Right or Wrong?

Several weeks ago we referred to a radio message by a deceased Baptist pastor on whether gambling is right or wrong. (A link at the earlier post may call up that message, so you can listen to it.)

It's really the ultimate question for some people, when it comes to playing poker. If God doesn't gamble, believers should not. If He does.... well, we don't hear that many "religious people" dare to say that.

We've now used that Adrian Rogers message for several days of careful Bible study. He tried to make several points against gambling - and probably by extension, against playing poker in casinos. We invite you to meditate with us on some of them, over the next few posts.

1. Gambling is different from risk-taking.  The pastor noted all things we do in life have risks - and that's true. Even a walk down a flight of stairs can be disastrous, if you're not careful.

Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. - Ecclesiastes 11:4

The minister referred to farming with this verse. Many a farmer has planted a crop, only to see it ruined by drought or flooding rain.

So where does "risk-taking" end and "gambling" begin? The minister indicated the difference lies in what the effort produces. A farmer can bring in a crop, while "nothing is produced" by gambling and the vast majority of players lose.

We agree that a lot of people lose when they gamble. That's why we say if you're not doing well at it, you should probably cut your losses and stop.  In the Internet age, plenty of free online sites let you test your capability at no charge. (Compare that with, well, maybe Farmville on Facebook.)

But we'd also say the same thing about farming, or any other business career. If you're not succeeding, why keep trying something which will lead to a dead end? Consider....

Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God. - Acts 5:38-39

This advice was given to the Sanhedrin, which was trying to shut down the first Christian apostles. The group accepted that advice, let the apostles go (verse 40) - and Christianity spread rapidly from there. The Sanhedrin's work seemed proper to them, but God had other ideas.

Like it or not, plenty of poker pros make an income and a living at the game. Whether it's "God's will" for them is not really for us to judge. But whether they realize it or not, they practice a Bible principle:

Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. - Ecclesiastes 11:1

Not everyone eventually finds it, but some do. That's every bit as true on farms as in casinos.

(NOTE: This will be a series of posts, so keep checking here for the next part.)