May A Christian Gamble?
Gambling is defined as "To play or game for money or other stakes." It is an unnatural and artificial risk taking. It is a situation in which a risk is created purely for the purpose of taking a risk. Below are a number of reasons why it is scriptural and otherwise unwise and wrong to gamble.
1. Many people get psychologically hooked. There are Gamblers' Anonymous groups all over the country presently like AA groups. Since there is always the possibility of getting hooked, it like alcohol, is a very dangerous thing to get involved in.
2. It is an attempt to get something for nothing. There is no such thing! Whenever someone gets something for nothing, someone got nothing for something.
3. It is not labor, a fair exchange, or a gift. Genesis 3:19; Ephesians 4:28 - These are the ways we are told to get gain.
4. Its associates, deceit and dishonesty, are condemned. Romans 12:17.
5. On a large scale (auto, dog, horse racing) it plays into the hands of the crime syndicate in this country. I have evidence from Congress down in my offices files to support this claim.
6. It encourages a reckless approach to life.
7. It encourages a callousness to the interests and wellbeing of others. On a number of occasions I have personally observed the previous two items.
8. It promotes covetousness, that is, one who basically desires to have what someone else has. Frankly, I know of no better illustration to show what is condemned in the Bible in the word for covetousness, than gambling.
9. We are commanded to "love thy neighbor." Gambling uses ones neighbor.
10. Gambling is morally wrong because it denies the integrity of work.
11. The Biblical work ethic is the principle of fair exchange. (Matthew 25; Luke 19:11-27).
12. Gambling has been called "robbery by consent." Therefore, it is a form of stealing.
13. This history of gambling shows that it brings poverty, crime, corruption, demoralization of moral and ethical standards, and misery.
14. No gambler wants to the other fellow to do to him what he is trying to do to them. Compare Matthew 7:12.
In the light of these principles, it seems amazing to me that many of us are guilty of possibly starting our kids on the gambling road by cake walks, bingo games, raffle tickets, and carnival type gambling games, often under the guise of "going for a good cause." A fellow preacher friend of mine has a brother who has spent a great number of years in jail because he started out "flipping nickels." He became obsessed with it, and one act led to another until he landed in jail.
A lady tried to sell me a raffle ticket one day. I said, "I can't buy that because I don't believe in gambling." She replied "Brother ________ bought one." My answer to that was that brother _________ is not the Bible that guides my life.
From Our Archives, 1984
By: Max Patterson