Gambling

Gambling is like the lottery. It is a tax on people who are bad at math. Casinos and lotteries wouldn't be in business if people weren't losing in a big hurry.

It is bad stewardship of the resources God has given us. It is often an attempt to gain money apart from work, which is the way that God ordained us to gain money. It is most often a game of chance over which there is no legitimate control of the outcome. That's why the phrase "roll of the dice" is a phrase used to describe the unknown.

 

Just my perspective

The Book of Proverbs tells us on more than one occasion

"Unjust weights are an abomination unto the Lord"

You have to reason with yourself----the "House" knows that the "odds" are stacked in THEIR favor and against you----meaning----the manner in which it is presented to you is unjust!!

The Bible also tells us that we are not to give our money to strangers----and that "House Dealer" is about as "strange" as they come!!!!

Gambling is a tax on those who are bad at math!!!

Gambling is robbery in slow motion----from your hands to the House's---and the house is armed with only a deck of cards!!!!

You won't be passing up a blessing----if you "pass" on gambling---dear sir---you will be passing up on the biggest HEAD AND HEART ACHE that the HOUSE can throw on you!!!

Bro. David

 

There is no bible verse that you can pull out and say "See, it says here in Hezekiah 13:4 that 'thou shalt not gamble.'"

However, gambling is a bad idea for several reasons, many of which are posted here. The greed that comes with gambling is a sin. The self-centeredness that comes with gambling is a sin. The deception is a sin. The poor use of money is a sin. If you allow yourself to be addicted by it, you are foolish.

Overall, gambling is a bad bet. You will not pass up a blessing......you will lose your money.

 

To me gambling is wrong based on the fact we want something that belongs to someone else, someone had to loose that money before we can win it.

 

I agree, gambling can be very disruptive and the odds are stacked against you. Definitely bad stewardship.

Here's a related question.

Is there anything wrong with a game of chance, if nothing is being put on the line?

There is some skill in many gambling games and they can be fun to play.

Could this alos be a "meat sacrificed to idols" issue?

Just a thought.

Tim

 

More related questions.

What about the stock market?

What about the stock market for the casual investor? You know the one that does not know the first thing about it but picks his stocks by the sound of their name.

Is my 401k a sin, it is technecly be a gamble. I choose what funds my money goes into useing no skill at all.

 

I'm scared Pastor Larry, this is two that we have agreed upon.

From what I remember as a kid growing up, the main focus on gambling was two fold in the church/school I attended.

1. It is the worst form of stewardship that one could be involved in.
2. It was/is evil because the soldiers "gambled" at the foot of the cross for the robe of Christ.

Gambling also starts out as a personal experiment like drugs or alcohol and then turns into a personal choice addiction in which the one who is addicted looses a substantial portion of their resources and then begins to gamble with the lively hood of the family. It also turns into a metal need to win big which the family and God are not put first and frankly are never thought about again.

 

Reading this above makes gambling sound like freebasing crack. It ignores the 99.99999999999999%+ of people who spend $25 as entertainment and dont make it back to the poker night with the buddies for months. People who dont plan to make a million or even see the $25 again. It is entertainment money and is budjeted for that. The kids are not going withoug huggies if...when this money is gone. Its an excuse to get away from the house and spend a night with friends.

My opinion gambling can be a false god. If you are relying on luck to provide for you instead of God to provide. If you need to gamble, you need to stop. If you can not afford to loose the money.

However for the vast majority of people who stick the $25 dollars into a night with friends instead of watching a movie, or going golfing (golfing is x10 as expensive), or bowling it can be entertainment and just that. As for bad stuardship of money, look in your check book and tell me that you can not find $25 that was spent on something unnessesary.

 

"Whatsoever is not of faith--is sin"--Romans, Ch. 14, verse 23, KJV.

"A little leaven leavens the whole lump"--I Corinthians, Ch. 5, verse 6, KJV.

Our reprobate consciences and minds have been seered with the rationale: "If it feels good, it is O.K." This is a symptom of "Carnal Christianity". See the Apostle Paul's Letters to the Corinthian Assembly.

We cannot serve God--"in the flesh"--regardless of our best incantations and rationalizations.

