When your friends invited you to a night of harmless gambling, and they assure you that it's just all for fun, will you accept the invitation? As a Christian, you always have the obligation to refer to the Bible to see whether an activity is something that pleases or displeases God, even if other people assure you that it's just harmless fun. So, what does the Bible say about gambling, and should a Christian gamble?
Gambling is driven by greed
God has always taught us to be thankful and appreciative of His provisions. God also wants us to feel contentment with everything that we have. When gambling, there is always the desire to win more money. So, you give up a portion of your money in the hopes of winning more. That's greed for you right there. Remember what God wants you to seek first and foremost? Matthew 6:33 says:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Gambling finds success in the demise of others
In a casino, often you find yourself competing against other players. All of you at the table make a bet, and based on luck, one of you will emerge the winner, while the others lose their money. We are taught and told not to find happiness in the demise of others. We shouldn't profit from the losses experienced by another person. You may not notice it, but this happiness you feel when winning is slowly corrupting your heart into thinking that all is well and good. But in reality, someone already lost his/her money and is feeling miserable about it. Hebrews 13:5 says:
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
Gambling is temptation
There's a reason why people who are addicted to gambling lose their money and lose their relationships, too. Gambling is a form of evil. It tempts you to waste your hard-earned money believing you'll get more back without really working for it. It tempts you to believe that winning through luck is better than working hard for your money. It also makes you believe that money is the most important thing in the world, but it really isn't. God gave us money to use it for good, this is God's will.
Apart from the evil thoughts, your heart is also corrupted. You enjoy the temporary high of feeling excited about winning, yet you don't notice that greed has already taken over you. You have now become self-centered and very materialistic. Let 2 Thessalonians 5:22 remind you to "reject any kind of evil."
The Bible has not failed to warn every Christian about greed. Colossians 3:5 says,<sup> "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." Greed is the worship of money and obviously, this isn't God's will. Do not participate in any form of gambling as this displeases the Lord.
