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Is Gambling A Sin?
By Allan E. McNabb
Gambling is "playing a game of chance for stakes" (Webster). It
involves the "betting of money or valuables on, and often participation
in, games of chance" (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition,
2001).
Compulsive Gambling
Compulsive gambling (or pathological gambling) is "a psychological
disorder characterized by a persistent inability to resist the impulse
to gamble. The disorder is progressive and typically results in
difficulties in one's personal, social, and work life; it may lead to
bankruptcy or criminal activity to obtain money. The prevalence
of compulsive gambling in the United States has increased with that of
gambling itself, and it has been estimated that up to 3% of the adult
population may gamble pathologically” (The Columbia Encyclopedia,
Sixth Edition, 2001).
Soldiers Who Crucified Jesus
An example of gambling is found in John 19:23-24. Here, the soldiers
who crucified Jesus divided his garments into four parts, one part for
each soldier. But since Jesus' tunic was seamless, they gambled
for it by casting lots. From this example, we see some of the common
sins involved in gambling such as greed and covetousness.
Sin Related To Gambling
Briefly consider a few of the sins involved in gambling.
- Covetousness (1 Cor. 5:10-11) is "a desire
to have more" (Vine's) and is "a strong desire after the
possession of worldly things" (Easton's).
- People who are covetous are unrighteous and will not enter into heaven
(1 Cor. 6:9-10).
- Greed is an "excessive desire to acquire or
possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves" (WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003
Princeton University).
- A greedy person is "excessively desirous of acquiring or possessing,
especially wishing to possess more than what one needs or deserves" (The
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition, Copyright © 2000).
- Christians must imitate God, and not be greedy (Eph. 5:1-3; cf. Col.
3:5).
- The love of money (Ec. 5:10; 1 Tim. 6:10) is a form
of covetousness and greed.
- Many people, if not all people, who gamble love money (wealth). The
love of money is a root of all sorts of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). One
of the evils resulting from the love of money is gambling and all the
evil associated with it - hatred, crime, divorce, alcoholism, drug
addiction, poverty, homelessness, prostitution, suicide, etc.
- Not loving our neighbor (Matt. 22:39) is sin.
- When we love our neighbor, we do him no harm (Rom. 13:10). The
gambler "desires the property of his neighbor without any compensation,
and thus works ill to him. The dealer in lotteries desires property
for which he has never toiled, and which must be obtained at the expense
and loss of others" (Barnes).
- Lust and licentiousness (1 Jn. 2:16; 2 Cor. 12:20-21)
are sins involved in gambling.
- "Lust" is a strong desire. Regarding
sin, it is a strong desire to do something sinful.
- The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
are of the world (1 Jn. 2:16).
- We are tempted when we are drawn away by our own desires and enticed
(Ja. 1:14).
- Christians must flee lusts, by pursuing righteousness, faith, love,
and peace (2 Tim. 2:22; cf. Ja. 4:7-10; 1 Pet. 5:8-9).
- "Licentiousness" is excess, absence
of restraint, indecency, and wantonness.
- When we sin, we have given ourselves over to licentiousness by no
longer restraining ourselves (Eph. 4:17-19).
Gambling involves a number of sins. God commands us to abstain
from every form of evil (1 Th. 5:22) — gambling is a form of evil;
therefore, we must abstain from gambling.
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