Article on tithing

Every 3 years, an extra tithe was collected from the people and used to help the poor orphans, widows and new foreigners. A "tithe" means a tenth or 10 percent. In the New Testament, there are not any specific rules on the tithe and since most of the Old Testament law does not apply to Christian religions, the tithe is not often enforced in Christian religions today. Still, the Bible does emphasis the importance of giving. Whether or not a person decides to follow the Old Testament tithe law, it is important to give to those less fortunate and to help support the church. In Matthew 5:42, it states, "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." It also talks about the importance of giving of oneself through talents and abilities as well as financial wealth. It states in Romans 12:6-8, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."

Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?

Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God? With this desire for love in mind, I turn now to the question: Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God? Like all good questions, the answer is more complex than most want, but I am confident of my position: Muslims and Christians do not worship the same God, but given the complexity of the matter we all ought to stop demonizing those who disagree with us. I should start by saying this: for years after leaving Islam and accepting Jesus as Lord, I believed that Muslims worshiped the same God as Christians but that they were simply wrong about what He is like and what He has done. After all, I had been taught as a young Muslim to worship the God who created Adam and Eve, who rescued Noah from the flood, who promised Abraham a vast progeny, who helped Moses escape Egypt, who made the Virgin Mary great with child, who sent Jesus into the world, who helped the disciples overcome, and who is still sovereign today. Is that not the God of the Bible? For that matter, the Quran asserts that the Torah and the Gospel are inspired scripture and that Jews and Christians are people of the Book. The Quran tells Muslims to say to them, “our God and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender” (29.46). If the Quran asserts that Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christians, does that not settle the matter? For years I thought it did, but I no longer do. Now I believe that the phrase “Muslims and Christians worship the same God” is only true in a fairly uncontroversial sense: There is one Creator whom Muslims and Christians both attempt to worship. Apart from this banal observation, Muslims and Christians do not worship the same God. I do not condemn those that think they do, but the deeper I delve into the Christian faith, the more I realize that this assertion is not only untrue but also subverts Christian orthodoxy in favor of Islamic assertions. Let’s start with the obvious: Christians believe Jesus is God, but the Quran is so opposed to this belief that it condemns Jesus worshipers to Hell (5.72). For Christians, Jesus is certainly God, and for Muslims Jesus is certainly not God . How can it be said that Christians and Muslims worship the same God? This fact alone is enough to settle the matter, but at the very least, no one should argue as Volf has that “there isn’t any theological justification” for believing Christians and Muslims worship different Gods. There certainly is, and it is the obvious position when we consider the person of Jesus. Another difference between the Islamic God and the Christian God that is quite personal to me is his Fatherhood. According to Jesus, God is our Father, yet the Quran very specifically denies that Allah is a father (112.1-4). In fact, in 5.18, the Quran tells Muslims to rebuke Jews and Christians for calling God their loving Father because humans are just things that God has created. The same is the case when we consider the doctrine of the Trinity. Islam roundly condemns worship of the Trinity (5.73), establishing in contrast its own core principle: Tawhid, the absolute oneness of God. Tawhid specifically denies the Trinity, so much so that it is safe to say the doctrine of God in Christianity is antithetical to the doctrine of God in Islam. Not just different but completely opposed to one another. There is much more to be said about the differences between the Christian God and the Muslim God, but this much can already be said with confidence: the Christian God, both in terms of what he is (Triune) and who he is (Father, Son, and Spirit) is not just different from the Muslim God; He is fundamentally incompatible. According to Islam, worshiping the Christian God is not just wrong; it sends you to Hell. They are not the same God. Why Do People Say Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God? So how can people argue that Muslims and Christians worship the same God? By unduly giving priority to the Islamic assertion that this is the same God. The Quran says that Allah is the God of the Bible, so He must be. The Quran says that Allah is the God of the Biblical prophets, so He must be. The Quran says that Muslims and Christians worship the same God, so it must be the same God. Ultimately, this is the reasoning of those who believe, as I once did, that Muslims and Christians worship the same God, and it is flawed. The similarities between the God of Islam and the God of Christianity are fairly superficial, and at times simply semantic. Though Islam claims that the Muslim God has done some of the same things as the Christian God and sent some of the same people, that is not enough to say that Muslims worship the same God as Christians. These minor overlaps are far less essential to the reality of who God is than the fundamental differences of his nature and persons. What God has done or whom He has sent is far less of a defining characteristic than what He is and who He is; though Islam and Christianity overlap at points on the former, they differ fundamentally on the latter. Volf’s challenge in response is that Christians believe they worship the same God as the Jews though the Jews do not worship the Trinity. How can Christians accuse Muslims of worshiping a different God without also indicting the Jews of doing the same? That would be inconsistent or hypocritical. The response should be obvious to those who have studied the three Abrahamic faiths: the Trinity is an elaboration of Jewish theology, not a rejection. By contrast, Tawhid is a categorical rejection of the Trinity, Jesus’ deity, and the Fatherhood of God, doctrines that are grounded in the pages of the New Testament and firmly established centuries before the advent of Islam. Most of the earliest Christians were Jews, incorporating their encounter with Jesus into their Jewish theology. Nothing of the sort is true of Muhammad, who was neither a Jew nor a Christian. Islam did not elaborate on the Trinity but rejected and replaced it. Additionally, Volf’s assumption that Jews did not worship something like the Trinity is unsubstantiated. Many Jews held their monotheism in tension with a belief in multiple divine persons. Though the term “Trinity” was coined in the second century, the underlying principles of this doctrine were hammered out on the anvil of pre-Christian Jewish belief. It was not until later, when Jews and Christians parted ways, that Jews insisted on a monadic God. The charge of Christian hypocrisy is anachronistic. Christians worship a Triune God: a Father who loves unconditionally, an incarnate Son who is willing to die for us so that we may be forgiven, and an immanent Holy Spirit who lives in us. This is not what the Muslim God is; it is not who the Muslim God is; and it is not what the Muslim God does. Truly, the Trinity is antithetical to Tawhid, fundamentally incompatible and only similar superficially and semantically. Muslims and Christians do not worship the same God. #Copied.....

