Scripture On Gambling Kjv
Bible Verses about Gambling Proverbs 13:11 - Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. 1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is a root of all.
It says that you are “better off” not to. Actually, there is no verse that specifically addresses the subject of gambling (playing the Lottery), so how do we come to the conclusion that gambling is something that can become sin in one’s life? First of all, we had best define gambling. Gambling (playing the Lottery) is an activity, based on chance, in which one risks the loss of money or some other valuable in order to earn a reward.
- Gambling Bible Verses. KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) WORDS OF JESUS IN RED. What does the Bible say about Gambling? See the related verses below. Sorted by most helpful votes from the Topical Bible. Search popularity is shown in blue using the scale below.
- Bible Verses about Greed - He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for For the love of money is the root of all evil: which.
- Bible verses related to Is Gambling A Sin from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance - Sort By Book Order 1 Timothy 6:10 - For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
- Surprisingly, the Bible contains no specific command to avoid gambling. However, the Bible does contain timeless principles for living a life pleasing to God and is filled with wisdom to deal with every situation, including gambling.
When the Word of God does not speak directly about something, we must then look for biblical principles that are applicable to determining whether it is right or wrong. Before we do that, however, it is important to understand why the Bible would not have a verse specifically condoning or forbidding gambling. Although we may not know all the reasons, one of them is that a large part of everything we do in life involves a “gamble,” a calculated risk. Let’s look at some common examples of the gambles in life. When a farmer puts a crop in early to get the advantage of early sales, he risks losing his investment to a Spring rain washout. When a person in business “gambles” money in an advertising campaign, he risks losing his investment. When a General takes a chance that an end-around maneuver will catch the enemy off guard, he is risking the lives of the men on that mission. When a person looks at some food that has been in the refrigerator long past the expiration date, does not want to waste it, and thinks, “It is probably okay,” he gambles that the food will not make him sick (or worse). Taking risks is an inherent part of life (Ecc. 11:6).
Another reason that gambling is not mentioned specifically in the Bible is that there are times when it blends into entertainment in a manner that is neither harmful nor sinful. Everyone who has ever gone to a movie because “the advertisement looked good,” but then hated it and was sorry he spent money on it, has experienced that kind of gambling, or risk taking. If people are playing a game, and they all agree that “the loser buys dinner,” that is gambling, but usually not a sin. Many things that are not harmful in some circumstances, such as eating, sleeping, drinking wine or alcohol, or sex, are both sinful and harmful in other circumstances.
It seems clear from the nature of life that gambling is sometimes a sin and sometimes not. Therefore, we should examine the Word of God for the biblical principles that would govern gambling. The overarching principle of life is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Also, Scripture tells us, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom” (Prov. 4:7). In contrast to these things, the vast majority of gambling today, in casinos, card games, horse racing, sporting events, or in the lottery, is not a demonstration of love for God, love for neighbor, or even just plain wisdom. Rather, it is based on greed and the idea that our money is ours to do with as we please. For Christians, the reality is that the resources we have are from God, and we are to steward them in service to Him.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the people on earth do not live their lives as if they will be held accountable for what they do. This is pure foolishness, for the Bible tells us over and over that there is a coming Judgment, when we will be held accountable for what we do.
2 Corinthians 5:10 (KJV)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Many people have the attitude, “It is my money, and if I lose it gambling, so what?” However, it is not “my money.” Everything we have, including our very lives, belongs to God, and we are to use our time and possessions for His glory. Scripture says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Cor. 6:19, 20). God expects us to honor Him in all we do, and He will hold us accountable if we do not live that way.
Many people who think nothing of gambling $20 at the horse track in hopes of a big win have not considered how much that money would mean to a poor family in a third world country. Similarly, someone who takes just $5 from his paycheck every Friday to buy a lottery ticket “to win big,” demonstrates a profound lack of wisdom—the wisdom God says we are to hold supreme. Many people who do that die broke, but that same $5 per week, if invested over a 40-year work life (age 20-60) would be worth more than $55,000. Extend that just 5 years (age 20-65) and it would be worth more than $80,000 (7% Interest rate). Saving money systematically during our working years requires vision and discipline, and our country would be much better off if people would quit wasting their resources trying to get rich quick.
