Gambling: The Seductive Fantasy by John MacArthur

Wherever gambling goes, crime comes, because people need more money to gamble; they steal, and rob, and pillage. Las Vegas claims one of the nations highest crime rates. Nevada lists the highest incarceration rate in the nation, and 40% of the felons jailed in Nevada are from out-of-state; so you just invite felons in when you operate gambling. One in every 66 households in Nevada files for bankruptcy–the highest rate in the nation. They have the highest per capita consumption of alcohol in the nation and, by the way, these casinos give away alcohol because drunk people gamble more.

…

There are no verses in the Bible; if you look for the word “gambling” in your concordance, you won’t find it. There are no verses in the Bible that make a direct statement, “Thou shalt not gamble.” So, the Church has kind of backed off on that, and maybe found it difficult to make a case against gambling. It also, I think, has backed off because you can tell a drunk staggering down the street and slobbering on himself, or hunched over in a park bench, or living in a cardboard box, but gamblers don’t have visible evidences and so it doesn’t look on the surface as bad. It’s kind of a respectable look.

The following is just a summary of John MacArthur’s Biblical reasons against gambling, be sure to go to the link for more information as he explains each item.

Gambling is immoral for the following reasons:

1. It drains the economic provision that God makes for people.

2. Gambling is immoral because it undermines philanthropy, in fact, it reverses philanthropy.

3. It is immoral because it erodes the Biblical work ethic.

4. It is immoral, also, because it promotes irrationality.

5. It is immoral because it preys on the weak and the vulnerable, mostly elderly.

6. It is immoral because it attracts the undisciplined and pushes them deeper and deeper into difficulty.

Sinful basis of Gambling:

1. Gambling is built on the sin of materialism.

1 Timothy 6:10, [says,] “The love of money is the root of . . .” what? “All kinds of evil.” “The love of money,” is just another phrase for materialism, and gambling is built on the “love of money.”

2. It is built on the sin of greed.

Luke 12:15 says, “Beware and be on your guard against every form of greed, for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

3. Gambling is built on the sin of materialism, greed and discontent.

Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

4. It is built, as we have already seen, on exploitation.

5. Furthermore, gambling is predicated on this lust, this lazy lust for entertainment.

6. Gambling is built on the sins of materialism, greed, discontent, exploitation, and laziness–lust for entertainment. I would say, further, it is built on the sin of distrusting God. Distrusting God.

7. Then as we have said, it is built on the sin of disdain for work and careful planning.

8. Gambling is built on the sin of irresponsible stewardship.

9. Another sin that it is built on is the failure to meet the needs of family.

“If a man doesn’t take care of his family, he is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8

10. It’s built on the sin of not loving your neighbor.

See also:

Posts about Bingo / Gambling