Can Christians Gamble in Good Conscience?

Obviously, addictive gambling is a major problem—and one not to be taken lightly—but what about the person who buys a lottery ticket now and then? Are they sinning?

Can Christians gamble in good conscience?

What do you think?

By: Chris. This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 4:18 pm and is filed under Gambling, money, questions and answers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

17 Responses to “Can Christians Gamble in Good Conscience?”

Chris smith says:

A lottery ticket is not like casting lots, but self control is imperative when engaging in such things.

October 21, 2009 at 5:41 pm

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LIONEL says:

I believe that gambling is a sin and wether you have control over it or not, I believe it will still remain a sin. The bible clearly teaches us that we should not sin.

October 22, 2009 at 6:15 am

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- Claire says:
  
  True, the bible clearly teaches that we should not sin, but where does it say that gambling is a sin?
  
  October 27, 2009 at 9:31 pm
  
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- Sean says:
  
  Lionel, the Bible teaches us not to sin, this is true. However, where is there an explicit command in the Bible against gambling or is there any scripture that clearly defines this activity as sin? Certainly, the love of money is sin, so too is coveting and idolitary but can you with certainty link these with a biblical prohibition on gambling.
  
  I think the issue here is the heart condition of the individual. Are you obsessed with money to the point of uncontrollably spending huge amounts on the chance of winning? If so, then ‘doing’ the lottery is wrong for THAT person. Is it a sin to buy a lottery ticket? Well, that is a matter of conscience.
  
  Let us be very careful not to impose OUR ideas on biblical law. And if your ideas are based on the ‘Old’ Testament, then we must consider EVERYTHING written in the Torah, the prophets and the writings not just the bits that relieve our consciences and make us feel ‘good Christians’.
  
  November 18, 2009 at 2:30 am
  
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william lugo says:

The Apostle Paul writes in the book of Corinthians chapter 10 beginning at verse 23, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful;all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” There is a liberty in Christ that only our hearts by the Spirit of God can judge. The word of God command us to, love God with all of our hearts and our neighbor as we love our selves. In understanding this we as the Apostle Paul, we do not entangle in sinful ways as godly children. Regarding what is lawful to me I keep myself from offending anyone who doesn’t understand my liberty in Christ Jesus that the Gospel and the name of God may not be ridiculed. If I know that my liberty offends some one save or unsaved I must restrain from doing that which offends another. Regardless of what I do my trust is in God and God along, for as we trust God we will not become entangle in earthly things and all things are lawful to me but not necessary.

October 22, 2009 at 7:48 am

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Sheunesu Taona says:

HONESTLY SPEAKING IT IS A SIN FLEE FROM IT GOD HAS GOOD WAYS OF MEETING EVERY ONE ON HIS OR HER FINANCIAL NEEDS.

October 22, 2009 at 8:43 am

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Laura Victoria says:

Yes. All things in moderation.

October 22, 2009 at 10:26 am

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Laura Victoria says:

William Lugo: Always a good bible quote, but one can offend others, especially new believers or potential believers and turn them off from coming to the lord by going in the direction overlawing.

Also, the question is not talking about someone gambling as a means of earning a living, but simply spending a dollar once in a while in what is a harmless game (if done once in a while). It is like drinking of wine, a glass a day is healthy for most people, more than that is not.

October 22, 2009 at 10:31 am

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abel cantarell says:

i dont see none giving a response that is final. i think that i will go on what apostol Paul said corinthians 10 not every one is to do certain things, some should not do it if is affecting another with not so much understanding. but to those who knows, and try to condemm i feel u are as wrong as having a real beting problem. me i dont see nothing wrong every excess of anyhing is wrong including working to much drinking lots of coffee,

October 22, 2009 at 12:40 pm

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Robert says:

This was covered well in an article by a Christian ethicist I read a while back.
Start from the greatest commandments – i.e. think “When I gamble, do I love my neighbor as myself?” That means everyone – other gamblers, non-gamblers, employees of gambling companies, etc.

It’s clear from the Bible that getting money from others is fine when it’s in return for useful work, since you are are earning what is fair in return for serving others. The money must be received with good motivation, mind: Ephesians 4:28 –

“He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.”

So when we look at gambling we need to consider whether it obeys the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves by:
(1) Is the act of gambling doing something ‘useful’ for our neighbor (more generally, is it a wise use of God’s resources of time and money?)
and
(2) Are we motivated to use the money we ‘win’ to help those in need.

(2) is easier to address.
I suspect many gamblers – even Christians who buy lottery tickets as a harmless “one off” are secretly motivated “to spend what they get on their own pleasures” (James 4:3). Even if you are promising to give 50% of your winnings to the poor, should you really be risking your heart going the way most gambling advertisements are clearly enticing it to go? Not many lottery adverts where the winner is shown giving the money to charity, are there!? That said, (2) doesn’t prevent gambling, it’s just shows the importance of guarding your heart.