Wait Patiently On God

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him: do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked ways” – Psalm 37:7 ” You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God. your God has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” Hebrews 1:9 God is faithful and just; he will reward your wait and righteousness. In your life, you may feel that the righteous and ungodly people people are getting high ahead of you in every aspect of life; You may feel that despite your prayers and service to God, evil forces and forces of darkness are still exercising their authority over you. You may feel that your mates and fellows who are living out of the will and direction of God are making great fortune and doing better than you. And you might still be feeling that evil and your enemies will triumph. Where Is Our Conscience? Quit worrying. Stop living in your feelings and start to live on His word and promises concerning you. God is fully aware of what you are going through, and it is not like He is stuck up somewhere, unable to reach you or He is unjust to forget your labour, love and dedication. (See Hebrews 6: 10). Neither is He unfaithful to fulfill His promises to you. But He is actually with you in the rough road, pain, struggles, troubles etc. taking you to your glorious destination. God didn’t have to make Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego disappear into thin air and not go into the blazing furnace. He just had to walk with them in the blazing furnace. (See Daniel 3). He also didn’t have to make Daniel disappear, though He could have done it if He wanted, He just had to stay with Daniel in the lions den. (See Daniel 6). So He is with you in whatever you are going through. Continue to live for God; doing His will and living righteous. And as you wait in patience, God will show up in His time and you would never want it at any time than that moment. “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31. Your wait shall be worth it. People will know that, God rewards loyalty and righteousness. “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong” – Psalm 37 :1. “For the righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bath their feet in the blood of the wicked. “then men will say, “surely , the righteous still are wicked; surely there is God who judges the earth,” Psalm 58:10 & 11. As you continue to do His will, declare His promises to be true in your life and believe in Him. Be confident that He will guide and protect you and bring you to an expected end. Trust Him. He’s got a plan. AMEN!

Who do you say Jesus Is? Who Is Jesus?

Over the years, people have tried to answer this mysterious question about who Jesus is ? Some say he is a prophet, some say he is just like any other servant of God that came to the world, or one of the prophets. Others have said he is a social revolutionist who wanted to overthrow the Roman’s regime and to discredit the laws of Moses and the prophets of old, thus establish his own empire. Some have said he was an usual rabbi(teacher) whose teachings was blasphemy against God and the church. Some thought, they knew him so well that all they had to say about him is that, he is the carpenter’s son from a small and insignificant town called Nazareth. While in the region of Caesera Phillipi, Jesus asked his disciples, who do men say I am?. And after they had said a whole lot about what they have heard people say he is, Jesus asked them further, ” But who do you say I am?” “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”, Simon Peter answered. With this answer, Jesus knew it was a revelation unto Simon Peter; He could not have known unless it was revealed to him by the father in Heaven.(Matthew 16: 13-17), Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18-21). The demon-possessed man of Gerasenes in Mark 5 fell on his knees and confessed about who Jesus really is, He said, Jesus, son of the Most High God. The Truth Will Set You Free There is every proof that Jesus is the Christ, that was prophesied and talked about by the prophets of old. Simeon, as servant of God was very old and weak but upon revelation had to see the Christ before he dies. This revelation and prophesy was fulfilled when baby Jesus was presented in the temple. These were the words of Simeon as he took him on his terms, ” Sovereign LORD, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory to your people, Israel” Luke 2:29-32. Jesus lived a life devoid of sin. He was without blemish. At his commands, demons flee, storms calmed. He healed the sick and raised the dead people to life. Jesus forgave sins with great authority. He taught mysteries. Jesus was hanged on the cross; He died and rose again. His death united two rival kings. He conquered death and satan. Jesus saved the world. He fulfilled the prophesies about the Christ . He controlled nature like the God He is. There couldn’t have been any better Christ than this Jesus. Jesus is the Christ. He is real and lives today and will live forever more.

