What Are "The Affairs Of This Life"?

2 Timothy 2:4 (KJV)

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

This is another one of those Scripture verses I have been wrestling with for quite some time, and this teaching has come up again while I was at work.

A few days ago, I did a foolish thing.  I applied to many game shows.  My excuse was that I wanted another adventure, with the added possible benefit of winning enough in prize money to cover the trip (which in game show terms isn't much, probably around $1,200).

Today, I received an email from one of the casting companies behind a show, encouraging me to apply when the contestant application was online (prior to this, all it had was an e-mail, casting told me that they were doing maintenance on the site).

I wrestled with the idea of trying out.  You see, the show was to be a spin-off of the show "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?"  This was really tempting since I am a school custodian, seemingly a perfect fit!  

Yet, part of me felt that this was wrong.  Now, in and of itself, appearing on a television program and winning prizes is not wrong (I won a sizeable prize at a trade show last summer).  But honestly, why are you doing it?  Game shows have the egregious appearance of greed (indeed, that was the very name of one such program!), and can easily fit this verse in Scripture:

1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Even game shows themselves admit to this.  On the very first episode of Jeopardy in 1984, in the category THE BIBLE, the clue read "According to I Timothy, it is the root of all evil."  The contestant correctly responded, "What is the love of money?" to which Alex Trebek concurred with Greg Hopkins on the emphasis of "the LOVE of money".

But, back to Fifth Grader:  There were other obstacles in the way, which in retrospect, I made excuses in my mind for:  Despite me being the only custodian in the building, I still had personal days, which are specifically used for personal business "which can be most properly conducted during school hours", says the district handbook.  Also, despite me looking very unprofessional by going on some fun thing, Fifth Grader might make the school district look good!  (Such a foolish excuse was similarly portrayed in the film Quiz Show, when the producers convinced Charles Van Doren (and Herbert Stempel) that participating in the quiz show fix would be good for the cause of education.)

One thing I haven't yet done:  Prayed.  I made a quick prayer in the office, and an amazing thing happened:  I felt a sense of calm and relief!  I interpreted this as God showing me the outcome of deciding not to participate in this program.  Again, this was my interpretation, but it was consistent with other times I have been involved in life's affairs.  Once they were over, I was similarly relieved.

Later that evening, out of curiosity, I went back to 2 Timothy 2:4.  I looked at the Commentary section of e-Sword which contained the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.  The TSK is simply a resource where you can find linked verses that speak of the same topics.  So I followed the TSK of that verse, under the word "entangleth".  Here are the Scripture texts that were listed (I'm using the ESV here for clarity):

2 Timothy 4:10 (ESV)

10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.'

Luke 8:14 (ESV)

14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

1 Corinthians 9:25-26 (ESV)

25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

1 Timothy 6:9-12 (ESV)

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

2 Peter 2:20 (ESV)

20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

With all this, it has become crystal clear.  Typically, Christians have no business going on game shows, or being involved with any kind of worldly affairs (that are not mandated by Christ that is, good works, letting our light shine in the world, etc. are always mandated).   Worldliness chokes the Word of God, which leads to unfruitfulness, which leads to Hell.

Now, the title of this piece is called "What Are "The Affairs Of This Life"?" As in, how are such affairs defined?  

Honestly, I don't know.  In my personal experience, any worldly enterprise that requires a long-term investment of time, energy, and resources is certainly an affair of this life.  Say I wanted to start a fantasy football league.  Why would I want to do this?  Does this advance the kingdom of God?  Or is this just for me?  In my opinion, such pursuits, if they are for yourself, are a waste of time that I would have to answer for on the Day of Judgment.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

Let's see, another example...worldly business ventures, perhaps?  One example I can recall:  There is this movie company called Legion M where fans can invest money in exchange for shares in their company.  The company, lauded by luminaries such as William Shatner, seeks to give fans more power and control over the studio.  Again, what does all this have to do with following Christ?

I guess the key word here is "entangleth".  Indeed the Greek word for the KJV phrase "entangleth himself with" is literally defined as "entwine".  So, to watch television would not be an entwining.  Attending a folk dance would not be an entwining.  These are one and done events, not requiring further investment.

(Some may say, what about getting married?  I Corinthians 7 covers that concept well.  It is no sin, but can be distracting in your walk with Christ.)

All this fits with the concept of not being attached to the world.  In fact, I Corinthians 7:29-31 says it well:

1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (ESV)

29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.