Gambling

ISSUE #3: Can a Christian be involved in gambling?

 

Definition of gambling:  “participating in an artificially created game of chance.”

The online dictionary defines it as:

a. To bet on an uncertain outcome, as of a contest.

b. To play a game of chance for stakes.

2. To take a risk in the hope of gaining an advantage or a benefit.

3. To engage in reckless or hazardous behavior:

Most gambling games involve NO skill. In those which do involve skill, the skill serves only to slow down the loss of money.

In all gambling the only consistent winner is the House because the odds are always planned and arranged in favour of the House.

The few winners are merely an excellent form of advertising which the other sorry losers are paying for, because it is their money the other bloke just won.

Gambling uses the hope of excessive gain (far in excess of the investment of time, money or skill) as a lure to get people to part with their hard-earned money. In other words it capitalizes on people’s greed.

There are 3 key factors to help us identify if something is gambling:

1. There is an incentive consisting of money or merchandise;
2. The prize is acquired primarily on the basis of chance (there is no creative effort, useful skill or responsibility on part of the participant)
3. A payment of money is required up front to get a chance of winning

Gambling is also a highly addictive past-time. 8 million Americans are compulsive gamblers and 1 million of these are teenagers.

To show what an important issue this is let us consider the official figures of the National Gambling Board as displayed on the screen! Look at the billions of rands spent on gambling. Check out the NGB website at www.ngb.org.za

Biblical objections to gambling

1. Money and other forms of material possessions are on trust from God; we are stewards of His money; and as such we are to spend money in accordance with His will and His Kingdom.

This is true from the moment of Creation, but it is also clearly expressed in Scriptures like:

• Ecclesiastes 5:19 – God gives wealth
• James 1:17 – every good gift is from God
• Matthew 25:14-30 – the parable of the talents and our accountability for how we spent them
• Matthew 6:19-21 – We are to use our money to please God and to “store up riches in heaven” AND our use of money shows where our hearts lie.
• Luke 16:10-12 – our use of earthly wealth shows whether or not God can trust us with heavenly riches

What is God’s will for how we should spend money?

• Tithing (Mal 3:9-10)
• Caring for our families (1 Tim. 5:8)
• Giving to the poor (Deut. 15:4; Proverbs 19:17)

2. The godly way to accumulate possessions / wealth is through work.

We are to gain money in return for labour. This is the system God has instituted. Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 10:4 and 12:11; Ephesians 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:10. As if to re-inforce this principle, these Proverbs warn against the lure of “getting rich quickly”: Proverbs 13:11; 28:20 and 28:22 

3. Gambling is motivated by covetousness / greed.

People gamble mainly because they want more money and they hope that they will be able to obtain it by winning it rather than working for it. Greed and covetousness are clearly sins. See Exodus 20:17; 1 Timothy 6:10 and Luke 12:15

4. Gambling relies on the other person / people losing.

A Christian is to be motivated by love. We are to work towards other people’s highest best. But in gambling I can only win if you lose (and often if you really suffer) – so I am relying on your loss – this is not love for your neighbour is it?

5. Gambling leads us to a point where we are serving money and not God.

Gambling trades on the love of money, which is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10) Eventually we are going to start choosing between giving to God and giving to the casino, lottery, etc. We may even start choosing between going to the casino and attending worship. Matthew 6:24 reminds us that we cannot serve God and money at the same time.

6. Gambling is addictive.

No Christian should put themselves in a position where they run the risk of becoming addicted to anything. Romans 6:16; 1 Cor. 6:12. Rather we should at all times be self-controlled so that we can honour God (Gal. 5:23)

7. There is an evil spiritual reality behind gambling

Isaiah 65:11 describes how God’s people rebelled and went to make offerings to the idol gods “Gad and Meni”

Gad was the god of luck / fortune which was worshipped in Babylon.

Meni was the god of fortune worshipped in Phrygia.

The Israelites had gone to make offerings to the pagan gods of fortune and fate and God was denouncing this as idolatry.

Isaiah 65:12-14 describes the curse that is brought on people when they gamble:

• Poverty
• Anguish
• Shame
• Brokenness of spirit

The sin is trusting in luck / chance rather than in God!!!!!!!!!!!!

Responding to arguments that Christians MAY gamble

1. Gambling is entertainment or as a sport

If gambling is purely for entertainment then why put money on it and not matchsticks or valueless chips to determine the winner? If it was pure entertainment you would pay an entry fee and that would be it.

2. Risks are everywhere

Yes risks are everywhere but with all extreme sports everything humanly possible is done to increase the risk of the person surviving … in fact the odds are stacked in their favour … and if this were not so I feel it would be a sinful use of one’s life. E.g. to play Russian roulette is deeply sick and sinful for precisely that reason.

3. Luck is part of life

We ought never to speak of luck as a Christian. We believe in God’s blessing, not in luck! We believe in a Sovereign God who guides, protects and provides for us … not through luck but through His Sovereign Will.

4. Churches accept money from lotteries

I personally believe that if a casino were to offer money to a Church we should refuse it except if we intend to apply it solely for the benefit of the poor and if we do not have to advertise for the casino – In this case we are taking money which belonged to the poor in the first place and giving it back to the poor. If we have to advertise then we are just selling out!