Refraining From Lottery Tickets And Legalism

"Accept the one whose faith is weak without quarreling over disputable matters" (Rom. 14:1, NIV).
"I have the freedom to do anything, but I won't be controlled by anything" (1 Cor. 6:12, CEB).
"Everything is permitted, but everything isn't beneficial.  Everything is permitted, but everything doesn't build others up" (1 Cor. 10:23, CEB). 
"So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, you should do it all for God's glory" (CEB).
"The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD" (Prov. 16:33, NIV).

Some believers may feel holier-than-thou (cf. Isa. 65:5) and by restraining from what they define as gambling--the lottery, they get a spiritual high.  They may even have told them that God told them so!  This is hogwash and mysticism, for God doesn't reveal truths to a certain elite group of privileged believers so that only they are in the know. They may feel this is their weakness, to gamble, but this is a personal choice, not something the Bible forbids directly nor indirectly by implying.  First, Christianity isn't a list of dos and don'ts as if we are better Christians if we don't do this or that: e.g., watching the hemlines, ticket lines, and hairlines to legalists.  Christianity isn't about what you don't do, but a relationship with Christ in knowing Him.  There is so little stated in Scripture about gambling that you just can't make any anti-gambling case on it.  When the Bible does forbid something and you do it, that's sin, not legalism.  We don't need a longer to-do list or what-not-to-do list.

The Bible does state that the faith you have, keep to yourself and don't be a stumbling block.  We are not to go "beyond that which is written" (cf. 1 Cor. 4:6).  When our conscience is clear, we see right and wrong clearly and it can be a guide, but if the conscience isn't enlightened by Scripture it is a hindrance to spirituality.  He that is spiritual must make the Bible his ultimate, final rule of faith.  We question authority when it contravenes Scripture. Caveat:  Don't focus on the sin of others and apply the Word to them, apply it to yourself--we all tend to see other people's sins.  (As a rule of thumb the Bible nowhere prohibits the casting of lots, which was common, and by the argument from silence one could reason that it's up to the individual person, situation, or conscience.)

One might argue that God will supply all their needs and you don't need to gamble, but that doesn't mean God won't give a little extra blessing from time to time, something going above and beyond the mere essentials.  CAVEAT:  When believers start quoting God and claiming God spoke to them to grant them special revelation so that they know something others don't, this is mysticism.  A believer must never feel condemned or judged by another believer nor let him be put under any nonbiblical criticism: The Scripture plainly says in Rom. 8:1 that there is "no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," period!  Who is he who condemns but the devil and accuser of the brethren? (Cf. Rom. 8:34).  Who wants to play the role of adversary to the believer?

The problem inherent in legalism is seeing sins, not sin.  Going by the letter of the law, not the Spirit.  It is said that the old nature knows no law, while the new nature needs no law.  We must refrain from ignoring major sins and focusing scrupulously on minor points or sins (cf. Matt. 23:23-24).  Some sins are indeed more serious and deserve more attention.  The only cure for legalism and its influence is a thorough study of the Word and to become grace-oriented. We must not bind people with legalistic demands but set them free; however, we are not ever free to live as we want, but as we ought.  We ought to impose no restraint on the believer that is unbiblical, or that which goes beyond that which is written (cf. 1 Cor. 4:4).

What is important is that we overcome the sin which so easily entangles us (cf. Heb. 12:1), and from our private sin.  We don't want any certain sin to dominate us (cf. Psa. 119:133):  "...let no sin rule over me."  We are overcomers when we have our own sins under control, and not what others define as sin; for some things may be sin for one person and not another--"whatever is not of faith is sin" (cf. Rom. 14:23).

Weaker brothers who object should grow in knowledge, while stronger believers ought to grow in love.  At any rate, both ought to respect the faith of the other in dubious or questionable areas.  In fact, the faith you have, you are to keep to yourself between you and God as much as possible; this means don't parade your freedom or flaunt it before others!  In sum, the legalistic believer is living in paralysis, a parody of the real thing--not realizing his real freedom in Christ.      Soli Deo Gloria!

The Shrine Of Almighty Chance

People who play the lotto or gamble compulsively don't realize that God micromanages the cosmos and superintends every creature and event under the sun as His divine sovereignty dictates; i.e., there is no such thing as chance, but a mathematical probability and it's blind, whereas God sees all--it is not an entity and it's corollary, luck, is dumb (whereas God is omniscient), and fortune is a way to avoid the word blessing!   I realize some people's retirement plan is to win the lottery, but this is vain and contrary to the Word, where we should be wise in stewardship and plan ahead while trusting in God, not our money to save and provide for us!

