OceanSide church of Christ

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Gambling
by: Dalton Gilreath

The Texas state lottery began in 1991. Mark Ridenour, a member of the church in Galveston, worked for the city water department. His fellow employees decided to create a board with the names of the men who would be playing the lottery. They would keep up with it weekly as they inputted their expenses for the tickets as well as how much they won. Six men signed up to play and kept up with their balances. After the allotted time passed the men checked the final scores and declared Mark the winner. Mark bout zero lottery tickets and ended with a balance of zero dollars. All of the other five men had lost money.

Playing the lottery, and gambling in general, is often debated by Christians as being acceptable. However, there are several reasons why Christians can be sure gambling is contrary to God’s will. First of all, gambling is sinful because it is motivated by covetousness (Luke 12:15). Secondly, gambling is wrong because it preys on the weakness of others. Casinos are never busier than the day the poor get their welfare checks. People throw away the little they have to try to get more. Thirdly, gambling is addictive. Like pornography, gambling can cause a Christian to lose control (Gal 5:22-13). It may begin with a lottery ticket here and there and become a weekly or daily activity in no time. Lastly, Solomon discusses money gained without labor in Proverbs 13:11. Wealth that is received in vain, or emptily, will be diminished. However, God will bless the wealth gained through labor. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in a lust for material wealth. Even though there may be some hypothetical situations where having a bit of fun with our money might seem innocent, we can all agree it is not wise for a Christian.