Did Jesus come only for the Jews and not the Gentiles?

Question: "Did Jesus come only for the Jews and not the Gentiles?" Answer: Jesus is the Messiah that the Jews had been anticipating for centuries (see Luke 2:25; 3:15). As such, He was born into a Jewish family and was reared according to Jewish law in a Jewish town (see Luke 2:27; Galatians 4:4). Jesus selected Jewish disciples, spoke in Jewish synagogues and the Jewish temple, and traveled mostly in Jewish areas. His mission, in fulfillment of the Jewish prophets, was to the Jewish people. However, none of this means that Jesus’ ministry was limited exclusively to the Jews. In Matthew 15, there is an incident that, at first, seems to confirm the idea that Jesus came only for the Jews. Jesus was traveling through Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile region, and “a Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly’” (Matthew 15:22). This Gentile woman recognized Jesus as the Messiah (“Son of David”), but “Jesus did not answer a word” (verse 23). As the woman kept up her appeals, Jesus finally responded, but His words seemed to hold little hope: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (verse 24). However, the woman did not give up, and Jesus eventually granted her request, based on her “great faith” (verse 28). The fact that Jesus helped the Canaanite woman, even though His mission was to the Jews, is a significant detail in the Gospel narrative. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus gave other indications that His power and compassion reached to all people. He healed a Roman centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1–10). He traveled through the Gentile region of the Gerasenes (Mark 5:1). He ministered in a Samaritan city (John 4). Jesus came to save everybody (1 John 2:2). Jesus Christ is God Himself (John 1:1). Jesus died on the cross as the payment for all our sins, and He rose from death in resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Jesus said He was the Good Shepherd, and He predicted that His flock would be greatly expanded: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). It took a while for the early church to recognize that salvation was available to the Gentiles. The Jewish Christians who fled the persecution in Jerusalem went into the Gentile regions of Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, but they were “spreading the word only among Jews” (Acts 11:19). Peter was hesitant to bring the gospel to a Gentile household, but God made it plain that Cornelius was also one of the elect (Acts 10). “Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too” (Romans 3:29). Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, but He had come to offer salvation to everybody. The Messiah was to be a “light for the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6). So call on Jesus, because “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

Interesting Ways To Find Out God's Will For Your Life

Have you ever scratched your head, like me, wondering how to discern God’s will? Wouldn’t it be nice if our Father used a megaphone to communicate his plans for us? We’d hear his will, good and clear, wouldn’t we?

Discerning the desires of God Almighty doesn’t always seem that simple, however. 

Do you suppose we make it harder than necessary?

A stroll through the Bible uncovers several instances of “this is my will for you.” Call it a megaphone of the written sort – from our faithful Father straight to us. Brand it a light for our path.

Following are four suggestions clad with scriptures available to seekers of God’s will. Grab the acronym “STAR”, and let’s consider if perhaps God’s will isn’t that complicated after all.

1. Search 
Start with a search through the Bible. Our heavenly Father points the way, oftentimes even using the words “God’s will.” Take a look at these four instances:

This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).

"For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each one of you know how to control his own body in sanctification and honor, not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God; that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6).

"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

"For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men" (1 Peter 2:15).

A search with key words offers insight into God’s will as well.

Anxious? 
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Phil. 4:6).

To forgive or not to forgive? 
"And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32).

Afraid? 
"Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).

2. Transformation 
Transformation comes with a renewed mind. Renewal comes as we soak in the Word of God, learning His ways and understanding our Father’s wisdom. 

"Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2).

3. Ask 
Ask God for wisdom. Lean in to the Holy Spirit’s counsel.
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

Pray and pray again.
"Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Ask mature Christians for godly counsel.
Sometimes it helps to seek the counsel of godly friends and mentors. They often offer a piece of God’s Word we somehow missed. 

