor for more than 50 years, I have dealt with gambling addiction within my congregations on several occasions. Without exception, it had detrimental and sometimes devastating effects. Lives and families were destroyed.

I believe that all of us should work toward forming a responsible, accountable society where there is a balance between the choices and rights of the individual and the welfare and good of whole society. My first experience with betting of any kind was when I played poker with a group of young men in the woods behind Max Weaver's country store. It was during this time in my life that I became a Christian at the age of 20. Many things changed. One of the changes was no longer gambling through the game of poker. I believe that God put me on a better path and may very well rescued me from a life of addiction.

How should Christians respond to sports betting and the cultural trends that have developed and are developing in our society? Another way to phrase this question is to ask, how should we live as believers in this world? There is an old gospel song titled "I Can't Feel at Home in This World Anymore." Think about the words of the first verse of the song.

This world is not my home I'm just-a-passing through.

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.

The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door.

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

There is much truth in the words of this song. Our human lives are lived out on this earth, but it is not our final destination and was never intended to be our home. As we transverse our lives on this earth, we need to be fully aware of the transitory nature of our lives. Sports betting is one of many things we will have to respond to during our sojourn on this earth. How will we respond? I believe that we have three choices that I will attempt to describe below.

• We can embrace the culture. We should carefully evaluate the behavior and trends of the culture that surrounds us. The Bible clearly teaching that believer are in the world but should not be of the world. We are actually described in the Bible as sojourners in the world we live in. The Bible warns us in several different passages against embracing the ways of the world we live in.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing asway, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17).

• We can reject the culture. There are clearly times when rejection is appropriate. If the cultural trends are contrary to the clear teachings of scripture, they should be rejected. At the same time, we need to be cautious about throwing the baby out with the bath water. Not everything in culture is evil. Culture can be progressive in a good positive way that benefits humanity. Christians are sometimes labeled as people who are against everything. For me it always comes back to the Bible. While telling us not to love the world or the things in the world, the Bible also tells us to be salt and light in our world. We are to be the salt of the earth. Our lights are to so shine that men will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

• There is a third, better way. We can strive to create a biblical culture. What will a biblical culture look like? First and foremost, it will be a culture that recognizes the reality of the kingdom of God. All earthy kingdoms will one day pass away. God's kingdom is already at hand and among us. Believers are citizens of God's kingdom and have the responsibility of advancing His kingdom. In the Lord's Prayer we are taught to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). A biblical culture will make proclaiming the gospel, the good news of the gospel, a priority to all people. This is a responsibility that falls squarely on the shoulders of those who have already heard and embraced the gospel. Beggers who have received the bread share the bread with others. A biblical culture will be one shaped by guidance of biblical truth. We will not use the Bible for photo opts or carry it around as a display to make us appear to be people of faith. We certainly will not chicken-scratch, hen-peck and cherry pick the Bible to use it as a weapon of warfare between competing ideologies. We will handle it with great reverence and treat it for what it is, God's infallible word of truth. Our use of the Bible will be grounded in what the Bible declares about itself. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). We will not be reckless in our approach to scripture and will aspire to continually grow in our knowledge. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).
  

I do believe we should be culture warriors. This means having legitimate concerns about cultural trends such as sports betting. As culture warriors we should pray for a discerning spirit that will enables us to know when and to what extent we should embrace culture and when to reject culture. Most importantly of all, God help us to partner with You in creating a biblical culture.