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Top 7 Bible Verses About Hobbies

Top 7 Bible Verses About Hobbies

Last updated on: June 29, 2016 at 11:12 pm by Jack Wellman

Top 7 Bible Verses About Hobbies 2016-06-29T23:12:17-05:00 Jack Wellman

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Here are seven Bible verses that might relate to hobbies.

First Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Hobbies are a great way to unwind. They help us take a break from the daily grind of life. Some like fishing. Others enjoy hunting. I like playing the guitar. I like college sports too but it’s important to make sure whatever hobby it is, that it glorifies God and is something that you believe God would approve of. The Apostle Paul includes everything we do as being done for God’s glory. That would include hobbies too if done right.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”

What Solomon may also be saying is that we should give it all we’ve got because we can’t do anything from the grave, including our favorite hobbies. We only get one chance at this. We only have one life to live here on earth, unless a person’s been born again (John 3:3-7); otherwise, this is it! There are certainly no “do overs” after death (Heb 9:27). There is life after death, but the two locations are vastly different and there is no crossing over from one place to another as Luke writes, there is “a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us” (Luke 16:26). It’s either heaven or hell. One is not good (Rev 20:12-15). The other one is (Rev 22) but only because of Jesus Christ (John 3:16).

First John 2:15-17 “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 desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

Hobbies are fine, but we can get carried away with them all too easily and put too much time, energy, and money into them. This takes us away from things that we might be better off doing for Christ (Matt 25:35-36), for our family, and certainly for others. If we love the things of the world too much, including our hobbies, then we know it’s not from the Father because if we love the things of the world more than God, the Apostle John reminds us that it’s all going to be gone someday and we might have a bit too much of the world in us…or we’re not really saved in the first place because it is only those who do “the will of God [who will] abide forever.”

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The word “conformed” means “with pressure” or you could put it this way; “Don’t let the world mold you into its shape” or better yet, “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own form.” Rather, we are to be transformed by the renewing our mind. If we claim to be saved, then we should already have a new mind (2nd Cor 5:17), but if we’re obsessed with worldly pleasures, hobbies included, then we are not being conformed and transformed and then we can’t as easily know how to discern God’s will. That’s not good.

Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

This might give us some clarity as to whether our hobbies are good or not. Are they just, pure, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise? Would you consider a violent video game pure? Would the movie you and I watch be honorable? Just like food, what we bring into our minds can influence who we become or how we act. Violent video games and movies are known to increase violent behavior because garbage in, garbage out. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:1 that “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” so we should present our minds in the very same way and what goes into our minds should be acceptable to God.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-24 “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ”

If you love camping trips, fishing expeditions, or outdoor bar-b-ques, this verse is for you. God wants us to enjoy the pleasures of life. He would have never given us the ability to enjoy good things and then provide those good things if He didn’t think we should (at least once in a while). Rest, relaxation, and recreation does a body good and so too can hobbies such as these.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

There is a time for everything and a time to refrain from doing some things. When our hobbies begin to interfere with our families or our work, then they’ve become a detriment and the danger is, they’ve became an idol and we all know how God feels about idolatry. When hobbies take over a person’s life, they begin to hurt others, even if it’s themselves. Neglect of work, family, friends, or church can start to have a cumulative effect. There is a time for enjoying hobbies but there’s also a time for enjoying others.

Conclusion

We can have hobbies or they can have us. Many people have addictions to things like video games and this causes them to neglect other important things like family, work, house maintenance and yard work and maintenance for the car(s). They can spend hours in a day playing the same game, always trying to reach another level. It’s even more addictive when you’re playing online against others. Its okay to enjoy your hobbies and spend time with your friends who have the same hobbies, but let’s you and I not forget to spend time in prayer, with family, in church, at work, and whatever is essential in our life.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

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