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.”
GotQuestions.org
Very good article about really essential theme - a lot of people don't want to talk about that gambling is a sin
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