Gambling is SIN
STUDY NOTES BELOW
GAMBLING certainly runs contrary to many Biblical principles. GODLESS Americans spend in excess of $80 billion dollars annually on lotteries that are legal in 43 states. “That’s more than $230 for every man, woman, and child in those states — or $300 for each adult. This does not include $100,000,000,000 (BILLION) PLUS that is spent on illegal gambling in the US! Worldwide, lottery sales increase 3.8% in FY 2017 over FY 2016 Asia Pacific increased 7.4% Latin America 6.2%; Africa 4.9%; North America 6.7%; Europe 0.6%. Totaling over $300,000,000,000 (BILLION) USD!!! Consider the following:
- The majority of those who play the lottery are poor (10 poor people play Lotto to every 1 wealthy person). 70% of all lottery money comes from 20% of the population (the poor who can least afford it). It’s a TAX on the POOR! Contributing to this atrocity it SIN! Zechariah 7:10 “And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.”
- The US government spends $500,000,000 (MILLION) each year in advertising. They conduct monthly lectures for workers to sell their programs to their states, to the Indian Nations and to the gullible, godless public.
- When a person wins in the lottery, it is at the expense of others, mainly those who are poor (many must lose for a few to win). Those big jackpots you see only get big for one reason, more people are spending more money. We are clearly told in the Bible to protect and help the poor, not contribute to their demise!Proverbs 31:8-9 “Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”
Psalm 82:3-4 “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.”
Romans 15:1 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”
Acts 20:35 “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
- Aren’t we doing the opposite when we are trying to gain at their expense? Sure are! At BEST, it’s extortion and a stumbling the poor and that alone is met with eternal punishment in hellfire!Mark 9:42 “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.”
An article from 10-23-2018 States: “In an effort to create jackpots like this one ($1,600,000,000 BILLION), lottery officials have not only made it harder to win, but have continued to lie to us about the benefits of the lottery.
About half of Americans play the lottery today according to the most recent survey, compared to almost 70 percent in the 1980s. That means the lottery needs to extract more money from fewer people, specifically from the lowest-income households, which spend on average $412 on tickets per year – more than 4 times the amount spent by the highest-income households.
In an effort to draw more people to the lottery, Mega Millions decided to decrease each person’s chance of winning in order to grow the jackpots and DOUBLE the price of a ticket! As the jackpot gets bigger, more people are willing to buy a ticket.”
These godless thieves have so many fooled, including professing “Christians” that will end up in hell for gambling God’s money away! I gambled over a million dollars in my life before Christ, I thank GOD (JESUS) for HIS sacrifice and becoming the perfect, unblemished, Sin Offering on that bloody Cross! You have a chance to stop sinning (repent) and go to it, however, that means you have to live holy and pick up YOUR cross daily and endure ’til the end to be saved. Will you?
Is your motivation to get rich quickly? The Bible calls this evil:
Proverbs 28:20,22 “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. 22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
Are you playing to escape working for a living like so many “Christians” try to do? The Bible tells us that we should work for our money:
Proverbs 13:11 “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase”
Exodus 20:9 “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work”
Psalm 128:2 “For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.”
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”
Are you gambling so your needs can be met? The bible clearly states that not only are we to work or don’t eat (2Th 3:10), but are also to trust in God and he will provide for our needs:
Psalm 37:3-5 “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
Proverbs 3:5-7 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
We do our part, HE does HIS.
The lottery (and all gambling) are also a form of coveting (a desire to obtain something that someone else has that you do not), which is clearly breaking the 10th Commandment:
Exodus 20:17 “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”
Deuteronomy 5:21 “Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”
Romans 7:7 “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.”
Colossians 3:5 “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence (LONGING FOR SOMETHING THAT’S NOT YOURS), and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE”
THE WRATH OF GOD IS ON WILLFUL SINNERS. GAMBLERS OF ANY TYPE ARE WILLFUL SINNERS.
John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not (MEANING DOES NOT OBEY) the Son shall not see life; but the WRATH (ANGER/CONDEMNATION) of God abideth on him.”
All that we own belongs to the Lord:
Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
Psalm 89:11 “The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.”
1 Corinthians 10:26 “For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.”
Is gambling how God would want us to spend the money He has provided for us? How about the 21,000 CHILDREN under 5 years old that die DAILY from man-made poverty. Because people GAMBLE instead of taking care of the ORPHAN and WIDOW and the LEAST OF THRESE! I guess James 1:27 and dozens of other commands to help the poor we don’t have to obey?!? You are of the devil if you gamble!
I live in Florida so let’s use this state for an example. In 2011, the state of Florida had $4.2 BILLION in lottery ticket sales. The population of Florida in 2011 was 19,057,542. So, this means an average $220.38 was spent per person on lottery tickets in 2011 (or almost $1000 for a household of 4)! Of course we know that every person (including children) didn’t play the lottery in Florida in 2011, so the average amount spent by those who did was MUCH higher!!!
And, as we said, the vast majority of those who play the lottery are poor. The lottery preys on the poor. There is a much higher concentration of lottery outlets in poor areas than affluent ones. Tickets are readily available in places that people frequent the most: supermarkets (a grocery store chain based in Florida sells 18% of all tickets sold in Florida), gas stations, and convenience stores. Lotteries are continually increasing jackpots and adding new games to keep things exciting and make people want to play. They make promises of a “better life”.
However, in most cases life is anything but better. Playing the lottery can and has opened the door to other gambling problems. There are people who are addicted to just playing the lottery (I used to be one). In America, 4% of the population are estimated to be compulsive gamblers (including playing the lottery). Some are using money that they need to buy food or pay the bills. Even those who win often have families and friendships destroyed as people see you as a “bank” now. Many report constant misery as people continually hound them for a share of the money (sometimes even taking life threatening measures). In the end, amazingly, many even end up losing everything they have and their end is worse then their beginning. Here are some bible verses perfect for this exhortation. They are speaking to the false teachers in the world today that tell you “it’s OK to gamble”, or “you will sin until you die” or “Jesus has you covered”, etc.
2nd Peter 2:17-22 “These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18 “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”
Obviously, the vast majority of those who play the lottery are not addicted to it, they are not overspending on it, their families are not being destroyed. Playing is just seen as “harmless fun.” As we read in the verses in 2nd peter, people think they have unfettered “liberty” even when it runs against so many Biblical principles. Sin is sin whether it’s a “little” or you are a mass murderer. God is NOT a respecter of persons.
Here are a few more Bible verses to keep related to this topic:
1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from all appearance of evil.
2 Corinthians 6:3 “Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:”
If you think you are helping to “support schools” by your gambling on the lottery, as is widely promoted, studies show that only a VERY small portion actually goes to education. Even if 100% went to the schools, that is just as wicked. The ends NEVER justify the means when sin is involved. The 1st sin is gambling, the 2nd is funding godless public schools that teach humanism, the LGBT agenda, and other things that are 100% contradictory to Christianity. Yes, another sin is sending your child to public school. Home-school is the only option.
WARNING AGAINST ALL GAMBLERS & LAZY “CHRISTIANS” THAT DON’T WORK!
Warning Against Idleness
2 Thessalonians 3:6-14 “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. 13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. 14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.”
The Fellowship of the Believers
Act 2:42-47 “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And ALL THAT BELIEVED WERE TOGETHER, and HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON (COMMUNITY); 45 And SOLD THEIR POSSESSIONS AND GOODS (NON-NECESSITIES), and PARTED THEM TO ALL MEN, AS EVERY MAN HAD NEED. 46 And they, CONTINUING DAILY IN ONE ACCORD in the temple, and BREAKING BREAD FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”