Gambling - Part 4
By Allan E. McNabb

We’ve explored six sins involved in gambling: covetousness, greed, love of money, unneighborly behavior, lust, and licentiousness.  We concluded that gambling is evil, and that we should abstain from it (1 Th. 5:22).

In this article, we explore arguments in favor of gambling.

It’s Legal
Certain forms of gambling are legal in our country, depending on the state.  But that doesn’t mean its not a sin.

There are a number of legal activities that are sins.

• It’s legal to commit fornication.  But, it’s a sin.
• It’s legal to divorce for a reason other than sexual immorality, and marry another person.  But, it’s a sin.
• It’s legal to get drunk.  But, it’s a sin.
• It’s legal to have an abortion.  But, it’s a sin.

Peter teaches us to obey God rather than men (Acts 4:19; 5:29).

Since God’s law takes precedence over civil law, we can’t justify a behavior based solely on whether it’s legal.  A civil law can’t turn a sinful activity into a holy activity.

Gambling is a sin, whether it’s legal or not.

The Lottery Funds Education
Men try to justify sin with the good it produces, resulting in expressions like “the ends justify the means” and “situation ethics.”

People try to justify white lies with the good they produce.  For example, if you tell someone you like what they’re wearing, when you really hate it, the lie is justified because you made them feel better.

Examples of other behaviors people try to justify, because of the good allegedly produced, is euthanasia, abortion, and theft.

Many people try to justify the lottery because part of the revenue goes to education, which is good.  A story in the New York Times says, “State officials have long justified being in the numbers game by repeating, mantra-like, that the money is ‘earmarked’ for education” (New York Times, Clyde Haberman, April 2, 1999).

Whether we’re talking about lies, euthanasia, abortion, theft, or the lottery, no activity is justified based on resultant good deeds.
The only way we can tell whether an activity is sinful or righteous is to study God’s word, and come to the knowledge of the truth concerning the activity.

As we’ve already learned from God’s word, gambling is a sin.  No matter what good may be done with the proceeds, gambling is not justified.

I’m Trying to Help My Family
People use the excuse, “I’m trying to help my family” to justify sins like suicide, prostitution, selling drugs, stealing, and lying.

Lot’s daughters got their father drunk and committed incest to try and help their family (Gen. 19:31-38).  But that didn’t erase the sin, although the good they intended was accomplished, and their family was preserved through Lot.

It doesn’t matter if we’re trying to accomplish something good, we can’t sin to do it.  We can’t gamble to help our family, any more than enter into prostitution to help them.

It’s a Donation
Sometimes, gambling is disguised as a donation.  This often occurs with raffles by nonprofit organizations such as schools and churches.

This is a cleaver attempt to skirt the law.  The fact is, buying a raffle ticket is a purchase, not a donation.

“Even if the raffle is operated by a charitable organization, the ‘chance’ to win something has value to the purchaser, and the IRS says the fair market value of a raffle ticket is equal to its purchase price.  So buying a raffle ticket is considered a purchase, not a donation” (John W. Lindbloom, Huber, Ring Helm & Co., P.C., http://www.hrh-advantage.com).

It’s great to make a donation to a worthy cause.  But don’t be deceived into gambling, when someone claims that buying a raffle ticket is a donation, it’s gambling.

It’s Just a Few Dollars
Many sins cost just a few dollars:  pornography, drunkenness, drugs, prostitution, etc.

Other sins cost nothing:  murder, lying, fornication, etc.

The price of an activity doesn’t determine whether it’s sinful.  God’s word is the determining factor.

Conclusion
The Bible warns of deception (1 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:6; 2 Th. 2:3).  We must be careful not to fall prey to the deceptions of men, or to deceive ourselves.

Gambling is a sin.  It doesn’t become righteous by civil law, good deeds, or a low price.