AboutElder Greg Madden Expertise I am a born again, Holy Ghost filled minister of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am avalible to answer questions
conserning most all Biblical doctrines, the gifts and fruit of the Spirit, "Pentecostal/Apostolic" issues, and issues that we as christians face in an secular world.
Experience I gave my heart to the Lord a few months after being married during a revival meeting. A few weeks later I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and I have not been the same since!
In those twenty five years we have only attended one church (Harvest Church), and there I have served there as an Elder for fourteen years. We minister in song with the choir and worship team. I am also the new member’s class coordinator, men's ministry director, and the Harvest Riders motorcycle ministry president.
In 1993 the Lord called me to "...preach the Gospel where ever I open the door..." I have had the privilege of ministering God's Word to churches in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. In those meetings we have seen the Lord save, heal, deliver, and fill people will His Spirit.
Organizations I am ordained through Harvest Church, and with the World Harvest Ministerial Fellowship. I also am a licensed minister with the State of Oklahoma.
Education/Credentials I am currantly enrolled with the Ames Bible College.
Question My friend and I were having a theology discussion the other day and we started talking about gambling. Neither of us really knew why it was so frowned upon. Is there something in the bible, or is morally wrong, or what. Just wondering.
Also this spring break I was out with my family at a restaurant and my cousin ordered a beer, and my aunt flipped out. Similarly to the gambling question, why is it that many Christians frown upon drinking (at least that is what it seems like in my family).
Thanks,
And may the blessings of God be on you as well my brother as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GLYASDI
Nate
Answer Natef,
Good to hear from you again my friend. I will do my best to answer you questions. These questions have been a matter of contention for many in the Church. Please forgive the length of my answers. Because many have a differing view then myself, I feel that I must give an adequate answer to those who would disagree with me.
A. Gambling.
What Is And What Is Not Gambling?
WHAT IS NOT GAMBLING
Giving of prizes is NOT gambling if you do not have to risk anything to get the prize. Insurance is not gambling. The purpose of insurance is to spread the liability and risk of accident, illness, injury or death around. Insurance does not create the risk. It is a universal risk that all people face. It is probably the most effective way of seeing that needs and expenses incurred, if such should happen, are able to be paid for. Stock market is not gambling. Gambling is generally a win or lose proposition. If you buy a lottery ticket, you either win or lose. In the stock market if you buy $100 dollars worth of stock, generally your stock will go up or down, but you do not usually lose your entire $100. Buying stock certainly is SPECULATING, but there is a difference between speculation and gambling. But, I think that those in the FUTURES MARKET may well be gambling, as they are betting that the prices of things will go up. If they go down, they have to pay the "margin" or difference.
WHAT IS GAMBLING
Gaming -- playing for money in any game of chance, such as slot machines, Roulette, bingo, craps, pay-off pinball machines, punch boards, dream books, chain letters, pyramid money games, poker, black-jack, etc.
Betting -- staking money on an event which the outcome is doubtful. Examples are, horse or dog racing, cock or dog fights, tennis, hockey, football, basketball, hockey, baseball, pool, etc. You can bet on just about anything.
Lotteries – A lottery is the distribution of prizes by the drawing of lots. Most states run a variety of lotteries. Pick three and power-ball are among the most popular in our area.
Sweepstakes and Raffles – More than 50 countries around the world have sweepstakes, like the Irish Sweepstakes. Technically, a raffle is a lottery where each participant is buying a chance to win. If you buy a ticket or two for a good cause, with the purpose of it being a donation to a worthy organization, I do not see any problem with that.
Pools – A combination of betting and lotteries. The most popular is the check pool at work, though there are football pools, etc.
In summary, all the above are recognized as gambling because each clearly contains the three elements of gambling - 1) A payoff 2) The element of chance 3) The stake that is risked.
5 BIBLICAL REASONS TO REJECT GAMBLING
1. GAMBLING IS IDOLATROUS
God commands us to live a life of faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Proverbs 3:5-6 makes that clear. We are under God's providential care. When a person gambles, the focus is all together different. The focus shifts to LUCK, CHANCE & FORTUNE. A careful study of Isaiah 65:11-12a makes it clear that God abhorred that kind of behavior then and he abhors that kind of behavior now.
2. GAMBLING IS STEALING
The gains of the winners are paid at the expense of the losers. In winning, one receives the wages that another person has earned without giving anything in exchange. Just because it is robbery by consent does not make it right. Gambling is nothing more than sophisticated stealing. Ephesians 4:28 says "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."
3. GAMBLING IS BASED ON COVETOUSNESS
Gambling is an attempt to get something for nothing twisted by the willingness to take a risk. It is the desire to "get rich quick" without working for it. The desire to gamble is fueled by the love of money and we know "the love of money is the root of all [kinds of] evil" (I Timothy 6:10). Note the rest of the verse, "…which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced them-selves through with many sorrows."
We are warned about the "something for nothing" and the "get rich quick" craving in the Bible. Proverbs 10:4 says "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich." Again Proverbs 28:20 & 22 says "A faithful [honest] man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." Finally, Proverbs 13:11 says "Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase." One writer paraphrased it this way --Wealth from gambling quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows.
