What does the Bible say regarding the lottery and gambling?
Saying you trust the Lord and putting those words in action is different. It’s easy to trust Him for something simple. But the true test is when your needs are beyond your ability to match them. When your income is less than your monthly obligations; give rise to an opportunity to walk by faith. It is possible you feel God needs your help, so you play numbers and justify it by using some excuse. You even tell yourself it’s an unexpected blessing from the Lord. You manipulate a situation to turn in your favor and say God opens the door. Beloved, the Lord never goes against who He is. He is not the author of chance nor luck. Therefore, when you play the pick 6 or whatever method of gambling, Christ has no part in it. It’s the equivalent of saying; God, I don’t trust You.
Though the Bible doesn’t mention the lottery, it does mention gambling. Therefore, you may even say the Lord doesn’t specifically say we can’t gamble. But it does say; “So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17, AMP). Gambling is proof that you love the world. And it’s addicting. It has destroyed families and many have lost much. This greed overrules common sense. Before you know what’s happening, it grows and takes over your life. “Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].” (1 Corinthians 6:12). You can reason all you want, but it’s taking matters in your hands and satisfying the flesh. It doesn’t matter how often you win; it’s not trusting God. You violated His trust and took an unnecessary risk.
And the main reason for playing in the lottery is to win money. The more chances you take, the greater you feel the outcome will be in your favor. This is because it’s now your master. “They promise them liberty when they themselves are the slaves of depravity—for by whatever anyone is defeated and overcome, to that [person, thing, philosophy, or concept] he is continually enslaved.” (2 Peter 2:19). Now, you’re in too deep and can’t get out. And what does the Bible teach us about the love of money? But those who [are not financially ethical and] crave to get rich [with a compulsive, greedy longing for wealth] fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction [leading to personal misery]. 10 For the love of money [that is, the greedy desire for it and the willingness to gain it unethically] is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
Your desire for riches comes between your relationship with the Lord. And having money is good and beneficial. But when it consumes you that you feel to partake of getting rich schemes such as the lottery there will be grave consequences. God blessed you with money to meet your necessary needs, this includes caring for yourself and family, to further the gospel of Christ, and even bless the needy and underprivileged. And He wants you to enjoy the fruit of your labor. For you shall eat the fruit of [the labor of] your hands, You will be happy and blessed and it will be well with you. (Psalms 128:2, AMP). God never created money for you to waste on gambling and playing the lottery. And the means through which the world gives accessibility to gambling is quite alluring. From casinos to scratch off cards, the aim is to get you addicted to a habit that can ruin your life. Or keep you from placing your trust in the Lord for provisions. “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.” (Proverbs 13:11, NLT). Christ wants us to gain income from honest means, not through chance or luck. When your needs outnumber your salary, trust the Lord no matter what and lead the outcome to Him.
Beloved, you can’t serve two masters. No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand devotedly by the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon [that is, your earthly possessions or anything else you trust in and rely on instead of God].” (Luke 16:13). Your greed for money will place a burden on you which; will cause you to do things that are unethical and dishonest. Be wise and forsake trusting in gambling.
Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” (Hebrews 13:5).
I pray the Musical Selection; Anthem by Phil Wickham stirs your heart.
How might someone justify playing the lottery and gambling as earning income from an earnest mean?
How best can you minister to a Christian who feels there’s no harm in gambling and buying lottery tickets? What scriptures can you convey to them to uncover their eyes to the truth?
Please leave your comments in the box below as such is encouraging. And you can submit your prayer petitions.
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