1Cor.10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Rom.14:5b Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom.14:23b for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
---Do everything to the glory of God. If you have any doubts whatsoever, don't. Could you picture Jesus at a casino?
DHK
Gambling
Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by Brother Adam, May 12, 2002.
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Originally posted by DHK:
1Cor.10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Rom.14:5b Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom.14:23b for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
---Do everything to the glory of God. If you have any doubts whatsoever, don't. Could you picture Jesus at a casino?
DHKClick to expand...
BTW, we should all live according to 1 Cor. 10:31. There is great freedom in that verse. -
Gambling for other reasons?? Which ones would those be?Click to expand...
A common theme running through the teachings of Jesus is a dirty word among Christians today. It is "sacrifice." Christ calls all his disciples to a life of sacrifice. "If any man will follow me let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Gambling should be one of those things that are nailed to the cross, denied, and given up. It has no place in the Christian life.Click to expand...
Christ says that our love for Him should be so great that our love for our own parents and close relatives would seem as hate.Click to expand...
Foxes have holes, the birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of man has no where to lay his head for rest. Come and follow me, He says. To the rich young ruler of Mark 10, he said: "One thing you lack, go and sell all that you have, give to the poor, take up your cross, and follow me." The young man went away sorrowful at that saying for he had many possessions. Christians don't like this concept of sacrifice that Christ taught. When it comes to giving it should not be a question of how much should I give, but rather how much should I keep. Put in that context gambling has no place in the Christian life. It's money can be put to better use. Your giving to the wrong cause.
DHKClick to expand...
You set a very high bar. I hope that you are able to live up to it.
BTW, the passage you mention is not a call to monastocism. -
Guy,
Thank you. You've proven what I was trying to say. The word "pornography" may not be expressly or explicitly used, but the principle is clear.
The soldiers gambling for our dying savior's clothing...is much different than casting lots to see who is going to be the next disciple. The context is pretty clear that the soldiers were out-and-out gambling, while the disciples were voting....
Concern for our souls, and for our brethren, requires that we do those things that keep ourselves and our brethren from stumbling.
Knowing that some people gamble because it is an addiction...knowing that some people gamble in a vain hope to obtain funds they neither earned nor deserve, nor care about who suffers from the loss of it...knowing this, how can we, as Christians, give gambling a "stamp of approval"? -
Originally posted by Don:
Guy,
Thank you. You've proven what I was trying to say. The word "pornography" may not be expressly or explicitly used, but the principle is clear.
The soldiers gambling for our dying savior's clothing...is much different than casting lots to see who is going to be the next disciple. The context is pretty clear that the soldiers were out-and-out gambling, while the disciples were voting....
Concern for our souls, and for our brethren, requires that we do those things that keep ourselves and our brethren from stumbling.
Knowing that some people gamble because it is an addiction...knowing that some people gamble in a vain hope to obtain funds they neither earned nor deserve, nor care about who suffers from the loss of it...knowing this, how can we, as Christians, give gambling a "stamp of approval"?Click to expand...
However, the issue of gambling points out a duplicity in Baptist ranks. Your church may be an exception but the membership of every Baptist church I have joined or visited has been dominated, numerically, by folks who are at or near obesity. And more than half of all pastors I know seem to be leading by example in this regard.
With some notable exceptions, we eat unhealthy foods, we live sedentary lifestyles, etc... but I have never heard these practices attacked with the same fervor as that of gambling.
I would love to see a Baptist people who were at least as concerned (as shown by our actions) about how a majority of us treat our "temples" as we are about how a minority of us spend our entertainment dollar.
As interesting story may illustrate my point. One of my close friends (a church member) runs marathons, is very healthy, lives a very Godly life, and has an occasional glass of wine at dinner (partly because of the health benefit/partly because of the enjoyment). Another friend of mine (member of the same church) is your stereotypical southern preacher boy (no slam intended) whose hobbies include amazing amounts of reading, study, and eating fried foods (we call this "fellowshiping" down 'hea'). He is about 65lbs overweight and should probably be saving ahead for that open heart surgery that is sure to come within the next 20 years.
Friend 2 found out about friend 1's occasional glass of wine and went ballistic. Fellowship between then is still a bit strained. BTW, friend 1, realizing that this glass of wine thing had caused something resembling a "stumble" by friend 2, decided to stop partaking (even in the privacy of his own home) as long as he was in the same church as friend 2.
At the writing of this post, friend 2 rejects any and all comparisons of drinking a glass of wine and eating an unhealthy diet.
[ May 15, 2002, 09:48 AM: Message edited by: Jonathan ] -
Originally posted by Jonathan:
Originally posted by Don:
[qb]At the writing of this post, friend 2 rejects any and all comparisons of drinking a glass of wine and eating an unhealthy diet.Click to expand...Click to expand... -
Originally posted by Jefferson:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Jonathan:
Originally posted by Don:
[qb]At the writing of this post, friend 2 rejects any and all comparisons of drinking a glass of wine and eating an unhealthy diet.Click to expand...Click to expand...
Basically, he doesn't claim any grounds for his argument.
[ May 31, 2002, 07:55 AM: Message edited by: Jonathan ]
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