For what it’s worth, I’m going to briefly tackle the question of what the Bible has to say about gambling. My sister, Stephanie, is a sophomore at Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA, and she texted me about this issue earlier in the week. I told her that I would reply in a blog, so here goes nothing.
Gambling presents itself in many forms, and is more prominent today than at any other point in history. From slot machines to televised poker tournaments to sports lines, betting has never been more popular. But is there anything Scripturally wrong with it?
I suppose this would be a good time to make a confession: I have been known in the past to make a few friendly wagers with personal friends regarding sporting events. Never a lot (I don’t have a lot to wager), but still enough to garner attention. I followed one simple rule: don’t make a bet that you can’t afford to pay if you lose.
The problem that most Christians have with gambling is the contradiction it seems to have with Biblical stewardship. 1 Timothy 6 explains that a believer’s life should not be about finding ways to make more money or desiring wealth. Earthly riches will pass away, but a pursuit of godliness is of eternal benefit. Paul goes so far as to call the love of money “the root of all evil” (v. 10).
My guess is that there is a fine line somewhere between those who gamble periodically and those who have a gambling addiction. The same argument often arises when believers discuss alcohol. Some say, “Never touch the stuff,” but others, “There’s nothing wrong with it every now and then as long as it doesn’t lead to drunkenness”. There are valid points for both sides, but there is danger in “flirting” with something that could lead to sin.
Personally, I don’t see much difference between things like sports betting and playing the stock market. In both cases, those involved are taking educated risks that could lead to financial reward or unforeseen disaster. Now I don’t play the stock market, but I know many Christians that do and see nothing wrong with it.
Again, the issue goes back to stewardship. Jesus has commanded that Christians be responsible with earthly possessions (Matthew 25:14-30), even if that means making a wise investment so that the possessions will increase (note the key word wise). However, I would be concerned if I knew of a believer who made a habit of gambling. Certainly there are much more worthy investments that the believer can make than to risk losing money to a casino, bookie, or an unpredictable stock. Christians would be better off making extra donations to missions and the local church.
Two passages in Judges warn of the dangers of taking unnecessary risks. One is the story of Jephthah (11:29-40), who promised to give God the next thing that came through his door as a sacrifice of thanksgiving for winning a battle. That blind “gamble” ended up costing him his daughter. Another example is of Samson (14:10-20), who killed 30 men to pay back the men that solved his riddle at his wedding feast. In each case, the gambler made a hasty decision and took drastic measures to pay what was owed. Believers ought not to fall into such traps.
My personal conclusion is that the potential risks of gambling are often not worth the reward. Each believer must be accountable to God for his own financial decisions. Better to be sure that we are using our money in a God-honoring way than to throw it away at the pleasures of the world.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Is it ever right for a Christian to judge another Christian?
The Bible has much to say about the area of judgment, and most of it seems to indicate that judgment is the responsibility of God, and not of people. However, there are certain times that Christians have the responsibility to confront another Christian who is caught up in sin, as long as it is done correctly, that is, Biblically. While final judgment belongs to God, Christians can act as “judges” in each other’s lives to ensure Godly living.
In a courtroom, the judge is the one who determines the sentencing upon the defendant. He gathers all the necessary information from the witnesses and lawyers, and makes a decision based on the verdict rendered by a jury. To act as a judge is a task that should not be taken lightly, and Christians ought not to go looking for fault in other believers’ lives so that they can point it out. Accountability and openness among Christians should be present. This reduces the need for the judging that often takes place within the body of Christ. Many times, the judging becomes harsh and people are offended when they are confronted with sin in their lives. People then begin to look at the faults in each other in order to justify personal sin. This is where judgment is extremely harmful to the unity that should be displayed within the church.
Every society has its own version of “judges” to help ensure domestic peace. Likewise, Christians should only use judgment to bring about more peace. Justice is necessary not for the purpose of cruelty, but for the purpose of harmony among people. Even in the Old Testament, God used judges before He set up kings in Israel. These men and women were in place to ensure that God’s people were being delivered from enemies and returning to God from their lives of sin.
All people must make “judgment calls” at some point in time in their lives. These are choices which may not be right or wrong on the surface, but they will have consequences. For example, when facing opposition for their preaching, Peter and John told the Jewish authorities, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge” (Acts 4:19). The men had to judge for themselves how they were going to handle the situation in front of them. One must be “judgmental” in his own life before he passes judgment onto others.
In teaching on the subject of judgment, Jesus stated, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1-2). If the reader were to stop there, he would probably think it better not to judge at all. But Christ continued (vv. 3-5) by saying that one who is blinded by his own sin is in no position to point out the sins of others. It is better for one to remove his sin first so that he can then help his brother remove the sin in his life. That is a different perspective entirely! Judging should happen among believers, but only when those doing the judging have first made sure that they are right with God.
