Christianity.com: Should Christians Play The Lottery?-Joel Bradberry

I disagree respectfully, and yes it would be ok, the odds of winning are SO ASTRONOMICAL it would be "MEGA-MIRACLE " of God Himself to grant it and send it...your way. One could TITHE and OFFER monies to The Lord that could be a real BIG BLESSING to that person's local church and to others less fortunate than his or her self.

What's right, is for everyone, not just for Christians. If the lottery is not to be played, it should be outlawed. A person playing it uncontrollably like any other problem gambler, should stop and get help for their addiction. Nobody can speak for YHWH (and why are pastors afraid to call Him by name?) so if a Christian feels led to buy a ticket perhaps that is the way YHWH wants to provide. Spending the last dollar of food money is always wrong, but I see Christians hurry to the restaurant on Sunday afternoon instead of making a good, cheap meal at home. A "splurge is a splurge", not to be overdone. P.S. be careful of pastors/people who sound like Pres. Clinton, it's a put-on voice.

I wonder what God thought about the soldiers who gambled for the robe of His Son? There is a vast difference between investing and providing for your family and gambling. The Bible says (and I am paraphrasing) "whosoever does not work, neither shall he ear." You will remember that one of the men in the parable of the talents buried his money and gave it all back to the master, but the one who invested his talents and earned money on it was the one praised by the master. I have always been blessed by enough, but I have often wished I could leave a legacy that could help children. Another thing is that gamblers often think of is betting on a "sure thing" - well, playing the lottery is betting on a "sure thing". The odds are way against your winning, making it a sure thing that you lose. Maybe it is a good time for Christians to consult the Bible and find answers. This is a very good discussion and I have enjoyed it. Christians should always be able to discuss things among themselves without rancor, guile or contention. Bless all of you as you seek and find your answers.

I think it depends on the individual. I personally do not play the lottery on a regular basis although I have bought tickets before. What cracks me up about the whole issue is this, a lot of churches will be completely against the "lottery" but see no connection in holding a "raffle" at their church. Or even passing out a "ticket" at a church function to put you in the drawing to win a prize. I went to a church function not too long ago and won a $50 bill. Was that wrong? Like most things in life, you have to use common sense, and go into it realizing the odds are against you. Where it becomes wrong is when it takes away from your family or other obligations. But people who smoke often do that to their families. I used to work in a convienence store and see people tell their kids they can't afford to buy them a candy bar while at the same time they were wasting money on a carton of cigarettes or a lottery ticket.. All things in moderation and with common sense.. Priorities must be in place.

If there is not a specific command from scripture (and there isn't from what I can tell concerning gambling), I find motive is usually a pretty good indicator of whether we should or should not do something (ie something not done by faith is a sin - Rom 14:23). It becomes a personal conviction. If anyone can find a verse that speaks against gambling, please let me know. In my opinion, the Deut 23 passage has to do with prostitution and doesn't apply here. I am coming more and more to the question "is it helpful" to me?

I believe the person who won 640 million. Because that amount of money can HELP so many people out that are Christian not sinner's people of the WORLD. I listen to radio station 101.5 fm the word they are asking to feed other people in other country to feed a child for $11.00 a month. If I won a jackpot I would spread Jesus love to his children and creation guide them to become a BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN TO RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR. MY HEART IS FOR JESUS AMEN! GOD BLESS EVERYONE.

No lottery...stocks...bonds...or insurance....let's be Children of God and not 'religious nuts.' (Pharisees). None of these are illegal. Christians should not partake of drugs...the foods and liquids we partake of are full of them. Christians are commanded to do and not do a multitude of things...yet we are contrary.........................

If anyone has stocks or bonds what is the diffrence if you invest in any stock it is a gamble so the question is do you own any stock or do you have a 401k plan that is being invested if so you are gambling how much money did christian loose when the stock market crashed in 2008 all I can say is are we being judgmental as well a being a hypocrite if you have stocks or bonds is this not gambling?

“None of the daughters of Israel shall be a cult prostitute, nor shall any of the sons of Israel be a cult prostitute. You shall not bring the hire of a harlot or the wages of a dog into the house of the LORD your God for any votive offering, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God." (Deuteronomy 23:17,18).

Pastors, please preach on Deuteronomy 23:17,18 and the surrounding verses more. We need it. How do we commit prostitution against our God? Doesn't it include greedy waste and trusting a luck? What are the implications and applications here? What are categorized as a dog's wages? Doesn't it include gains from gambling, buying/enjoying stolen stuff and gains from exploitation of others and of what they have( the business of lottery)? The Holy Bible says the Lord our God detests it all.

The answer is no. True Christians ALWAYS benefit others in ultimate ways. Christians do not attempt to gain by making others losers. Christians do not play games which make other people stupid or addicted or poor. Playing lottery does not get one into hell, but it is against God's principles of honest hard work and helping the poor(if we waste money, we never help) described in the Holy Bible. Jesus, the Apostles, the Early Church and the Puritans would never have bought lottery tickets or gamble, watching numbers all day long wasting what God has given. Those who belong to God are honest and hard-working and try the best to gain godly wisdom, not wasting a single drop of life.

I recently played a lottery worth $640 million, and my thoughts were only of the good it would do my family, and ALL the good I could do to help people in need. So as a christian, I guess it's WHY & What you would do with the money. My wife & I discussed if we ever hit that kind of money, how much WOULD WE GIVE, and figured 60-70% could do alot of people alot of good.PLUS our families. We would more than likely buy somethings we dreamed about, nothing extravagant though.I think investing GOD'S money back to GOD'S people in need would have been GREAT!

In agreement. So with that being said, should churches sell raffle tickets at anytime?

Right, Christians should NOT gamble or play the lottery. It is against the Biblical principles of construction of human life upon the honest hard works which really made a nation like USA great. We know that God hates gambling and lottery(for money) as much as He hates fortune-telling and magic, from reading the Law of Moses, Israel's history, Proverbs, the Prophecies, Gospels, Epistles and Revelation - the entire Bible. Gambling and lottery are against Christian living and are deadly toxic especially on youth who need to learn and live by good work ethics and diligence. Gambling and lottery make people lazy and stupid and cruel and are also addictive like smoking and drinking. Gambling and lottery are not just evil and destructive but also a grave sin against the starving human population on earth who are living far under $1 a day. If any Christian has spare money to spend on gambling or buying lotteries, they should send the money to Christian missions who feed and evangelize the world. Christians who stupidly gamble or buy lotteries on earth sure have A LOT to lose in Paradise.

we r heirs to a wold for better than this world could provide if we owned the whole world why gamble.