Should Christians Care if Gambling is Legalized?

Gambling is Sin

Christians should care if gambling is legalized because gambling is sin.  While there is no commandment that says, “Thou shall not gamble”, all forms of gambling violate several commandments, principles, and standards of Christian behavior.

 Gambling violates these commandments:

 “Thou shall have no other gods before me.”  Exodus 20:3
A recovering gambling addict said, “Gambling became my god.”

“Thou shall not covet…” Exodus 20:17
“Coveting is desiring, anxiously yearning to possess something that belongs to another without due compensation.”  That is exactly what gambling is.  It is coveting—desiring what belongs to our neighbor.

 “Thou shall not steal.”  Exodus 20:15
Gambling is taking what really does not belong to us, but what belongs to someone else without earning it or giving him anything in return.

 Gambling violates these and many other Scriptural principles and standards of behavior.

Gambling violates the principle of a Christian witness. (1 Thess. 5:22, Rom. 12:9, Acts 10:38, 1 Cor. 10:31)

Gambling encourages greed (Luke 12:15, Hebrews 13:5 and 1 Tim. 6:10)

Gambling encourages materialism and discontent (1 Tim. 6:6-9,  Psalm 62:10)

Gambling encouraged reckless investment of God-given resources (Matt. 25:14-30)

 Yes, guided by the Bible, Christians should care and oppose legalized gambling because of their love for God and their neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39) and their desire to “…Abhor [hate, avoid, flee from] evil [sin of all kinds] and cleave [hold tightly] to that which is good [right].” (Romans 12:9)

 (Used With Permission by George Ricker, Alabama)