In the 1984 Orange Bowl game, #1 ranked Nebraska trailed Miami 17–0 after the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, Nebraska coach Tom Osborne called for the “fumblerooski play.” Nebraska quarterback Turner Gill expertly “fumbled” the snap from the center by setting it on the turf. The ball was picked up by All-American offensive guard Dean Steinkuhler, who ran the ball 19 yards for a touchdown.

The fumblerooski is a trick play invented by John Heisman. Deception is a crucial part of most sports. Misdirection plays fool an opponent, so they don’t recognize the strategy soon enough to counter it. Good teams and players are not easily fooled.

1 John 3 – The Real Thing

Deception is also used to produce counterfeit money. The only way not to get exploited is to know the “truth,” the real thing, so well that you cannot be tricked. The way to identify fake bills is not by hours of examining counterfeit money. Instead, you study the real thing. By becoming so familiar with the real bills, you can spot a counterfeit by looking at it or feeling it. This is precisely the same approach John takes in 1 John 3. He warns the readers there are counterfeit Christians—“children of the devil” (1 John 3:10). John doesn’t list the characteristics of Satan’s children. Still, He describes God’s children so they two can be contrasted.

John’s key to recognizing a real child of God is that they will practice righteousness and love other Christians (1 John 3:10). Though many great men in the Bible sinned at one time or another, sin was not the regular practice of these men. It was only an isolated incident and was contrary to their everyday habits. Whenever they sinned, they confessed it and asked God to forgive them. The counterfeit Christian lives a life of habitual sin.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete are born of God through faith in Christ. They know God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Because of this relationship, they no longer regularly practice sin but live a life of obedience.