Gambling

 

Gambling- Seeking to gain a possession by an appeal to an artificially created chance, where there are winners and losers and no service or commodity is exchanged.

 

1) Reword the question

How do I love someone with my money?

 

2) Passages in the Bible

Matthew 6:25-34, Luke 10:27-37, Ephesians 4:28, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 1 Timothy 6:10, 2 Corinthians 9

 

3) The framework

Author of love-          

God is sovereign (Matthew 6:19-34). God is called Jehovah Jireh (“God will provide”). There is no such thing as chance if God is in control (Gen 50:20).

God is also the God of the widows and the orphans (Deut 10:14-22). He cares for the lowly, for those in poor circumstances. Rather than taking, God provides for them.

To seek someone else’s possessions at their expense goes against the very character of God.

God is love (1 John 4), and so sacrifices for others. Generosity for this reason is part of the will of God (2 Corinthians 8:1-4)

 

Love revealed-          

The image of God tells us that we are made for relationship with one another. It tells us that the type of relationship we are to have is sacrificial and generous.

 

Love redeemed         

Greed has entered our world (Colossians 3:5). Greed can replace God’s place our rightful worship so that money becomes our master (Matthew 6:24).

People do not care for those who are lacking ( James 5:1-6). The type of behaviour we should display is “to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood” (Isaiah 58:7)

True religion is to look after the widows and the fatherless (James 1:27) and keeping ourselves from being polluted by this world. Gambling will not help us love others, if anything it will lead us into idolatry.

 

Love transformed     

We are destined for a kingdom where there is no need for money (Isaiah 55:1-2). We are destined for a kingdom that is rich beyond all measure (Revelation 21:15-21). We are co-heirs with Christ in this kingdom (Romans 8:16-17). So we should learn contentment in this life with what we have, knowing what is ahead (Philippians 4:10-19)