Another problem with participating in organized gambling like at casinos or the racetrack is that it supports the gambling industry, which is responsible for ruining countless lives. Research shows that the social costs of gambling are huge, and many studies indicate that these costs are greater than whatever profits gamblers make. Anyone can go to a meeting of Gamblers Anonymous or Gam-Anon (for friends or family of addicted gamblers) and hear the stories of ruined lives, broken families, and failed businesses that always accompany the gambling industry. So if a Christian participates in organized gambling, he is not just involved with harmless fun or entertainment, because the lives of people we should love as we love ourselves are being badly hurt.
In light of what the Word of God says about how we as Christians are to live our lives with a total commitment to God, we should ask ourselves if there is really any benefit to even a little social gambling. If we win, we have taken money from someone without giving him anything in return. If we lose, we waste money we could have used for a godly purpose.
Scripture has a lot to say about money and wealth, and it is noteworthy that although gambling occurred in the biblical cultures, no godly man or woman is ever shown participating. Furthermore, though the Bible has many verses on gaining wealth, none mention gaining wealth by winning at gambling. The Christian will be better off in this life and the next if he avoids gambling and wisely invests his money and/or gives it to godly causes.
Whilemost people view gambling as an innocent pass-time activity so longas it is practiced legally, others see it as a sinful and dangerousvice. Some forms of legal gambling, for example, government-sponsoredlotteries, bring in revenue that is used in programs for the benefitof the public.
Understandingwhat the Bible says about gambling all depends on your comprehensionand interpretation as it does not directly quote betting. Suchsilence breeds fertile grounds for discussion and disagreement.Opinions on the morality of betting vary from total abstinence toacceptance in moderation. The Bible does, however, offer a fewguiding principles that disclose how God feels about gambling.
Whatthe Bible Says About Gambling
Winningmoney at the expense of others is gambling’s essential nature. Thisis against the Bible’s teachings “to guard against every sort ofgreed (Luke 12: 15- Thenhe said to them, “Watchout! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does notconsist in an abundance of possessions.”)gambling in itself is fueled by greed to gain even more than youalready have. Gaming platforms promote big jackpots while not talkingabout the poor odds of winning. They know that fantasies of “getrich quick” are more popular among players and prompt them tobet vast amounts at casinos. Gambling promotes the urge and desirefor easy money rather than help people guard themselves against greedand covetousness.
Gamblingis also based on a deeply-rooted selfish goal which is winning cashthat has been lost by other players. The Bible, however, talk aboutthis in 1 Corinthians 10: 24; “Letno man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth”(KJV). Oneof the commandments also states that in Exodus 20:17; “Youshall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covetyour neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox ordonkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”(NIV). Whena gambler puts his heart in winning a bet, he is hoping that anotherman loses their money so that he can profit.
TheBible also advises against seeing good luck as a mystic force thatwill grant blessings. In ancient Israel, some who lacked faith in Godbegan “setting a table for the god of Good Luck.” Suchdevotion to the god of Good Luck was unacceptable to God and he saidto them, “Butas for you who forsake the Lordandforget my holy mountain,whospread a table for Fortuneandfill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,Iwill destine you for the sword,andall of you will fall in the slaughter;forI called, but you did not answer,Ispoke, but you did not listen.Youdid evil in my sightandchose what displeases me.”(Isaiah 65: 11, 12).
Scripture On Gambling Kjv
TheBible stresses the supremacy of God in Matthew 10: 29-30; “Arenot two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fallon the ground without your Father.Butthe very hairs of your head are all numbered” (KJV).Gambling is, however, based on chance. The Bible goes ahead to adviseus to work creatively and for the benefit of others in Ephesians 4:28; “Lethim that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working withhis hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to himthat needeth,” (KJV).Gambling, on the other hand, nurtures an attitude of “somethingfor nothing.”
TheBible cautions against materialism in Matthew 6: 24, 25; “Noman can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and lovethe other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Yecannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take nothought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; noryet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more thanmeat, and the body than raiment?” (KJV). Gambling,on the other hand, promotes materialism.
