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WORLDLINESSWORLDLINESSWORLDLINESSWORLDLINESS What About Gambling?

The World Is An Alluring Place What Does It Mean To Be A Christian?What Does It Mean To Be A Christian? Is It All About:Is It All About: –What I like or prefer? –What I think is best? –My opinion on the matter?

Answering Three Questions: Is “Everything in Life” a Gamble? What Constitutes Gambling (Gaming)? Where Should a Christian Stand on this Issue? Why Is Gambling Worldliness?

The Stock Market? Crossing A Busy Intersection? Having Surgery? The Farming Business? Flying In An Airplane? Driving In New York City? Buying A Car? A Calculated Risk is Not Gambling! Why Is Gambling Worldliness? Is “Everything in Life” a Gamble?

The World Book Encyclopedia “Gambling is betting on the outcome of a future event. Gamblers usually bet money or something else of value as a stake on the outcome they predict; when the outcome is settled the winner collects the losers stakes.” Why Is Gambling Worldliness? What Constitutes Gambling (Gaming)?

Element #1 An Uncertain Event (Any Event That’s Uncertain) Element #2 A Stake (Wager) That is Put Up (Anything of Value) On An Uncertain Event Element #3 Winner(s) & Loser(s) Inherent in the Outcome Winners Take All / Losers Lose All (There’s No Fair Exchange) Take Away Any of These Elements - Not Gambling Why Is Gambling Worldliness? What Constitutes Gambling (Gaming)?

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are Not To Be Covetous We Are To Be Content We Are To Love Our Neighbor As Ourselves We Are To Work For Our Living We Are To Be Faithful Stewards We Are To Flee From Evil We Are To Follow The Savior & Be A Shining Example

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? Rom. 13:9, “For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, THOU SHALT NOT COVET; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF.” We Are Not To Be Covetous Covetous: “eager to have more, especially what belongs to another.” Thayer

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are Not To Be Covetous Eph. 5:5-8, “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor COVETOUS MAN, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.” A Covetous Man Is “An Idolater” (Mt. 6:24).

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are Not To Be Covetous I Tim. 6:9-11, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some COVETED AFTER, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Cf. Jas. 1:14-16

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Be Content “Godliness With Contentment Is Great Gain” (I Tim. 6:6). Phil. 4:11, “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to BE CONTENT.” I Tim. 6:8, “And having food and raiment let us BE therewith CONTENT.” Heb. 13:5, “ Let your conversation be without covetousness ; and BE CONTENT with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Love Our Neighbor As Ourselves Mt. 22:37-39, “Thou shalt LOVE THE LORD THY GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF.” Do We Love Our Neighbor When We Hope They Lose? Love (agapao): “To have a preference for, wish well to, regard the welfare of.” Thayer

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Love Our Neighbor As Ourselves Rom. 13:8-12, “…THOU SHALT NOT COVET; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF. 10 LOVE worketh NO ILL to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law…” Cf. Eph. 5:8, (Jn. 8:12) Not Loving Our Neighbor, Is An Act Of “Darkness”!

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Love Our Neighbor As Ourselves Cf. Mt. 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Cf. Phil. 2:3-4, “Let NOTHING BE DONE through strife or VAINGLORY; but in lowliness of mind let each ESTEEM OTHER better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Work For Our Living I Thess. 4:11-12, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without…” Cf. II Thess. 3:10 Cf. I Tim. 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Cf. Gen. 3:19

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Work For Our Living I Thess. 4:11-12, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without…” Cf. II Thess. 3:10 Cf. I Tim. 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Cf. Gen. 3:19 Fair Trade

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Be Faithful Stewards I Cor. 4:2, “It is required in STEWARDS, that a man be found FAITHFUL.” Cf. 16:1-2 Steward, “…the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion…” Thayer Cf. Eph. 4:28, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that HE MAY HAVE TO GIVE TO HIM THAT NEEDETH.”

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Be Faithful Stewards I Cor. 4:2, “It is required in STEWARDS, that a man be found FAITHFUL.” Cf. 16:1-2 Steward, “…the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion…” Thayer Cf. Eph. 4:28, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that HE MAY HAVE TO GIVE TO HIM THAT NEEDETH.” A FAITHFUL STEWARD, is NOT a Foolish Steward!

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Flee From Evil I Thess. 5:22, “Abstain from every FORM of evil.” If Gambling Is A “Form” Of Evil, We Are To “Abstain” From It! I Pet. 3:11, “eschew evil, and do good.” Cf. Mt. 7:20 Eschew: “to turn away from evil!” Thayer Form: “i.e. from every kind of evil or wrong.” Thayer

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Follow The Savior & Be A Shining Example I Pet. 2:21, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” Cf. WWJD (I Jn. 2:6) II Cor. 12:14, “…and I will not be burdensome to you: for I SEEK NOT YOURS, but YOU: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” Cf. I Cor. 4:15; 11:1 (Lk. 19:10)

Biblical Principles Violated By Gambling: Why Is Gambling Worldliness? We Are To Follow The Savior & Be A Shining Example I Tim. 4:12, “Let no man despise thy youth; but BE THOU AN EXAMPLE OF THE BELIEVERS, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.” Mt. 5:13-16, “Ye are the salt of the earth…14 Ye are the light of the world…16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Cf. Phil. 2:14-15