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel" (Proverbs 12:15).

4. Remember 
The 10 Commandments – remember these? Given generations ago, God’s will remains solid in them:

1. Leave other gods alone.
2. Idols? Just say no.
3. Misusing God’s name is a no no.
4. Keep the Sabbath holy.
5. Honor mom and dad.
6. Forget murder.
7. Adultery? No way.
8. Steal a little or steal a lot? Neither.
9. No making up lies about your neighbor, okay?
10. No googly eyes over another’s spouse, things, and so forth.

If it’s not yours, it’s not yours.

Then there are the umbrella New Testament commandments. These two tidy up the law well and usher us into today’s age.

"Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. 

A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’" (Matthew 22:37-39).

So there it is: a path toward discerning God’s will, megaphone-style. When we follow the “STAR” of God’s Word, we discover deciphering our Father’s will isn’t so complicated after all.

Father, 

Like Jesus, I determine to set my will aside this year, gathering and running the race with yours instead. Instill wisdom in my heart and mind. May my ears hear you clearly. May my feet walk steadfastly with the wisdom of your Word. Thank you, Lord. I love you.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Save sex rather than safe sex

Bible verses about fornication

This is a topic where many people just totally disregard what God says and do their own will. Every day, we hear about so-called Christians being fornicators. In this world there is so much pressure to have premarital sex, but remember we are to be set apart from the world. A Christian who rebels against God’s Word is not a Christian at all.

There are many benefits of waiting until marriage that the devil leaves out when he is deceiving people. Don’t let others around you influence you. 

It might not be popular, but waiting is the right thing to do, godly thing to do, biblical thing to do, and the safest thing to do.

Keeping your mind on God and not the flesh will save you from death, shame, guilt, std’s, unwanted pregnancy, false love, and you will receive God’s special blessing in marriage.

There are many more benefits than these. Stay away from peer pressure and from the world. Make the right choice today and have sex with your spouse and your spouse only.

Quotes

• “Save sex instead of safe sex.”
• “You can convince yourself that God doesn’t care if you have premarital sex, but only if you ignore scripture.”

What does the Bible say?

1. 1 Corinthians 6:13-14 You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality.They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

2. 1 Corinthians 6:18-19 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself.

3. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor.

4. 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant thatyou are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.

The sin of adultery!

5. Proverbs 6:32 He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.

6. Deuteronomy 22:22 If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil.

Do not follow the ways of the world. Don’t allow ungodly friends to persuade you to sin! 

7. Proverbs 1:15 My child,don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths.

8. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but continuously be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God’s will is—what is proper, pleasing, and perfect.

Reminders

9. 1 John 2:3-4 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.

10. Jude 1:4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Warning

11. Jude 1:7-8 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

12. 1 Corinthians 6:9 Don’t you know that wicked people won’t inherit the kingdom of God? Stop deceiving yourselves! People who continue to commit sexual sins, who worship false gods, those who commit adultery, homosexuals, or thieves, those who are greedy or drunk, who use abusive language, or who rob people will not inherit the kingdom of God.

13. Revelation 22:15 Outside are dogs, sorcerers, sexual sinners, murderers, idolaters, and all who lie in what they say and what they do.

The believers in Corinth repented.

14. 1 Corinthians 6:11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Walk by the Spirit

15. Galatians 5:16 So I say,let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

16. Galatians 5:25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Avoid the devil’s schemes: Don’t even put yourself in a position where you can be tempted to sin because you will fall. Ex. Shacking up before marriage.

17. Ephesians 6:11-12 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

18. 1 Thessalonians 5:22Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Guard your heart

19. Matthew 15:19 It is out of the heart that evil thoughts come, as well as murder,adultery, sexual immorality,stealing, false testimony, and slander.

20. Proverbs 4:23 Above everything else guard your heart, because from it flow the springs of life.

Advice

21. 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry.It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.

22. James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Examples

23. 1 Corinthians 5:1-3 I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship. Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man.

24. Revelation 18:2-3 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

25. 2 Samuel 11:2-5 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

What the bible says about gambling......Sin or not?

Question: "Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say about gambling?"

Answer: The Bible does not specifically condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. The Bible does warn us, however, to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). Scripture also encourages us to stay away from attempts to “get rich quick” (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10). Gambling most definitely is focused on the love of money and undeniably tempts people with the promise of quick and easy riches.

Question: "Is gambling a sin? What does the Bible say about gambling?"