Inthe letter of St. Paul, Colossians 3: 23-24; “Whateveryou do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, notfor human masters,24 sinceyou know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as areward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (NIV).This message consecrates work as instituted by God, and those whotoil with all their might will be rewarded by God. Gambling, incomparison to this tends to be a pass-time activity that benefitsmen.
In2 Thessalonians 3: 7-10, Paul wrote,“Foryou, yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were notidle when we were with you,8 nordid we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, weworked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would notbe a burden to any of you.9 Wedid this, not because we do not have the right to such help, butin order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.10 Foreven when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one whois unwilling to work shall not eat” (NIV).St. Paul emphasizes more on the sanctification of work and theimportance of man to eat of his sweat. Gambling feeds people withquick-money illusions, thereby deviating them from the true meaningof work.
TheBible approves of a couple of ways to honestly obtain goods or makemoney;
- Working to make money
- Acquire goods through barter trade
- Receiving lifetime gifts or inheritance after death
Thescripture rebukes any acquiring anything through lying, stealing, orcheating. It also condemns the desire to obtain what belongs to otherpeople.
Somemay argue that in some parts of the world, proceeds of legalizedgambling are used to fund education, economic development, and otherstate programs. The use of that money, however, does not change howit was obtained- through activities that promote selfishness andgreed and encourage the idea of getting something for nothing.
Effectsof gambling according to the Bible
TheBible cautions in 1 Timothy 6:9 that “thosewho want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap andinto many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruinand destruction.” (NIV).Gambling is based on greed, and greed is so harmful that the Biblenames it as one among other habits that one should strongly avoid inEphesians 5: 3; “Butamong you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, orof any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improperfor God’s holy people”. (NIV)
Ass gambling focuses on easy wealth, it fosters a love for money. TheBible identifies money as the root of all sorts of damaging andhurtful things in 1 Timothy 6: 10; “Forthe love of money is the root of all evil: which while some covetedafter, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves throughwith many sorrows.” (NIV).The yearning for money can easily become an overwhelming authority insomeone’s life hence creating intense anxiety and negativelyaffecting one’s faith in God. Literally speaking, the Book definesthose entangled by the love of money as having “piercedthemselves all over with many pains.”
Greedinessleads to discontent, leading to people being dissatisfied with theirfinancial status and taking away their happiness from them.Ecclesiastes 5: 10; “Hethat loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he thatloveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” (KJV)
Manypeople who have been tempted to gambling have found themselvestrapped by the brutal addiction to gambling. This disorder isprevalent, and millions of gambling addicts have been recorded in theUnited States alone.
Oneverse in Proverbs 20: 21 states; “Aninheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, but the endthereof shall not be blessed.”Betting has thrust many into debt and others to the extent ofbankruptcy and cost many others jobs, marriages and friendships.
Isgambling a sin?
Theissue of gambling being evil is quite a difficult issue. If bettingis done in moderation and only once in a while, then it can just beclassified as an entertainment or a waste of money to others, but notnecessarily evil. People spend money on all manner of activities anditems. Gambling is no more or less a splurge of money than going outfor a movie, coughing out cash on an extravagantly costly dinner orpurchasing an item you don’t necessarily need. On the other end,wasting money on many different things does not justify gambling.Money should be put into thoughtful and necessary use while savingthe surplus for your future needs, or given for a worthy cause suchas charity, rather than gambling away.
Scripture On Gambling Kjv Gateway
Asthe Bible does not mention gambling explicitly, it does talk about“luck” and “chance.” Casting lots, for example, is used inthe book of Leviticus to choose between the scapegoat and thesacrificial goat. Joshua has to cast lots to determine the allocationof land to the different tribes. Nehemiah also casts lots to decidewho should live inside the walls of Jerusalem. The disciples castlots to determine who will be the replacement of Judas. Proverbs 16:33 says, “Thelot is cast into the lap,butit’s every decision is from the Lord”(NIV).
Scripture On Gambling Kjv Audio Bible
Whengambling is used as a source of entertainment, and only on occasion,then it is not harmful. The most essential thing should be guardingyourself against wasteful betting and addiction.