4. GAMBLING IS POOR STEWARDSHIP OF WHAT GOD HAS ENTRUSTED TO YOUR CARE
I Corinthians 4: 1-2 says, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. More-over it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." I believe to risk money haphazardly in gambling is to completely disregard the Biblical truth that our possessions are a trust for which we must someday give full account to God!
5. GAMBLING IS ADDICTIVE
I Corinthians 6:12 says "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." There is only one thing that is to be in control of the believer’s life and that is THE HOLY SPIRIT (Ephesians 5:18). There is no doubt that gambling is addictive. It "gets in your blood". Edgar Allan Poe was a compulsive gambler and so was famous gambler, Nick the Greek (Nicholas Andrea Dandolos). He won as much as $50 million in a single night. By his account, he went from rags to riches and back again 73 times in his life. During his life time he won and lost more than $500 million. He died broke, on Christmas day in 1966.
B. Drinking Alcohol
There is clear evidence in the Scriptures that believers should not drink alcoholic beverages. In this report I list 6 Good Reasons Why Christians Should Not Drink Alcoholic Beverages.
1. DRINKING LEADS TO DRUNKENNESS
DRUNKENNESS IS CONDEMNED IN THE BIBLE
Isaiah 5:11-- "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!"
Proverbs 23:20-- "Be not among winebibbers;" The word means to drink so much that you become tipsy or drunk.
Romans 13:13 -- "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting (drunken partying) and drunkenness (general drunken-ness)..."
Galatians 5:19a & 21 -- "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these...drunkenness..."
Ephesians 5:18 -- "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"
DRUNKARDS ARE AMONG THE LIST OF THOSE WHO WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
You can’t get around it, and in fact, all godly men agree that the Bible condemns drunkenness. Drunkenness is a serious matter.
Natef, in my own case, I have not drank since I became a Christian, Therefore it would not take very much for me to be drunk, say four sixteen once cans of beer would probably. So if I were to only drick one can, what would that make me? 1/4 drunk! No way around it.
2. THE BIBLE CONDEMNS STRONG DRINK ALSO
Proverbs 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise."
NOTE again, Isaiah 5:11 -- "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!"
Proverbs 23:29-31 -- "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? (30) They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.(a mixture of wine and spices) (31) Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright."
WHAT WAS "STRONG DRINK" IN BIBLE TIMES?
Distillation was not discovered until about 1500 A.D. Strong drink and unmixed wine in Bible times was from 3% to 11% alcohol. Dr. John MacArthur says "...since anybody in biblical times who drank unmixed wine (9-11% alcohol) was definitely considered a barbarian, then we don’t even need to discuss whether a Christian should drink hard liquor--that is apparent!"
CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT DRINK STRONG DRINK!
Since wine has 9 to 11% alcohol and one brand 20% alcohol, you should not drink that. Brandy contains 15 to 20% alcohol, so that’s out! Hard liquor has 40 to 50% alcohol (80 to 100 proof), and that is obviously excluded!
Someone will say, "since beer is only 4% alcohol, IT’S OK FOR A BELIEVER TO DRINK BEER, RIGHT?" The answer is NO! Here’s why...
3. IN BIBLE TIMES WHAT CHRISTIANS DRANK WS SUB-ALCOHOLIC, BASICALLY PURIFIED WATER
Remember the Hebrew word "yayin" and the Greek word "oinos" that we looked at earlier? These were the companion words for wine whether fermented or unfermented. In fact, whether fermented or not, it was MIXED WITH WATER.
All alcoholic beverages used in our culture fall under the biblical classification of STRONG DRINK and are therefore forbidden. The least ratio of water to wine mixture used in Bible times was 3 parts water to 1 wine. That produced a sub-alcoholic drink that was 2.5% to 2.75% alcohol. Normally, the ratio was even higher, up to 20 to 1. Their is NO BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR CHRISTIANS DRINKING THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OF OUR DAY! What early believers drank was sub-alcoholic by today’s standards. Pastors and deacons were cautioned to steer around even the sub-alcoholic stuff (I Timothy 3:3 & 8).
4. IT HARMS OUR BODIES WHICH ARE THE LORD’S
I Corinthians 6:19-20 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
I Corinthians 3:16-17 "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
The first effect of alcohol on the brain is to dull the capacity for self-criticism and the sense of caution. A lessening of care and anxiety follows this. The checks on irresponsibility and unreasonable behavior are also curtailed. Actions follow the impulses, which is dangerous. Reaction time become slower; coordination is disturbed; drowsiness follows.
Proverbs 23:29-33 gives clear testimony to the above description of alcohol on the brain. "Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things."
5. BELIEVERS ARE KINGS AND PRIESTS SEPARATED UNTO GOD
"The prophets, the kings, the Nazarites, the leaders -- those who were special in the plan of God were total abstainers" says Dr. Paul Dixon, and he is correct. Kings and public officials were not to drink (Proverbs 31:4-5). Further Dr. Dixon says "the priests of the Old Testament were to abstain totally." The Aaronic priests were not to drink because they ministered in the tabernacle before the Lord (Leviticus 10:9)
The application: Believers are a "royal" or kingly priesthood (I Peter 2:9). We are the temple of God (I Peter 2:5). We are God’s special children and should choose total abstinence.
Note, please let me know if this helps, or if you have any further questions.
GLYASDI
Elder Greg Madden
