Hello everyone, I found some scriptures from the Bible that pertain to gaming addiction, and there are a lot. Let’s look at 3 of them.

Whether you read the Bible or not, these scriptures no doubt apply to your situation. I’m using the revised New world translation of the holy scriptures, but these scriptures should bear the same message in every translation.

 

“If, then, your hand or your foot makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or lame than to be thrown with two hands or two feet into the everlasting fire(Matthew 18:8)”

- This one is self explanatory. If we want to have a better life and a brighter future, sometimes we have to sacrifice something that’s almost a part of us, and that hurts, almost as much as cutting off a hand or foot. Verse 9 of that same chapter gives the same message, except with the eye.

 

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is focused, your whole body will be bright.  But if your eye is envious, your whole body will be dark. If the light that is in you is really darkness, how great that darkness is!“(Matthew 6:22, 23).

In the scripture, Jesus said this statement mainly to discourage the trusting of wealth to bring happiness and protection. However, it still applies to gaming addiction, or really anything that steals your focus away from what causes you true happiness. Another translation of the Bible puts the word “simple” in place of “focused.” How can any of us say that our lives are simple if we are slave to an activity that causes us undue stress and risks our relationships and livelihood? simply put, we can’t, and because of that we are in figurative darkness.

Also, I love that last part. Basically if we think we have our ducks in a row and we really don’t, then we must be very oblivious to our situation. Sometimes it’s like that when fighting gaming addiction. It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking we are completely in control, only to be toppled by an unexpected urge and relapse. I’ve fallen victim to this kind of thinking and relapsed before.

“ Deaden, therefore, your body members that are on the earth as respects sexual immorality, uncleanness, uncontrolled sexual passion, hurtful desire, and greediness, which is idolatry. On account of those things the wrath of god is coming.”(Colossians 3:5, 6)

- This scripture has a lot of information for us, but let’s just take a look at the very last part of verse 5 “ hurtful desire, and greediness, was which is idolatry.” What is idolatry? It’s the worship of idols devoted to deities. What is greediness?  It’s being excessively or inordinately desirous of something. One could say that an addiction is a sort of unintentional greed. so by being addicted to something, you are inadvertently being greedy over it.
 

So what’s the point? The point is that if you let something control you to the point where you are a slave to it, then you are worshipping your own false god. Even if you profess to be atheist, you are worshipping a false god right now if you continue to play games while addicted. Think of that next time you go to play games, and I will too.

 

Anyway, just wanted to share this info because I thought it was helpful. The Bible is not just an old outdated book, it has practical advice for almost any difficult situation.

@Dpesuti

As a fellow Christian, I heavily appreciate these references. I'll make sure to note them down in case anyone at my church asks about Bible verses that pertain to addiction.

4 minutes ago, amchow said:

@Dpesuti

As a fellow Christian, I heavily appreciate these references. I'll make sure to note them down in case anyone at my church asks about Bible verses that pertain to addiction.

Thanks @amchow, I’m glad you appreciated them.

Also appreciate this, Believer and noobie here.  I'm glad you posted this (even though it was last year lol)..  Thank you!

Thanks for the interesting information. I recently started reading the Bible but didn't really pay attention to these lines. There is really something to think ...