In the vibrant and expansive world of video games, there are characters known as non-Player Characters (NPCs). These figures, controlled by the game’s programming rather than by human players, fill the background of digital worlds. Typically, NPCs have no real impact on the storyline or the outcomes of the game. They wander through the game’s environment, repeating pre-programmed lines and serving as nothing more than scenery or tools to advance the plot for the actual players.
While originating in gaming, this concept serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual lives of many Christians today. In a world thirsting for meaning and purpose, it's critical that believers do not reduce themselves to spiritual NPCs—mere background characters in God's grand narrative. God's plan isn't for us to be just another face in the crowd but His force for change in the crowd.
The NPC in Christianity: Ritual over Relationship
Many Christians today have adopted a form of faith that mirrors the existence of an NPC. They participate in rituals and attend church services, yet they do not engage deeply with their faith or the world around them. Christianity becomes a routine rather than a transformative relationship with Christ. They are in the church but not in the game; spectators rather than players. This approach reduces their faith to a series of actions to be performed rather than a life-changing journey to be experienced. C.S. Lewis famously said, “Going to church no more makes you a Christian than standing in a garage makes you a car." I put it this way: they are in the church, but not in Christ.
James 1:22 warns against this passive stance: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." This scripture challenges believers not to be mere hearers—and by extension, not mere background characters in their own spiritual lives—but doers of the Word.
The Danger of Being a Bystander to Reality
When Christians choose to live as NPCs, they become bystanders to their own reality. Their purpose is no longer defined by their relationship with God but by the limited scripts they have been handed—by tradition, by culture, or by their own reluctance to engage deeply with their faith. As bystanders, they watch passively as opportunities to truly live out the teachings of Christ pass them by.
Consider the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37. The priest and the Levite, who one might argue were the religious NPCs of their time, passed by the wounded man on the road. They followed their ritual purity laws rather than engaging with the raw and messy reality of human suffering—a stark contrast to the Samaritan, who lived his faith actively and compassionately. John Wesley famously said, "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can."
From Ritual to Relationship
Christianity was never meant to be a ritualistic religion but a vibrant, living relationship with Christ. Galatians 2:20 emphasizes this dynamic relationship: "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." This verse calls for an active, sacrificial participation in the life of faith, mirroring Christ’s own commitment and action. Christianity calls us not to the repetition of rites but to the repetition of surrender—daily dying to ourselves and living through Christ.
To move from ritual to relationship, Christians must become active players in their faith. This means engaging with the Bible not just as a text but as the living word of God (Hebrews 4:12). It means seeing prayer not just as a ritualistic recitation but as ongoing, dynamic communication with a living God (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). “In the words of Leonard Ravenhill: "Many of us are hunting mice while lions devour the land."
The Call to Engagement
Being an active participant in Christianity means more than just attending church. It involves being a light to the world and salt to the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). The true test of our faith is not how we sit in church but how we stand in the world—being agents of change, salt and light in every deed. Christians are called not to blend into the background like NPCs but to stand out, making a real difference in their communities and bringing the flavor of Christ’s love to the world. Oswald Chambers once said, "Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading."
The Apostle Paul exemplifies this active engagement. In Acts 17:22-31, Paul does not passively observe the Athenian culture; instead, he actively engages with it, using it as a bridge to discuss Christ with the philosophers on Mars Hill. Paul was fully "in the game," using every opportunity to advocate for the gospel.
Living Non-NPC Lives
How, then, can Christians avoid becoming NPCs in their faith?
Embrace Active Learning: Engage deeply with scripture, not just reading but studying and applying it to life.
Participate in Community: Be involved in church and community activities where faith is put into action.
Practice Faith Daily: Make prayer, worship, and service regular parts of daily life, not just Sunday rituals.
Share Your Faith: Like the Samaritan, be ready to assist, speak, and live out the love of Christ in every encounter.
Christian author C.S. Lewis once said, "Every Christian is called to become a tough, resilient disciple, taking part in the passionate and bloody drama of Christ’s story." This drama requires active participation—being in the thick of the action, not watching from the sidelines.
Conclusion
To be Christian is to be called into a story much larger than ourselves. In God’s Kingdom, there are no background characters. Each believer is called to a purposeful existence, deeply engaged with their faith and their world. Let’s step out of the NPC role and into the dynamic, transformative role Christ has scripted for each of us. By doing so, we live not as characters defined by the game but as followers of Christ, defined by His eternal love and purpose.
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