The Gambling Christian
By Bob Beanblossom
5 January 2018
The title of this article is “The Gambling Christian.” Is that an oxymoron, or is gambling a legitimate Christian activity? I saw a discussion on Facebook recently that got me thinking about my position in the issue. I thought I would just sit back and watch the comments. But, that’s not my style.
It seems to me that, like all issues of Christian behavior, we need to separate the opinion from the biblical position—if we can find one. The Bible was written thousands of years ago to folks in a far different environment, with lifestyles and living conditions that we have a hard time understanding (if we even take time to think about it). We are charged with using the services of the Holy Spirit and our God-given intelligence, knowledge, and wisdom to discern as closely as possible what the original message said, then to make informed applications for us today. With that said, let’s build a biblical case for or against gambling, as the Word leads. All Scripture is from the King James Version of the Bible.
Casting Lots
Casting lots is not only mentioned in the Bible, but God directs this action, perhaps similar to a throwing of dice, as a method of making decisions. The first directive was in Leviticus 16:8 where Moses, at God’s behest, directed Aaron, his brother and the high priest, to cast lots over two goats to determine which would be the sacrifice and which would be the scapegoat (Leviticus 16:8). Joshua used this method to distribute the Promised Land among the tribes (Joshua 18:6-10). This is not gambling, but a God-sanctioned heads-or-tails approach to decision making hundreds of years before there were coins to toss.
As with all that man touches, the good can be adapted to evil. Casting lots is gambling when it becomes chance instead of choice. Perhaps the most memorable description of casting lots as gambling, though not the only one recorded in Scripture, is the incident of the Roman soldiers who seized Jesus’ garments as He hung on the cross. They cast lots to see who would win what items of clothing. This was so despicable to God that all four Gospels recorded it (Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; and John 19:24). This leaves little room to support any idea that a game of chance is supported by the Word. But we will keep looking.
Gambling in the Bible
Words like “gamble,” “wager,” “lottery,” “card(s),” and other modern terms associated with gambling are simply absent from Scripture. Gambling was known and practiced among those whom the Hebrews came into contact with, but was not part of God’s plan for His people. Solomon comes as close to the modern attitude of gaming with his lament in Ecclesiastes 9:11: “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.” Jesus repeats and amplifies this in Matthew 5:44-45, making application for His followers. In our context, the application is not fatalism, the “what will be, will be” attitude, but a responsible lifestyle that recognizes our shortcomings as we address the needs of others. This may be the crux of the matter for the idea of Christian gambling. We will look at this from an inward perspective—what is my responsibility to God as far as my behavior; and from an outward perspective—what is my responsibility to others.
Inward Perspective—My Relationship with Jesus
These issues revolve around our individual concept of who Jesus is, and who we are in relationship to Him. We can only brush the surface here. Jesus is eternally God (John 1:1-2). The purpose of His earthly ministry was to “seek and to save that which was lost (you and I)” (Luke 19:10). He alone is the way to achieve a relationship with our Creator; one that has eternal consequences for each person ever created (John 14:6). We are called to “walk worthy of the vocation” that He has called us into (Ephesians 4:1): our life purpose is to worship and serve Him, on His terms: He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:4-6) who will not tolerate divided loyalties (Matthew 4:10).
Divided loyalties seem to be the Scriptural foundation for this application. The Word warns us against those who “serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good works and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18). Our application will draw on two aspects of this verse. Serving our “own belly” refers to satisfying our own desires, our own cravings, our own greed. Gambling promises something for nothing. No work. No benefits are produced. It also demands an expenditure of time, energy, and money that draws us away from our relationship with and service to our Savior. The other aspect is one of influence. We will discuss that in the next section.
