is it wrong to gamble?

Thanks, Splayd, for sharing that -- there are many people getting secret addictions now that the Internet offers more options (don't everyone go running to look!).

Scriptures --
Proverbs 28:19- 22Prov 21:5 Exodus 18:21 refers to general values about gain:Similarly,
Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 5:21Job 6:27 and Joel 3:3 point out the insensitivity to others that arises from gambling addictions: It's about the value of life, and the value of others' property. Does one provide for their children's children, or chase dreams with passion and drive.
Laws were made to protect people. Gambling can easily become an offense against our loved ones.

On casting lots --Oops -- I lost the reference.

Ironically, the Greek word was also used to show how we don't deserve the grace we have been given...presented as a random blessing. And lots were used to apportion land and make "fair" decisions in the Old Testament.

Ive known various people who invested this or that and lost a great deal of money....but at the time they did it they thought for sure it was almost guaranteed to be a success.

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That's very true.

Splayd said:

I don't believe that gambling is a sin in and of itself... BUT I recognise that very often we sin by gambling. If it becomes an obsession or an addiction; when it involves poor stewardship of time and/or money; when it compromises our focus and motivation etc... it's time to recognise that whether or not the act of gambling is sinful in itself, we're sinning nonetheless.

One of the biggest problems with things like gambling is it's subtle allure. For many it's a slow burn, a gradual development and too often we fail to recognise the sin of it until it's deeply rooted. As a general guide - I'd suggest that whether or not it's sinful, it's wiser to tread carefully and avoid it altogether if concerned.

Peace

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Well said, thank you.


IF it's entertaining and refreshing, with money that can be so spent, I have no problem with it.

Hey, I dropped well over $150.00 awhile back on my significant other - between dinner and a play. SOME would see that as wasteful, but it was refreshing, meaningful and helpful. And my bills are paid and my tithe up to date. IF we would rather have spent that gaming - IF that would have been more refreshing for us - I'd say that would be okay.



My $0.01


Pax!


- Josiah

Personally, this is an issue of stewardship for me. God gives us everything we have and we are not to waste it. Usually, to gamble means to lose it and then you don't have the resources he gave you to pay and do what he wants you to do. That is being wasteful.
The casinos don't exist because they want to make people rich.

Remember the Stock Market that crashed in 1929? Investments and Economics.

If people don't like to gamble, then they are to study how economics work because most economic systems involves one form of gambling to another.

Its not that Gambling is sin but rather "how you are gambling".

Its the same, lust itself is not sin if you are lusting your spouse. Lusting a woman other than your spouse is sin.

IamAdopted said:

This is what Jesus said so you answer your own question.. For it is better to give than to recieve.. Gambling is all about getting getting and getting isn't it? In fact it can become an obsession.. To get more and get more.. We are to put our riches into the kingdom.. For where your riches are that is where your heart is at..We are told not to love the world and all of its lusts.. For if we do the Love of the Father is not in us..

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I absolutely agree with your individual points here, BUT for the assertion that they necessarily apply for every instance of gambling. I agree that to the extent that these issues are apparent, one is sinning but I'd also argue that it isn't necesarily apparent in each instance of gambling.

Further, I'd suggest that you could just as easily exchange the word "gambling" for "investing" in you rpost above. Does that imply that investing is sin? In fact - you could even exchange the word "gambling" for "capitalism". Wouldn't you agree?

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not supporting gambling at all. I regularly warn others of its traps... BUT the sin isn't in the gambling itself. It's in those sorts of matters of the heart that you address above.

Peace

JimfromOhio said:

Its the same, lust itself is not sin if you are lusting your spouse. Lusting a woman other than your spouse is sin.

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I'd disagree with that. Lust is a self centred passion which reduces the focus of your lust to an object whose sole purpose is to satisfy your own desire. I doubt God would smile on us treating our wives or husbands like that.

Sorry. I'm getting off topic.

John

Splayd said:

Understood and generally agreed with... but you're addressing the issue within a specific context.

Within that context you might even be considered to be enabling the sin of those who do have problems. That in itself is problematic.

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Thankyou for mentioning that as it is something I usually bring up but forgot about this time. Gambling has destroyed otherwise successful businesses and otherwise happy families through the weakness and addiction that many fall into. It is not an industry which I am willing to give any support to.

On another note, have you ever noticed how Casinos usually play on the passions to attract more people. One month they will be offering free food, the next they will be promoting scantily clad dance girls. Then of course there is the constant lure of easy money.

John

Hey prodomos

Once again I'm in general agreement with you, but once again we're examining the extremes. Would you consider it sinful to play poker at home with a few mates for spare change? What about buying a raffle ticket for your kid's school fund raiser? What about investing in high risk stocks in the stockexchange? What about investing in anything for that matter?

Where's the line that defines what constitutes gambling and what doesn't? Is everything that can be defined as gambling sinful?

LOL, sorry, but free food and scantily clad women remind of some Churches here in SoCal.

prodromos said:

I'd disagree with that. Lust is a self centred passion which reduces the focus of your lust to an object whose sole purpose is to satisfy your own desire. I doubt God would smile on us treating our wives or husbands like that.

Sorry. I'm getting off topic.

John

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"A selfish desire for happiness is as sinful as any other selfish desire. Its root is in the flesh which can never have any standing before God." A.W. Tozer (The Price of Neglect) Page 36

It is not wrong to lust after my own wife any more than I am after my wife's heart as I am after God's own heart.

Whether you would define it as sin or not I don`t know, but what I do know is that it is bad stewardship, we are to use our "corrupt mammon" to buy friends in heaven, in other words our money should be spent on furthering the gospel of our LORD and feeding the poor etc. Is it extreemist to say that one pound or dollar spent on gambling is bad stewardship.......IMO no, all the money we recieve is for God it is not our own therfore, once we have catered for our own needs (food, clothing and shelter etc) the rest should be spent for his glory.

Just my two pence

Mark

MarkEvan said:

Whether you would define it as sin or not I don`t know, but what I do know is that it is bad stewardship, we are to use our "corrupt mammon" to buy friends in heaven, in other words our money should be spent on furthering the gospel of our LORD and feeding the poor etc. Is it extreemist to say that one pound or dollar spent on gambling is bad stewardship.......IMO no, all the money we recieve is for God it is not our own therfore, once we have catered for our own needs (food, clothing and shelter etc) the rest should be spent for his glory.

Just my two pence

Mark

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In regard to "gambling" by those who "invests" in businesses to employ people to work. If there are no investors, then there won't be companies to hire workers to do the work. Its called economic stewardship. We all have some kind of specific needs which usually means commercial or mercantile activity engaged in as a means of livelihood in terms of commercial or sometimes an industrial enterprise in transactions especially of an economic nature. Free market produces long-term economic growth. Economic's chief purpose is to discover and refine just and loving means of creating, distributing, and consuming wealth to overcome poverty and to increase the material and spiritual prosperity of people. In a sin-filled world, economics—like all other activities of life in this world, cannot be perfect.