Topical Studies :: Got Questions :: Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say?

"Last Generation Forums" :: Bible Studies ::Topical Studies :: Got Questions :: Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say?  Author Topic: Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say? (Read 1 time) Michael James Stone Administrator Site-Administrator member isonline   Joined: May 2012 Gender: Male Posts: 909 Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say? « Thread StartedToday at 10:59pm »   Question: "Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say about gambling?" Answer: The Bible does not specifically condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. The Bible does warn us, however, to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). Scripture also encourages us to stay away from attempts to “get rich quick” (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10). Gambling most definitely is focused on the love of money and undeniably tempts people with the promise of quick and easy riches. What is wrong with gambling? Gambling is a difficult issue because if it is done in moderation and only on occasion, it is a waste of money, but it is not necessarily evil. People waste money on all sorts of activities. Gambling is no more or less of a waste of money than seeing a movie (in many cases), eating an unnecessarily expensive meal, or purchasing a worthless item. At the same time, the fact that money is wasted on other things does not justify gambling. Money should not be wasted. Excess money should be saved for future needs or given to the Lord's work, not gambled away. While the Bible does not explicitly mention gambling, it does mention events of “luck” or “chance.” As an example, casting lots is used in Leviticus to choose between the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat. Joshua cast lots to determine the allotment of land to the various tribes. Nehemiah cast lots to determine who would live inside the walls of Jerusalem. The apostles cast lots to determine the replacement for Judas. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast in the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” What would the Bible say about casinos and lotteries? Casinos use all sorts of marketing schemes to entice gamblers to risk as much money as possible. They often offer inexpensive or even free alcohol, which encourages drunkenness, and thereby a decreased ability to make wise decisions. Everything in a casino is perfectly rigged for taking money in large sums and giving nothing in return, except for fleeting and empty pleasures. Lotteries attempt to portray themselves as a way to fund education and/or social programs. However, studies show that lottery participants are usually those who can least afford to be spending money on lottery tickets. The allure of “getting rich quick” is too great a temptation to resist for those who are desperate. The chances of winning are infinitesimal, which results in many peoples’ lives being ruined. Can lotto/lottery proceeds please God? Many people claim to be playing the lottery or gambling so that they can give the money to the church or to some other good cause. While this may be a good motive, reality is that few use gambling winnings for godly purposes. Studies show that the vast majority of lottery winners are in an even worse financial situation a few years after winning a jackpot than they were before. Few, if any, truly give the money to a good cause. Further, God does not need our money to fund His mission in the world. Proverbs 13:11 says, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” God is sovereign and will provide for the needs of the church through honest means. Would God be honored by receiving donated drug money or money stolen in a bank robbery? Of course not. Neither does God need or want money that was “stolen” from the poor in the temptation for riches. First Timothy 6:10 tells us, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Hebrews 13:5 declares, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Matthew 6:24 proclaims, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” BLOGOS further insights: What does the Bible say about gambling? I have a confession to make. Every once in a while, when the Powerball Lotto jackpot is over 100 million dollars, I will spend one dollar on a Lotto ticket. I don’t think I’ve ever matched more than two numbers, but the allure of winning such a large amount of money is, to me, worth a $1 investment. In my mind, I have convinced myself that I would be able to handle all of the money without going loony tunes like most lottery winners do. I would give large amounts of money away to churches, Christian causes, Christian organizations, etc., etc. I would sponsor all of the unsponsored Compassion children in Ecuador. I would only keep a small amount of the money for myself. So, why doesn’t God cause me to win the lottery? Let me define what exactly I mean by gambling. I would define gambling as risking money, with the goal of winning significantly more money, in something that is significantly against the odds. Whether it is buying a lottery ticket, or playing blackjack in a casino, or betting at the horse track, what all of those activities have in common is that the odds of winning are very low. Far more people will lose money gambling on those activities than will gain money. That is why the gambling industry is so successful. The reason the gambling industry can afford to occasionally give away millions of dollars is that it is consistently bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars. So, with this definition of gambling in mind – what does the Bible say about gambling? The Bible does not mention gambling per se, at least not in the sense of a command “thou shalt not gamble.” But, the Bible does contain numerous principles that undeniably apply to gambling. The Bible warns us to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). The Bible also discourages attempts to “get rich quick” (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; 28:20; Ecclesiastes 5:10). If anything identifies the gambling industry, it is the “love of money” and the desire to “get rich quick.” The Bible also consistently teaches the importance of financial stewardship and managing money wisely (throughout the book of Proverbs). Excessive gambling definitely violates these three biblical principles. The issue becomes more difficult, though, when controlled/moderate gambling is in question. Can you gamble, just for fun, if the love of money and a desire to get rich quick are not in mind? If the money you would spend on gambling is the money that is usually “wasted” on other things, i.e. fun money, is it wrong to gamble? Often, when people object to the GotQuestions.org article on gambling, they will say something like “What is the difference between spending $10 on lottery tickets vs. spending $10 on a movie and popcorn?” While I agree that there really isn’t much of a difference, the question misses the point. Should we really be wasting our money on anything? Saying that other activities are as bad as gambling does not make gambling good or right. With all of that said, let me make it clear, I believe the Bible gives us the freedom to spend reasonable amounts of money on entertainment/fun. If all other financial responsibilities are being fully and properly managed, there is nothing wrong with “wasting” a little money on a little frivolity. Could this frivolity include spending a dollar or two on lottery tickets? Perhaps. But, again, utmost caution should be taken to make sure it is not done out of a love for money or a desire to get rich. And, be warned, recent scientific studies are showing that gambling addiction can be as strong an addiction as heroin and other illicit drugs. What does the Bible say about gambling? If you can do it free from the love of money, without the desire to get rich quick, and without detracting from taking care of other financial responsibilities – it would be a matter of Christian freedom and personal conviction. Generally speaking, it is best to avoid gambling entirely. I do not think, though, that a conclusive case against ALL gambling can be made from the Bible. Why doesn’t God cause Christians to win the lottery so the money can be given to good causes? God doesn’t need the lottery to fund the causes He supports. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). If God wanted a Christian to win the lottery, He would not even need the Christian to buy a ticket. He could cause the wind to blow a ticket out of someone else’s hands and land in the lap of a Christian a hundred miles away. Hey, it’s windy today. Maybe I should take my laptop and go work outside…   Report to Mod - Link to Post - Back to Top  Logged

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