The discussion moves naturally to one of motive. Why would I want to gamble? This requires an honest answer. We hear: “I do it to relax;” “I gamble to have a little fun—I know my limits and stop then I get there.” More honestly, gambling exists solely for the purpose of getting something for nothing. How we fit into that purpose is not relaxation or fun, but we attempt to get something for nothing—against the odds that will be defeated by just one more spin, pull, hand, or whatever. And like we would like our lawmakers to do, we must realize that the “something” always comes from “someone.” Winners can only be made on the backs of losers. Only. Back to motives. Money–representing the power to acquire, influence, and empower—can become addictive as the drive for more overrides the original purposes (see Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21). Covetousness is simply wanting what is not ours—that which we have not earned—and is an abhorrence to God (Psalm 10:3). Covetousness is loving something (money, power, winning, stuff) more than Someone (God). It is not part of the Christian worldview established by Jesus Christ. Remember Satan tempting Jesus? He tried (and failed) to find a weak spot in Jesus’ morality and devotion to His Father. We do not have His righteousness or His fortitude: our devotion is fragile and sometimes situational. The results are disastrous for our relationship with Jesus Christ: “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” (1 Timothy 6:10). The something-for-nothing attitude is divisive; too often it becomes an addiction: “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). An addiction is a master that competes with our relationship with God. Gambling is a need that grows and destroys—it is a need that can never satisfy: “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). If I keep going back to a particular behavior, it doesn’t matter what I call it, it is an addiction. The application for this section is that gambling is a non-Christian attempt to receive personal increase without personal effort, in direct opposition to His Word: “if any would not work, neither should he eat . . . we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work and eat their own bread” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 excerpted). We are to work and to consume the fruits of our own labor, not that taken from a “loser.”
Outward Perspective—My Witness to the Saved and the Lost
We won’t spend much time here. This is the familiar argument of avoiding the appearance of evil so that we don’t adversely influence others (1 Thessalonians 5:22). The counter-argument is one of individual Christian freedom: “All things are lawful to me” (1 Corinthians 6:12a). The rest of the verse is important—it can’t be divorced from the opening phrase: “but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12b). I promised that we would return to Romans 16:18. This verse amplifies the thought in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 in an important way for us: “and by good works and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:18b). It strongly suggests that, should we consider behaviors not specifically addressed by Scripture, that we apply this test: will others who are not as mature in their Christian walk (and by application, too, those who do not yet know our Lord as their personal savior) be adversely impacted by our actions. I would add that sometimes the “hearts of the simple” who question a particular activity may actually be wiser than we consider, as we, immersed in our behavior, deceive ourselves as the chief priests and scribes did (Matthew 21:15-17): “why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” (Matthew 7:3).
Have you noticed the firestorm that arises when Christians discuss gambling in a public forum? Do you understand that non-Christians are watching? No matter how we might hold that we can’t please all the people all the time, the real issue is whether we are maintaining our witness: are we credible witnesses of the life changing power of Jesus Christ? If I look like the world, talk like the world, and act like the world, what need is there for a non-Christian to make any change? What do we have to offer? This, of course, transcends gambling and extends to our entire lives. It is a big deal. It is not something we can fix, but reminds us that we rely solely on the Holy Spirit to lead and direct our lives as we, like Paul, are prisoners of our Lord (Eph 3:1; 4:1).
We should not only consider the bigger “they,” but our own household. We are charged with teaching our own children biblical precepts and practices (Deuteronomy 4:10). Our children are turning away from the church at record numbers. The power of the Holy Spirit has not diminished. The message has not changed. The call has not changed. Perhaps it is the witness of the individual messenger. His message is clear, needing little interpretation: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” ((2 Corinthians 6:17).
Parting Thoughts
The question on the table is about “The Gambling Christian.” We asked in opening if that was an oxymoron, or is gambling a legitimate Christian activity? I have presented some considerations from a scripture that is silent on the particular activities that we call gambling. I have derived some applications that I hope are legitimate, based upon the original meaning and historical context of the scripture. Now it is your turn. Remember that you have a Guide to direct your path: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossiams 3:16).