Is your security in your portfolio or in Providence?  God is in control, for what kind of God wouldn't be:  There is not one maverick molecule in the universe!  Fate, by the way, is impersonal and even blind, whereas God is personal and involved with care in our lives. There's no such entity as good fortune, but God is good to all and blesses them either directly or by association.  Do you ever say to yourself, "Let's not meet by accident [referring to a collision]!"  Or even, "Fancy meeting you here!" We make mistakes and have accidents as humans, but God overrules and puts meaning in them--there's even meaning in suffering, which is God's megaphone to speak to us.  God's cosmos is not random, but intricately designed and under control.  It has been said that the entire universe is like one vast mathematical equation form God's mind.

God even works through diabolical events (cf. Acts 2:23, 4:28) such as the crucifixion to bring about blessings out of curses, and Joseph met his brothers and told them that, though they meant it for evil, God meant it for good! There are no flukes of nature or accidents of history--we must realize God's wisdom in allowing or causing them to happen.  Wycliffe said, "All things come to pass of necessity." "The steps of a man are established by the LORD" (cf. Psa. 37:23).  God's answer to happenstance is Providence and this is meant to be comforting and assuring that God reigns and rules overall.  "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will"  (Eph. 1:11, NIV).

Nothing happens by chance or coincidence: There is no fortuitous event, but everything under the sun has purpose and meaning in God's eyes, even if we don't fathom it (cf. Prov. 16:4; Prov. 16:33; Eph. 1:11).  Purpose is a naughty word for the modern man who believes in random chance and even denies there is purpose in life itself.  But it behooves us to realize the reasoning behind God's blessings and His providence in our lives--don't shrug off something as getting lucky or fate smiling on you, but give the glory to God who has blessed you and sees and knows all possibilities and can coordinate and orchestrate our lives with utmost care, having written them down before we were born (cf. Psalm 139:16).  

NB:  the providence of God.    "LORD, I know that people's lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps"  (Jer. 10:23, NIV). "A man's steps are directed by the LORD.  How then can anyone understand their own way?"  (Prov. 20:24, NIV).

We really shouldn't accommodate the secularists by using these words in our vocabulary, but boldly witness and testify of the providence and blessings of God on our behalf, who watches over us to provide us all our needs.  Ben Franklin observed and gave the testimony:  "I have lived a long time, and the longer I live, the more I'm convinced that God governs in the affairs of men."

Note:  God is the sole primary cause of the cosmos, who either directs or permits all events:  Nothing just happens according to the law of causality (cause and effect); and if God caused it, it must have purpose, because He's a God of purpose and design, known as teleology.  We are secondary causes and agents of God being used for His ultimate will. 

The conclusion of the matter is this:  "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD" (Prov. 16:33, NIV).  This implies there are meaning and purpose in everything to God (cf. Prov. 16:4), but we are not capable of discerning or deciphering it all the time--just take it by faith that God is with you.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Is Gambling Sin?

To be sure, there are no impersonal forces at work in God's universe such as fate, luck, chance or fortune. Fate is impersonal; God is personal. Luck is dumb; God is omniscient. Fortune is blind; God sees all. Prov. 16:33 is quoted: "The lot is cast unto the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD." Yes, God rules over all and doesn't leave anything to chance (which doesn't exist as a force, but only as a mathematical possibility); so worshiping at the idol of chance is insulting to our Maker's providence and sovereignty. In essence, we are testing God and our desire to get rich is clearly condemned.

I don't want to deflate someone's balloon, or a good thing going, but gambling can be a serious sin. Gambling per se is not sinning--that is, it is not specifically prohibited by Scripture--but, like smoking is a bad habit or way of life to succumb to and Paul certainly didn't want any undisciplined lifestyle (cf. 1 Cor 6:12: "...but I will not be mastered by anything"). What may be a sin for me, with greater light, may not be for someone else ("anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins"). Today we have people whose retirement plan is to win the lottery! Many poor people who can't afford to gamble are using good money to gamble and hoping to strike it rich. Some idle rich who have nothing better to do gamble for the fun of it not realizing that God will make them give an account someday. I realize that modern society is based on greed and gambling in the market, but you cannot equate the evil of a casino to the capitalistic system that is necessary.