Answer: The Bible does not specifically condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. The Bible does warn us, however, to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). Scripture also encourages us to stay away from attempts to “get rich quick” (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10). Gambling most definitely is focused on the love of money and undeniably tempts people with the promise of quick and easy riches.

What is wrong with gambling? Gambling is a difficult issue because if it is done in moderation and only on occasion, it is a waste of money, but it is not necessarily evil. People waste money on all sorts of activities. Gambling is no more or less of a waste of money than seeing a movie (in many cases), eating an unnecessarily expensive meal, or purchasing a worthless item. At the same time, the fact that money is wasted on other things does not justify gambling. Money should not be wasted. Excess money should be saved for future needs or given to the Lord's work, not gambled away.

While the Bible does not explicitly mention gambling, it does mention events of “luck” or “chance.” As an example, casting lots is used in Leviticus to choose between the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat. Joshua cast lots to determine the allotment of land to the various tribes. Nehemiah cast lots to determine who would live inside the walls of Jerusalem. The apostles cast lots to determine the replacement for Judas. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast in the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

What would the Bible say about casinos and lotteries? Casinos use all sorts of marketing schemes to entice gamblers to risk as much money as possible. They often offer inexpensive or even free alcohol, which encourages drunkenness, and thereby a decreased ability to make wise decisions. Everything in a casino is perfectly rigged for taking money in large sums and giving nothing in return, except for fleeting and empty pleasures. Lotteries attempt to portray themselves as a way to fund education and/or social programs. However, studies show that lottery participants are usually those who can least afford to be spending money on lottery tickets. The allure of “getting rich quick” is too great a temptation to resist for those who are desperate. The chances of winning are infinitesimal, which results in many peoples’ lives being ruined.

Can lotto/lottery proceeds please God? Many people claim to be playing the lottery or gambling so that they can give the money to the church or to some other good cause. While this may be a good motive, reality is that few use gambling winnings for godly purposes. Studies show that the vast majority of lottery winners are in an even worse financial situation a few years after winning a jackpot than they were before. Few, if any, truly give the money to a good cause. Further, God does not need our money to fund His mission in the world. Proverbs 13:11 says, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” God is sovereign and will provide for the needs of the church through honest means. Would God be honored by receiving donated drug money or money stolen in a bank robbery? Of course not. Neither does God need or want money that was “stolen” from the poor in the temptation for riches.

What is wrong with gambling? Gambling is a difficult issue because if it is done in moderation and only on occasion, it is a waste of money, but it is not necessarily evil. People waste money on all sorts of activities. Gambling is no more or less of a waste of money than seeing a movie (in many cases), eating an unnecessarily expensive meal, or purchasing a worthless item. At the same time, the fact that money is wasted on other things does not justify gambling. Money should not be wasted. Excess money should be saved for future needs or given to the Lord's work, not gambled away.

While the Bible does not explicitly mention gambling, it does mention events of “luck” or “chance.” As an example, casting lots is used in Leviticus to choose between the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat. Joshua cast lots to determine the allotment of land to the various tribes. Nehemiah cast lots to determine who would live inside the walls of Jerusalem. The apostles cast lots to determine the replacement for Judas. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast in the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

What would the Bible say about casinos and lotteries? Casinos use all sorts of marketing schemes to entice gamblers to risk as much money as possible. They often offer inexpensive or even free alcohol, which encourages drunkenness, and thereby a decreased ability to make wise decisions. Everything in a casino is perfectly rigged for taking money in large sums and giving nothing in return, except for fleeting and empty pleasures. Lotteries attempt to portray themselves as a way to fund education and/or social programs. However, studies show that lottery participants are usually those who can least afford to be spending money on lottery tickets. The allure of “getting rich quick” is too great a temptation to resist for those who are desperate. The chances of winning are infinitesimal, which results in many peoples’ lives being ruined.

Can lotto/lottery proceeds please God? Many people claim to be playing the lottery or gambling so that they can give the money to the church or to some other good cause. While this may be a good motive, reality is that few use gambling winnings for godly purposes. Studies show that the vast majority of lottery winners are in an even worse financial situation a few years after winning a jackpot than they were before. Few, if any, truly give the money to a good cause. Further, God does not need our money to fund His mission in the world. Proverbs 13:11 says, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” God is sovereign and will provide for the needs of the church through honest means. Would God be honored by receiving donated drug money or money stolen in a bank robbery? Of course not. Neither does God need or want money that was “stolen” from the poor in the temptation for riches.

First Timothy 6:10 tells us, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Hebrews 13:5 declares, “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.’” Matthew 6:24 proclaims, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

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