Watching Out for You

Set up a game - whether it be poker, football or something else - and someone inevitably will try to cheat at that game to gain an advantage.

The latest case of poker cheating comes from an online security website.  "Odlanor" malware can take a look at your cards at a website such as PokerStars, and instantly let your opponents know what you have.  It can enter your computer through poker helps, such as calculators or player databases.

For those of us who play online primarily, this is irritating but no big deal.  But for those who play online for money, it's a very big deal -- as cheaters could take advantage and rob players of winnings.

You probably can delete the malware programs to solve the problem. But that doesn't solve the core issue: Why do some people cheat at poker? Why do they feel compelled to break the rules, be unethical and attempt to sneak their way to victory?

As odd as it may sound, we think the problem is spiritual. At the root of a malware infection is a sin infection....

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. - Romans 7:18

The man writing these words was the apostle Paul. Yes, one of Jesus's apostles admitted he had a sinful nature.  If he does, we suspect deep-down all of us do.

For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. - Romans 7:19-20

The wording here can seem confusing.  But Paul is saying a sinful nature inside him can lead him to do bad things -- such as cheating.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! - Romans 7:24-25

Jesus came in part to provide people a new nature - a nature that is holy, godly and righteous.  In other words, one that doesn't want to cheat.

To them God has chosen to make know among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. - Galatians 1:27

Once Jesus enters a person through the Holy Spirit, everything should start changing. But we need to focus on living a godly way, not the cheating way.  Look for ways to win that are clean and above reproach - not ways that can get you tracked down like a cyber-criminal and put in jail.