There is a necessary risk, and then there's uncalled for risk that is unwise. There might be a little wiggle room for "penny machines" for amusement and blowing hard-earned cash--well, as they say easy come easy go. Many simply do not respect the value of a dollar! We are merely stewards of what God has entrusted us with and we don't own anything ("For the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof," says Ps. 24:1).

The big question to ask is whether Jesus would gamble. What would Jesus do? Making honest money is not evil: Wesley said to make as much as you can, save as much as you can, and give away as much as you can. It is in serving money (not using money) and loving it as an idol--anything that takes the place of God--that is evil. There are extenuating circumstances, of course, and you can't absolutely build an anti-gambling case from the Bible (you have to deduct or infer it). Obviously, playing penny poker or penny machines is trivial and a diversion for some.

But the most important aspect is being a responsible steward with our blessings. It all belongs to God and He lets us use it. I do not condemn Indians for owning casinos, because there are those that know what they are doing, and you don't throw away the baby with the bathwater. I also wonder about the dependence of governments on gambling revenue, whether it is moral.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Casting Lots In The Bible

There are a few examples of casting lots in the Bible, like when Jonah was aboard the ship to Tarshish (and they cast lots to determine who was at fault), and at Christ's crucifixion; however, there was no money involved and the people were simply using lots as a way of making a decision, like the apostles deciding who the twelvth apostle would be to replace Judas.

The Bible teaches clearly from Prov.16:33 that the "lot is cast," but the decision is "wholly from the Lord." God is sovereign, even in minutiae like so-called random throwing of dice. "God doesn't play dice," said Einstein, and that means there really is no such thing as luck or chance in His universe.

Jonathan Edwards said, he ascribes absolute sovereignty to God. Flipping a coin, as the modern-day version, at a football game, for instance, is not gambling either, but merely a convention. There is one type of "holy dice" in the Bible, and that is the Urim and Thummim, which was a "yes or no" proposition, in which God was asked a question of His will. But that does not mean we should "tempt" the Lord or put Him to the test and play dice to find out his will, like a sort of ouija board game with God. God expects us to use sound biblical principles like prayer, studying the Word, and counseling.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Is Playing The Lottery Sin?

Of course, gambling and playing the lottery are not mentioned in the Bible specifically as sin--so it's hard to make a case against it. God looks at the motive--does the individual desire to get rich, or does he have greed and love for money? Is he bored and looking for entertainment? ("The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil....") To be perspicuous, I am not a protagonist of any sort of gambling, since I cannot see Jesus doing it. "What would Jesus do?" is a good motto to live by. One should ask the questions: Can I ask Jesus' blessing on this? Can I invite Jesus with me in this? Many who play are obsessive-compulsive and in bondage like an alcoholic. They need to be set free and see the light. They think they've got the "bug," but really they've just been fooled by the lure of the destroyer-Apollyon (the devil).

There is no such thing as luck, so why believe in it? Einstein said, "God doesn't play dice with the universe." The Epicureans believed in chance, and the Stoics believed in fate--these are the two philosophies that seem to distinguish the gamblers. In essence, they are not trusting God to supply all their needs. Some say that if they tithe, they can do what they want with "their" money, but, as a matter of fact, all our money belongs to God, and the question should be "how much of God's money do I spend on myself?" We should trust in Providence, not happenstance. In the parable of the stewards, none of them used the money to gamble. As for stewardship, it is good advice to bet what you can afford to lose--not what you want to win if you must gamble.

Why should I be so concerned about this issue? Well, it has invaded the church as a condoned behavior that no one preaches about, like gluttony. Samuel Rutherford said that the more lively sense of sin, the less sin. What if you should win a million dollars? God sometimes gives us what we want, but are we prepared for it? The gambler can be guilty of worshiping at the shrine of "almighty chance," which is idolatry. In sum, gambling is not a sin per se, but it is unwise and should be avoided Many who condone it, don't do it themselves; why set a poor example and jeopardize your testimony, or do the devil a favor and love the world or the things of the world?

The call to holiness, "to come out from among them and be separate" is not something that can be commanded, one must get "convicted" on his own. So, don't think I condemn all lottery players, but I think there is a lot of abuse and slavery.

What may be a sin for me and my testimony, may not be for the baby believer for whom God doesn't require as much responsibility and testimony. Nothing is sin that isn't named or implied in Scripture, but the mature believer will see it as unwise.   Soli Deo Gloria!