Is it a sin for Christians to play the lottery?

Question

considering this verse?

1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

Answer 1

Is it Christ-like? Is it something that Christ would do? I don't play the lottery, go to casinos or anything that has to do with gambling. I believe it's worldly, greed, and fosters dependence on something other than God. The word says be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. That's just my belief!

Answer 2

Should Christians Play The Lottery

Answer 3

Who are you trusting for your finances??? Are you putting your trust in the lottery??? Or are you putting your trust in God??? Isn't God your provider? Your not being a good steward of the money that God untrusted you with! All the money belongs to God anyway. He owns it all. you need to repent and plant seeds and tithe 10 % of your gross earnings and for all the money you robbed God give an atoning tithe. Ask the Holy Spirit how much atoning tithe you need to give . It could be 5 cents for all we know , but it still is an atoning tithe. Without planting seeds ,you wont receive a harvest! email me if you want more information @ Rob................ No you don't have gambling as casual entertainment!!!!!!!! By doing that ,you are still putting your hopes and trust in the lottery!!!! By that way , you are encouraging people to gamble! That's being luke warm!!! I did pray for a financial blessing and keep having these dreams, so it can't be bad. Would it be considered a sin the if I won and gave my money to the church and orphans? I think not..............Just because you keep getting these dreams about winning the lottery doesn't mean that God wants you to play the lottery!!! It just shows that you constantly have the lottery on your mind! That's all!!! satan is deceiving you into thinking its okay to gamble! But you are gambling with Gods money!!!!!!!!!!! It all belongs to God anyway!!! And IT IS BAD!!! if I won and gave my money to the church and orphans?........... That's a poor excuse to gamble!!! Sorry , but that's wrong thinking!!! God expects you to work for a living!!! Not take your money and put it in a lottery so you can win some other poor souls money!!!!!!!!! In another words, if you win the lottery, you are taking someone elses money who gambled the same as you did!!! You are taking other peoples money through gambling!!!<<<<< I mean come on!!!! Doesn't that make sense to you or what???????????

Answer 4

Specifically looking at the verse you provide, I don't see a fit for lottery = sin, so I'd say no.
Another good definition of sin can be found at Galations 5:19-21, and again, I don't think playing the lottery would fit into any of those sins listed.
However, I have to agree with some of the other posts, what's your heart say or feel about it regarding your intentions with playing the lottery. Then you could possibly label it as sin.

Answer 5

Well, the lottery is a game of chance and it's your choice what you do with your money. If you become addicted to playing the lottery and it causes you harm financially, mentally or physically then it is a sin. But if you are playing for entertainment and it doesn't become a "habit" for example if you don't spend your whole paycheck on a ticket evey week and it's a once in a while for fun kinda thing it's ok. God wants us to enjoy our life on earth as long as we obey his commandments. Filthy Lucre would be money earned in a dishonest criminal way. Like stealing or drug dealing or prostitution. being covetous is to want something that someone else has bad enough to take it from them. drinking wine isn't wrong as long as you don't become a drunken bum.
But in my personal opinion I agree with Dave Ramsey when he says, "The lottery is a Tax on the poor" because it is almost impossible to win and the poor play it continually in hopes of winning one day.

Answer 6

While asking co-workers if they wanted to go
into a lottery group, "It's against my religion" often
came up.

Funny, though, when you win they are among
the first looking for a handout.

What I find interesting is that when you ask what
they would do if they won the lottery, they reply they
would give a big portion to the church.

I'd have to ask why they are playing in the first place.

Answer 7

Yes, it is a sin to play a game of chance with money.

Heres a way God proved to me that I am not suppose to gamble. I went to the Alton Bell in Saint Louis Missouri with a friend, after sitting there for 4 hours at this computer machine, it didn't take too long to figure out how they operated. I build computers so I have a pretty good knowledge of how they operate. Well I figured it out, how to win the jackpot. I spent fifty dollars on coins, sat at the machine for 4 hours with dozens of people standing behind me watching, I don't know how long they were there but finally my friend pointed them out and I turned around, sure enough a crowd. I just keep winning, and I knew what was coming up and knew when I would hit the jack pot. And yes, It hit the Jack Pot, Sirens started going off, all of kinds of lights and bells, and then all of a sudden, the machine lost complete power and turned completely off. Now here comes the security men and women, I am thinking they are going to give me my money, Right! No, No, No, they were there to escort me out and off the boat, No Money! They claimed the machine malfunction, and I told them that the boys up stairs killed the power, and that is exactly what happen (well someone cut the power)!

Now this was before I rededicated my life to our Lord, but I did know it was wrong, at that time but chose to ignore it, but I felt like God was proving his word to me and I accepted it as that and would never do it again, even though I know I would win, the machines are computers and run in a sequence, not hard to figure out.

I would have to totally agree with dewcoons, this example was based on my own personal experience.

Answer 8

Winning the lottery no more makes you permanently free,
than law of aerodynamics makes free from law of gravity.

Stats reveal many lotto winners end up worse, not better.

As for sin, only the law imputes sin, and also death.
Let's not even go there, to law imputed sin & death.

Filthy refers to Law righteousness: filthy (menstral) rags.
It's now the age of "Grace", has been for over 2000 yrs.

The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.

Answer 9

There is no scripture which specifically condemns lotteries or others forms of gambling.

But like anything, if allowed to run out of control (and gambling is something where that can easily happen) to where it harms the player and others around them, then it is a sin.

Answer 10

You are spelling out the requirements for a deacon. Most people get that gambling is a sin from the roman soilders throwing dice over Jesus's garments as He hung on the cross. Pray about it.