ISSUES IN THE GAME

The following goes through some issues faced in each level of the game. We hope this will provide further understanding about what is going on in the game. We have another page where we talk about the serious core issues such as who is God and why believe. If you've got those questions, then go here. 

SANCTIFICATION   One primary theme of the Saints of Virtue is SANCTIFICATION. This is the process by which God gets rid of a lot of the crud in our life and makes us more like Him. As you go through the game, you see what the world says and then find ways to overcome the world with the truths of God. One primary theme in Saints of Virtue is SANCTIFICATION. This is the process by which God keeps getting rid of the crud and ugliness in our life and makes us more like Him. It is not just following the laws of the Bible, it is a reformation of our inner heart. It requires the Holy Spirit working through us and teaching and guiding us in His truth. And it requires us submitting to the Holy Spirit each day.  As you go throughout the game, you see what the world says and then find ways to overcome the world with the truths of God. However, knowing these truths is good, but truly understanding them and applying them requires the power of the Holy Spirit. You need to write them on your heart (ie. memorize them) and then let God work them out in your life. The following verses in the Bible help describe Sanctification -- John 15:4-12; 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

 

APATHY      Apathy is not caring about anything. It is about being lazy, being selfish, and being indifferent to those people and situations around us. Sure, we can get upset about big incidents in the world (school shootings, murders, or wars) but the everyday world we live in, we may have little emotion or feeling. Some say that it is because of all the media -- tv, music, radio, commercials, etc. -- that nearly everyone today just doesn't care. We are so constantly stimulated by all these images and noise that we cannot feel. The bigger issue is what we feed our mind on -- with things of the world or things of God. When we listen to the world when it says: just have fun, focus on material things, we are not special, and just do it your way, then we lose our focus on the important things of life like God, we are spiritual beings, we are emotional beings, truth is essential, and we have a purpose.   "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19) The problem with apathy is it is not something we can just change. If you are thinking, ok, I'll care...and that's all there is to it, then you will find it just doesn't work. Sure, you can do one good deed a week...to make yourself feel better but that can lead to Legalism. Apathy centers around attitudes of the heart. We need the Holy Spirit guiding and directing our heart. We need a Spirit-filled life, not a self-centered life. And that is where God comes in. That is why He has given us the Holy Spirit. To guide, protect, teach, and empower us. First, we need to have a relationship with God (for understanding about that, look here), and then we need to choose to let the Holy Spirit come in to our lives and take control. It is a daily decision.

 
 

LEGALISM         Many Christians and church-going people are caught in Legalism these days. They are focused on rules and believe everyone should follow their rules. They are focused on performance for acceptance by others. They may think they can be perfect and have to be in this lifetime. They judge everyone else by their rules. While having laws and rules are good and something God has established, we must concern ourselves about the attitudes of our heart. That is what matters.   "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14) The God of the Bible is a God of Grace. He desires to show us love and build us up. He knows we will fall into sin. He does discipline us when we fall, but that is so that we can learn from it and change. God works on our hearts first and foremost, and it is only His work that can change our spiritual selves. Only the Holy Spirit guiding and directing our lives can change us. That is why the Bible says: "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:6)"

 
 

NEW AGE       The New Age refers to the new religious thoughts that have pervaded the world in recent times. These thoughts hope for a "new age" where man evolves into a better being. Much of the New Age thinking is based on Eastern religious thought especially Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism. The New Age religions promote that we can become gods through what we do. If only we become better people and follow the "right path", then we can slowly attain godhood.  This focus on the glorification of self leads people astray from seeing who they are and who God is. We need to see God as the all-powerful, almighty God He is. We need to see ourselves as imperfect, sinful people we are. We need to replace a proud heart that says we can get to heaven on our own with a humble heart that says I need you God.  "Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. (Deut. 4:39)" Another root of the New Age says -- believe whatever feels good. Instead of truth being something absolute, truth becomes whatever feels right to you. So, if you think Buddha is ok, they say that is fine for you. However, logic teaches that there is only one truth. And the Bible teaches that God is the only God. If the Bible is just a book of good teachings, and God is just a force, then it is easy to see how many religions can become interchangable. But when you see God as wanting a personal relationship with you and offering the only way through what Jesus Christ did on the cross, the only truth becomes evident.   Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

DOMAIN OF THE HEART     What it comes down to in the Christian life is -- who will be our god? Will we let God or will we be. We will struggle with selfishness until the day we die. Pride will be something we have to continually overcome by submitting our will to God's will. We need to put Jesus Christ on the throne of our heart. The throne of our heart is where we make decisions. We need to allow Him to help us make the decisions in our life. If we sit on the throne, we will be discouraged, hurt, and ultimately fail. With Christ on our throne, He can direct us and guide us and counsel us to the right way -- the will of God. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev. 3:20) Sometimes life can be hard, almost unbearable, but that is where we who believe have a great hope. The hope of heaven and living with God forever. That is what He has promised to those who believe on the name of the Jesus.

SOME DEFINITIONS      Below are some definitions about "spiritual" things. They are our definitions...if you have more questions, please contact us. PRAYER is just talking to God. Since God is not physical -- He is Spirit -- many people often close their eyes when they pray (but that is not required). You can pray whenever you want...it is does not need to even be spoken out loud. You can pray in your thoughts or speaking out loud or even a whisper. God wants us talking to Him...and not just asking for things...but sharing our problems and struggles, giving Him thanks (because He deserves it!), and calling out for help when we our facing temptations.  SIN is breaking God's laws. We can sin by doing things such as stealing, hurting someone, cheating, and the "criminal things" of life. We can ALSO sin by what we say -- hurtful words, lying, cursing, deceiving, or putting someone down. We can sin too in our minds by thinking bad thoughts such as desiring someone else's things or lusting after women (or men). Finally, we can break God's laws by NOT doing the things we should. If God wants us to pray or give money to the poor or help a neighbor in need and WE DON'T, then that is sin too.  THE HOLY SPIRIT is the third Person in the Trinity. When the Bible tells us how the Holy Spirit grieves and feels and counsels, we see how personal the Holy Spirit is -- he is not just a force (see John 14:17, 26; John 15:26; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; 1 Cor. 12:11,  Romans 8:26) When we see what the Holy Spirit does, we see how He has full power of God (see Psalm 139:7; Ephes. 2:17-18; 1 Cor. 2:10-11; 1 Cor. 12:13 ; Luke 1:35; Romans 8:11).  TRINITY is the concept where God is in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. We see these three persons separately, but they are one God. They are not three different gods. They just manifest in three different persons.