(1) is more difficult. Obvious gains from gambling are the following:
1. support the livelihoods of those who earn money from the gambling industry
2. those who win prizes (but is it good for their heart? See point (2))
3. charities and communities which may receive some of the funds
4. fun and friendship with others who are gambling
5. the personal enjoyment in the activity (1 Tim 4:4)

However, if we love our neighbors consistently, then we won’t support jobs which don’t offer genuine service to others, so those who get their livelihoods from gambling should only be supported by our custom if in fact the other groups (2 to 5) gain.
Similarly, 3 (charities) and 4 (socialising) are easily dismissed as good reasons because there are better alternatives available – charitable donations and non-gambling social activities.

I’ll skip some reasoning, because I think you have enough info to make a sound Bible-based judgement. My conclusion is as follows, but you may have a different one:

The main problem is that the winner is not really earning his/her money, and is obtaining it through an intrinsically unjust system of chance rather than need or merit. Everyone else is losing out, and they are being bound by a system which promises a win, but cannot give out a win except to a very few. It also results in inequality which as Christians we should be opposed to. Thus, even though a single gambling session may seem harmless, we should oppose such a system as best we can, which at the least means refraining from participation and hopefully we can also avoid supporting it in our employment if that option is available to us. I would go as far as to oppose church raffles, but I respect the opinions of those who highly value this and other fund raising methods.

October 22, 2009 at 4:28 pm

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- Chris says:
  
  Robert, thanks for sharing! I know you didn’t write the article, but it did spark a few thoughts. None of which I’m a 100% sure about:
  
  1. Point (2) seems to argue that gambling isn’t good for the heart because of how it’s advertised. If we’re going to think along those lines then shouldn’t buy anything that’s advertised in a way that’s contrary to Biblical teachings. Cars–for instance–are often advertised using sex or power metaphors.
  
  2. “However, if we love our neighbors consistently, then we won’t support jobs which don’t offer genuine service to others”
  
  How do we define ‘genuine service’? Technically dry cleaning isn’t necessary, because we could stop wearing clothes that need dry cleaning. Or, closer to the point, where do you draw the line in the entertainment industry between genuine service and disingenuous? Do we need comedians, or actors, or musicians? Are blogs necessary?
  
  October 23, 2009 at 7:38 am
  
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Suresh Kumar Khati says:

Don’t yoke with the worlds. That’s the key sentences for me not to cheat like the people in the world. Gamble at anyway doesn’t support for love. It cheats, it hurts who lose the gamble though he engaged. Lottery is the gamble because it is not sure it gives return. It shows no respect to our hard earning and our skill. Comparing with lottery, giving tithe is blessing. though it do not give return, but it fills me with his grace. Jesus want us to care for other, not to be thug to others. In my heart, I will not gamble in any way because it’s from world, not from spirit.

October 22, 2009 at 11:51 pm

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Luis Nevarez Sr. says:

Gambling create addiction, a christian have to reliate and trust in God,
he said we cannot serve two masters. Be a follower of Jesus is to understand that everything that we need came from heaven.I have a friend, an old man, who spend all money he got, in lottery tickets,
for this addiction,his wife abandon he, and loose his job.If my master
is not Jesus, who is may master? the devil with out doubt.

October 23, 2009 at 5:40 am

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Heather says:

My husband has a huge gambling addiction and it is ruining our marriage. I have been brought up in church all my life unlike him and I do not believe in this. I can’t convince him he is doing wrong….can someone give me some advise, Biblical. We have 3 kids, both of us lost our jobs and he is losing our savings. I am desperate.

October 25, 2009 at 8:47 pm

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- jim says:
  
  Heather, I am supprised that I find no response to your request for help here. This is my first time at this site, so maybe I am misseing something. I am not a professional, so anything I could say personally would not necessarily apply. However, you should seek professional help. First go to your Pastor. If you do not have a church affiliation, go to the Churh that is closest to you. There you should be directed to those who can help, and if you need assistance they should be able to find you several organizations that are funded to support people exactly in situations such as yours. Prayer is required, but you must take action on your own. Also, ask to be put on the church prayer list.
  
  October 30, 2009 at 3:37 pm
  
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Adrian says:

My question is then how is gambling different from say investing in the stock market. I know that there are some people who treat gambling as a business and are very careful about money management and excessive wagering. But wouldn’t you say that most people invest in stocks because the motivation for that is to gain for which the motivation for gambling is the same. I believe some people are addicted to gambling, but there are many addictions in this world but they are not condemned if done in moderation. I am not sure what the right answer is.

November 8, 2009 at 10:35 pm

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Wilson says:

I work as a professional poker dealer. I do not take winnings from any player, rather I am paid a fee for my entertainment services and sometimes get tips.

My wife believes that this work is morally wrong. Do any of you have an opinion on this?

November 16, 2009 at 3:50 pm

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