Is gambling a sin?

Question

Also, if you say gambling is a sin how can you say the stock market/investing isin't also a sin?

Then you have many christian men/women who are stockholders/traders..that are "sinning", is this too a sin?

Answer 1

The Bible doesn't mention gambling and so you can't say categorically that gambling is a sin. What you can say is that gambling is a behavior that has been known to lead to other sinful behaviors in the lives of many. Also, a person who is gambling may be doing so with a sinful attitude in their heart and so while the physical act of gambling is not called a sin in the Bible, if a person's heart is filled with greed and a love for money then they will be sinning in their thought life while gambling.

If a person allows their desire to gamble to cause them to fail to pay bills or support their family then they will be sinning as a result of gambling having control over their life. Once again, it isn't the gambling, it is the effects of choosing that form of entertainment that has been the cause of sin.

Romans 13:7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. 8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Matthew 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 "No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.

You make a good point about people who own and trade in stocks. The stock market is certainly a form of gambling that has been given an air of respectability because the actual transactions take place in offices instead of casinos. A person who gets so caught up in playing the stock market that they invest money that they cannot afford to lose is no less likely to fall into sin than a person who brings more money to the casino than they can afford to lose and still pay all of their bills, take care of their families needs, and be rich towards the Kingdom of God here on earth.

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Answer 2

I believe that the issue is the amount of time you spend gambling and how important gambling is to you. In Matthew 6:21 Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
In other words, if gambling is where your heart lies, then it is probably a sin. If it is just a pass time that you enjoy once in a great while....then your heart may be in the right place and the gambling may not be a sin.

Answer 3

* I don't think so, but as a pagan, I do not believe in sin, but even as a Christian I did not, but I did not gamble because people who looked up to me thought it was a sin. I was working one place and they started throwing pennies agaisnt the wall and the winner keeps the rest of the pennies, I always loved that game, but when I tried to join in, they started telling me I was sinning and bla, bla bla. I was different than christians tody, I actually tried to live what I preached, so if people veiwed it a sin, I listened and did not join in. Yes, I did lead several men there to christ at the time by my actions. I never approached them, they approached me and aske me why I was differtent.

I know gambling can be addictive and for some people they must stay away from it for that reason, but did you know that they way the 12 apostles chose someone to replace Judas was a gambling game? Look it up they cast lots.*

Answer 4

It really depends on the effects on others that your gambling could have,if someone is gambling their paycheck and their family suffers because of it then this is a serious sin,also if the gambling becomes an addiction there is a price to pay and it is usually pain.
As for any Christian who works the stock market for the sheer power and love of money, then this is also a serious sin.

Answer 5

No; what would turn it to sin, is if you gambled your house away and your wife and children were now living on the street, etc.
Anything in excess that would hurt your family is not a good idea, don't you agree? Isn't so much of this stuff just plain common sense?

Answer 6

Faith, by it's very nature is a gamble. Christians are wagering on eternal life. By believing in God they are gambling and commiting a deep sin. The mental leap required to get around this is astonishing.

Answer 7

Very rarely do you see stock traders standing on NY city streets handing out show fliers as they try to work off their debt to a casino.

You have a point in that both are risks, but in the case of gambling you have a very small chance of winning and in the case of stocks, you have a reasonable chance of payoff. In the case of gambling, you're betting on the outcome of an event, but in stocks you're funding a company to produce a product. Maybe not much of a difference in terms of risk, but in terms of effect a big difference.

Answer 8

Excess is a sin, whether you are talking about gambling, drinking, eating, spending, sex, partying, or anything else. If it is seriously detrimental to your life and your physical, emotional and spiritual health, or the wellbeing of others, then it is a sin. Otherwise it can be a morally neutral passtime.

Answer 9

I asked a old time country preacher if gambling is a sin.H e said it promotes ,greed that why its a sin,Worse part is its very addictive .it takes one to know one,I'm telling you this because I have first hand experience with it .

Answer 10

Gambling can be defined as “risking money in an attempt to multiply the money on something that is against the odds.” 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.

Should a Christian invest money in the Stock market?
Answer: There are those who oppose investment, saying that buying stocks is the equivalent of gambling. Stocks are bought in the hope (not guarantee) that they will make more money. There are differences, however, between putting money on a blackjack table and buying stock. Gamblers risk money, which they know they will probably lose, in the hopes of making money quickly. Investors buy partial ownership in a company in the hopes of making money over time, which can be a sound way to plan for the future.
The difference really comes down to intent. Some types of investing are very much like gambling. Most long-term investments return a profit over time, making them much more like buying bonds or certificates of deposit then rolling dice in a casino. There are many who use investments to secure retirement, education for their children, and inheritance for their families.
The Bible offers quite a few examples of growing wealth through legitimate means. Some are similar to investing – spending money now to make money later. God’s intentions for how we should manage our wealth are found in many scriptures. The following are a few examples.
Proverbs 28:20 says “a faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” This speaks against the “get-rich-quick” mentality. Looking at investment as a long-term plan for the future is good planning, but trying to make a fortune overnight is not.
2 Corinthians 9:6 says “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will reap generously.” The context is actually speaking about investing in our relationship with God, but it demonstrates how one must often sacrifice now to gain in the future. Similarly, Proverbs 3:9-10 says “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
Much of the Bible’s teaching about wealth is a warning against putting trust in wealth rather than the Lord (i.e. 1 Timothy 6:17-18) or to the detriment of those who depend on us (i.e. Ecclesiastes 5:13-14). As long as we honor our commitments to God and our families with our wealth, and maintain a spirit of generosity and thankfulness, investing is simply making your money work for you.