Christians Have No Fun?

Has anyone ever said to you, “It’s no fun to be a Christian; you can’t do anything fun.” Perhaps, someone has told you, “Christians never have any fun.” Unfortunately, this notion has become increasingly prevalent among the unbelievers of our modern society. It stems from a false narrative that Christianity is somehow prohibitively restrictive, overly boring, and lacking any semblance of enjoyment. Yet, personally, I don’t know a single faithful Christian who actually feels that way. In fact, I know many Christians who have a great deal of fun, including myself! So, what are they talking about? Why do they say such a thing?

Two Sides to Every Coin

If we consider this from a more carnal perspective (Romans 8:5-8), then we start to see where this false narrative originated. Ask any worldly person, “What does ‘having fun’ mean to you?” They will most often respond with answers like, “hanging out with friends; playing sports/recreation; partying; going to a show/concert; dancing; getting drunk; doing drugs; having sex; getting away with something illegal; etc.” These are real answers and engaging in these activities are what constitutes “fun” to them. Hollywood and other entertainment sources commonly portray these things as the definition of fun, also. Not all of these are bad, of course, but they’re certainly not all good either. Immediately, a spiritually minded person should recognize their definition of “fun” sometimes equates to sinful behavior. What is truly sad, is that some of these so-called “fun” activities can be extremely detrimental to one’s health and longevity. Just as there are things one can eat that are not good for you, it is the same with some of these things deemed as “fun.” Some “foods” may look appealing and even taste good, but could also be completely synthetic, lack any nutritional value at all, and/or be extremely carcinogenic. That’s how it is with worldly thinking, “those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,” (8:5). From their point of view, they see Christianity as nothing more than imposed restrictions upon “fun” things. All they hear is, “You can’t do this and you can’t do that.” They’re not considering that other things exist which equate to “fun” activities.

Joy Equals Fun

So, what constitutes real “fun”? What enjoyment does a Christian experience? Considering the Bible mentions “joy; joyful; rejoice” some 135 times in NT, it would seem there are certain instances where a Christian has much enjoyment, or delight. It becomes clear that what is considered fun is simply a state of mind. For example, shopping is “fun” to many women, but not so much for a man. Using power tools might be “fun” for a man, but not necessarily for a woman. It depends upon who’s defining what is fun, or not. Since, Paul said we should “not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2), then, how we define fun could be affected, as well.

The fact is, Christians have just as much fun, if not more, as anyone on earth. Personally, I enjoy going to worship, even though it’s a more pensive event. I have fun fellowshipping with my brethren. I engage in numerous, enjoyable activities and hobbies that are wholesome and good, just like many brethren do. But, until one has experienced true joy and the “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) of being an obedient disciple of Jesus, then someone outside of the church will never truly understand how a Christian can certainly have fun, too.