Gambling is almost as insidious as alcohol--both have been used to destroy a multitude of families.

Selah,

Bro. James

 

How about golf, it also applies. I know many people that spend alot, I mean alot of time and money golfing. This takes time and money away from their familes. I can not think of a game of golf as being in faith, so it must be sin. And the game only satisfies the flesh. Therefore the game of golf is a sin like gambeling. There has been many a family split up over things like to much golf, or fishing or whatever.

It is my opinion that the activity (gambeling or golf) can be a sin if abused. But can be just an activity also. I have yet to see somebody post a scripture saying not to gamble. That is what would change my mind.

 

"Trinity" is not used in the scripture. Some believe it some do not.

Now what?

Selah,

Bro. James.

 

The word Trinity is not used in the bible. The doctrin is clearly taught.

I am not looking for the word gamble. Show me the teaching where gambling is clearly a sin.

I understand why it can be, I just dont think it is always a sin. Where I live the dominant religion uses the same arguments you use against gambeling to argue coffee is a sin.

So I have seen nothing against my arguments. Maybe we just have to disagree on this one. Certenly you are not saying the belefe in gambeling or not is as important as belefe in the Trinity.

 

Trying to equate gambling with the stock market or golf or coffee is very desperate. It is clearly different.

To claim that only a clear verse would change your mind also ignores the principle of wisdom and application of Scripture.

In the end, gambling is a bad choice. It violates the scriptural directives about the gain and use of money.

 

Pastor Larry is right. Poor stewardship is not taught in the criptures. Clearly gambling, the lottery, etc., are not examples of good stewardship. Yet another example of Americans trying to get something for nothing.

 

I respect your opinions also. I am waiting for any scripture evidence. I realize that I will not see Thou shalt not gamble. I will continue reading looking for something convincing. I honestly don't see the differance between puting $10 on a horse race or $10 on a stock that I know nothing about. The same chance and risk are involved in both. I no nothing about both.

Like I said I do see the problem with puting money you can not afford to lose, trying to make a living, or attempting to solve money problems by gambeling.


I can always learn, it has happened before. I will continue reading.

 

Ian

The problem with the poor stewardship argument is it would be any misspending of money and resorces. Why focus only on gambeling. Most of us spend our money on alot of things we do not need or could do without. I did not walk to work today, the money I spent could have been used better. I blew money last week on pizza and a movie. I can think of a lot better things it could have went for. Is this the same sin as gambeling.

 

Who is recommending putting $10 on a stock you know nothing about? I disagree with that. That is bad stewardship. Relaxation and eating are not in the same category. Now, if you are spending $60 to take your family to a movie, that may not be good stewardship. It depends on a lot of factors. It may not even be good for your family depending on what you are seeing. But those are very different issues. In gambling we are talking about gaining money by pure chance, in a game where the odds are drastically stacked against you. In the stock market, you can evaluate the company and be assured that the company is trying to make money for you. The house is not trying to make money for you.

Have you studied the biblical principles of stewardship?

 

Quote below: By the way how do you work this quote thing ?

Larry wrote ~ Who is recommending putting $10 on a stock you know nothing about? I disagree with that. That is bad stewardship. Relaxation and eating are not in the same category. Now, if you are spending $60 to take your family to a movie, that may not be good stewardship.

By the way isn't gluttoning a sin. I don't find to many Christians who talk much about that.

I do not see why $10.00 and $60.00 makes any difference. If you made a lot of money or didn't have a family to support $60.00 wouldn't be that much to you. I don't know anyone who doesn't splerge on something.

Not to stereo type but consider this

Kids ~ video games, cell phones, toys. designer shoes and cloths.

Women ~ cloths, shoes, makeup, starbucks coffee, jewlery.

Men ~ Sporting events and golf, movies, huge tv's, electronic gadgets, cars.

Lets not forget the huge houses many Christians have but don't need. and thier huge cars.

Hows that for good stewardship of our money ?

I agree with Deejay on this if there are no bible verses cleary saying its wrong, it is a concience thing. If you have money to spent to have fun and enjoy without becoming addicted than whats the harm ?