{"id":31848,"date":"2021-02-10T13:51:04","date_gmt":"2021-02-10T19:51:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=31848"},"modified":"2021-02-10T13:53:51","modified_gmt":"2021-02-10T19:53:51","slug":"the-truth-about-gambling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-truth-about-gambling\/","title":{"rendered":"The Truth About Gambling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

adapted from an outline by Joe Price<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Gambling Violates Legitimate Economy\n
      \n
    1. Three Legitimate Means of Transferring Property:\n
        \n
      1. Law of labor:<\/i> Money is earned by the effort expended<\/li>\n
      2. Law of exchange:<\/i> Buying and selling, investments, etc.<\/li>\n
      3. Law of love:<\/i> Where money is given without expectation or desire for return.<\/li>\n
      4. Gambling does not qualify in any of these<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
      5. God Recognizes These Principles of Economy and Authorizes Them\n
          \n
        1. Labor – Ephesians 4:28; II Thessalonians 3:12; Luke 10:7<\/li>\n
        2. Buying and selling – Matthew 13:44<\/li>\n
        3. Investment – Matthew 25:27<\/li>\n
        4. Giving and receiving – Ephesians 4:28; Acts 2:45 – Voluntary gift to the needy<\/li>\n
        5. Gambling is a violation of all of these<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        6. It is a parasite on a legitimate economy and exists without divine sanction<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
        7. Gambling Violates Divine Law\n
            \n
          1. “Not specifically mentioned in Bible, how can it be wrong?”\n
              \n
            1. Not all specific sins are mentioned, such as pedophilia or pornography<\/li>\n
            2. The Bible sets forth principles whereby specific conduct may be discerned as good or evil<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
            3. It v<\/strong>iolates private industry<\/b>, which God ordained for man and makes him unfit for his mission in life – Genesis 3:19\n
                \n
              1. One’s income is to come from his own hard work\n
                  \n
                1. I Thessalonians 4:11-12 – Work, having need of nothing<\/li>\n
                2. II Thessalonians 3:10 – If one won’t work, not a charity case!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
                3. The gambler profits solely at another person’s loss (cf. casinos)<\/li>\n
                4. In using money to gamble, one evades his responsibility to provide for himself and his family – Luke 16:10-13 (Involves tragic waste!)<\/li>\n
                5. Gambling perpetuates the “get something for nothing” mentality<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
                6. The essential motive for gambling is c<\/strong>ovetousness<\/b> (greed)\n
                    \n
                  1. It seeks the rewards of another man’s efforts. (Get rich quick!)<\/li>\n
                  2. \u00a0“To fix passion upon,” “To long inordinately for”<\/li>\n
                  3. I Timothy 6:10 – Love of money is the root of gambling<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
                  4. Gambling is a<\/strong>ccompanied<\/b> b<\/strong>y<\/b> other<\/strong> evils<\/b>\n
                      \n
                    1. Matthew 7:16 – Know by its fruits (James 3:11-12)<\/li>\n
                    2. Fruits of gambling: Greed, broken homes, theft, organized crime, murder, drinking, suicide<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
                    3. Gambling is opposed <\/strong>to the g<\/strong>ood of society<\/b>\n
                        \n
                      1. Economic liability<\/li>\n
                      2. Attracts the criminal element. (Creates a lawless environment)<\/li>\n
                      3. Government creates bureaucracy to oversee it – Proverbs 14:34<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
                      4. Gambling does n<\/strong>ot promote godliness<\/b>\n
                          \n
                        1. Philippians 4:8 – Can these things be said of gambling?<\/li>\n
                        2. l Thessalonians 5:22 – Abstain from the appearance of evil<\/li>\n
                        3. Matthew 5:16; Titus 2:7 – To exert a good influence<\/li>\n
                        4. James 4:4 – Christians are not of the world<\/li>\n
                        5. I Timothy 6:17-19 – Stewards of our money to further the Lord’s work<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
                        6. Neither the amount of the wager nor who benefits from your losses changes gambling into an innocent activity\n
                            \n
                          1. The amount of a wager doesn’t change its nature … gambling is a sin<\/b>. (cf. Lottery)<\/li>\n
                          2. “It’s for a good cause” (cf. bingo for a church, a school, County Crisis Council) does not change that it violates God’s will!<\/li>\n
                          3. Gambling is not wrong only<\/i> for those who cannot afford to lose!<\/li>\n
                          4. Whether for large amounts or the price of a cup of coffee it remains wrong!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n
                          5. Conclusion<\/b>\n
                              \n
                            1. Gambling is evil for secular and spiritual reasons.<\/li>\n
                            2. The child of God must not practice gambling in any way, shape, or form!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n(Adapted from an article by Gene Frost, GOSPEL ANCHOR, Vol. 7, No. 8, pages 25-27)\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                              adapted from an outline by Joe Price Gambling Violates Legitimate Economy Three Legitimate Means of Transferring Property: Law of labor: Money is earned by the effort expended Law of exchange: Buying and selling, investments, etc. Law of love: Where money is given without expectation or desire for return. Gambling does not qualify in any of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[32],"tags":[815],"class_list":["post-31848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon","tag-gambling"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":85664,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-christian-and-gambling\/","url_meta":{"origin":31848,"position":0},"title":"The Christian and Gambling","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Dudley Ross Spears via\u00a0Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 2, June 30, 1990 More States in our Union are adopting state-operated lotteries to increase revenue. Every citizen of every state, especially Christians, must understand the issues involved. This is not being written to influence anyone politically but rather to urge\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38533,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-a-christian-gamble\/","url_meta":{"origin":31848,"position":1},"title":"Should a Christian Gamble?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by R. J. Evans In 1931, the state of Nevada legalized most forms of gambling. The city of Las Vegas, in particular, became the center of gambling in the U.S. Over the course of time, it has been referred to as \"Sin City\", which is not surprising. Now, the city\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14810,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/gambling\/","url_meta":{"origin":31848,"position":2},"title":"Gambling","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 5, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Colossians 3:1-10 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Gambling is now rampant in our nation \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Not too long ago, the only gambling available were raffle tickets, bingo games at the Catholic Church, and casinos in La Vegas, Nevada. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0No longer! Gambling is everywhere: at the gas station, at the corner market, even at my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62843,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-anything-done-in-moderation-not-a-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":31848,"position":3},"title":"Is Anything Done in Moderation Not a Sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 21, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Romans 6:8-15 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I was asked recently what I thought about the argument that gambling once in a while (two or three times a week) wasn\u2019t sinful because \u201canything done in moderation is not a sin.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We could address the issue of gambling from a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54437,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/not-what-they-told-you-gambling\/","url_meta":{"origin":31848,"position":4},"title":"Not What They Told You – Gambling","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverbs 28:19-22 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Gambling is not a new problem \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But it has become a big business. Every state in the United States has some form of legal gambling \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Though Nebraska is the least state addicted to gambling, it still exists (the next lowest are Alabama,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":43630,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-stay-in-a-game-that-involves-betting-on-a-fantasy-football-league\/","url_meta":{"origin":31848,"position":5},"title":"Should I stay in a game that involves betting on a fantasy football league?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi Jeffrey, I have a question for you regarding a gambling situation I'm struggling to decide on. One of my friends has a fantasy basketball league with ESPN.com where people can have basketball teams with particular players from the NBA and they compete based on stats and points to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31848\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}