Later in the same gospel, Jesus offers this scenario: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother” (Matthew 18:15). So the first thing to keep in mind when confronting another believer about his sin is that it should be a private matter. Only if the private meetings are unsuccessful should “one or two” others be brought in to remedy the situation (v. 16). If the matter is still not resolved by this point, he is to be brought before the church and to receive appropriate discipline if he is unwilling to make corrections (v. 17). The apostle Paul also endorsed church discipline for those Christians who continue in unrepentant sin (see 1 Corinthians 5).
It is the obligation of spiritual people to respond to the sin of a fellow believer (Galatians 6:1). But what is the purpose of such judgment? There are many, but the primary goal is restoration—that the person who has fallen away will realize the error of his ways and seek repentance and forgiveness so that he may be restored to a right relationship with God and with other believers. No Christian should ever judge another Christian without this same goal, for to judge in another manner is hypocritical.
As was mentioned earlier, final judgment belongs to God, and more specifically, to Christ Jesus (John 5:22-30). And God’s judgment is perfect, according to Romans 2, because He judges “according to truth” (v. 2), righteously (v. 5), “according to…deeds” (v. 6), and without favoritism (v. 11). If judgment among believers is conducted by God’s standards, with hearts pure, and with restoration as the goal, then it is always appropriate. But if it is done in any other way, condemnation accompanies it (Romans 2:1).
In a courtroom, the judge is the one who determines the sentencing upon the defendant. He gathers all the necessary information from the witnesses and lawyers, and makes a decision based on the verdict rendered by a jury. To act as a judge is a task that should not be taken lightly, and Christians ought not to go looking for fault in other believers’ lives so that they can point it out. Accountability and openness among Christians should be present. This reduces the need for the judging that often takes place within the body of Christ. Many times, the judging becomes harsh and people are offended when they are confronted with sin in their lives. People then begin to look at the faults in each other in order to justify personal sin. This is where judgment is extremely harmful to the unity that should be displayed within the church.
Every society has its own version of “judges” to help ensure domestic peace. Likewise, Christians should only use judgment to bring about more peace. Justice is necessary not for the purpose of cruelty, but for the purpose of harmony among people. Even in the Old Testament, God used judges before He set up kings in Israel. These men and women were in place to ensure that God’s people were being delivered from enemies and returning to God from their lives of sin.
All people must make “judgment calls” at some point in time in their lives. These are choices which may not be right or wrong on the surface, but they will have consequences. For example, when facing opposition for their preaching, Peter and John told the Jewish authorities, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge” (Acts 4:19). The men had to judge for themselves how they were going to handle the situation in front of them. One must be “judgmental” in his own life before he passes judgment onto others.
In teaching on the subject of judgment, Jesus stated, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1-2). If the reader were to stop there, he would probably think it better not to judge at all. But Christ continued (vv. 3-5) by saying that one who is blinded by his own sin is in no position to point out the sins of others. It is better for one to remove his sin first so that he can then help his brother remove the sin in his life. That is a different perspective entirely! Judging should happen among believers, but only when those doing the judging have first made sure that they are right with God.
Later in the same gospel, Jesus offers this scenario: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother” (Matthew 18:15). So the first thing to keep in mind when confronting another believer about his sin is that it should be a private matter. Only if the private meetings are unsuccessful should “one or two” others be brought in to remedy the situation (v. 16). If the matter is still not resolved by this point, he is to be brought before the church and to receive appropriate discipline if he is unwilling to make corrections (v. 17). The apostle Paul also endorsed church discipline for those Christians who continue in unrepentant sin (see 1 Corinthians 5).
It is the obligation of spiritual people to respond to the sin of a fellow believer (Galatians 6:1). But what is the purpose of such judgment? There are many, but the primary goal is restoration—that the person who has fallen away will realize the error of his ways and seek repentance and forgiveness so that he may be restored to a right relationship with God and with other believers. No Christian should ever judge another Christian without this same goal, for to judge in another manner is hypocritical.
As was mentioned earlier, final judgment belongs to God, and more specifically, to Christ Jesus (John 5:22-30). And God’s judgment is perfect, according to Romans 2, because He judges “according to truth” (v. 2), righteously (v. 5), “according to…deeds” (v. 6), and without favoritism (v. 11). If judgment among believers is conducted by God’s standards, with hearts pure, and with restoration as the goal, then it is always appropriate. But if it is done in any other way, condemnation accompanies it (Romans 2:1).
Thursday, January 7, 2010
An Attempt at Something
I am like most people, in that there are certain web sites that I frequently visit to check up on news, sports, people, etc. And I don't normally stray from more than a few sites that I know are reliable sources for the information that I care about. So in creating this chance for others to read what I post to the web, I will strive to make this site a valuable one, and give people a reason to visit and read.
My success in doing this, of course, has yet to be determined. Perhaps I will succeed and many people will find the information on here useful. But that may not happen. The point then is not to succeed, but to attempt to succeed.
People's time is too valuable to waste, and so part of the attempt will be to publish information that is useful and, in the opinion of the writer, necessary. Some who visit this site may know me personally, and can use this as another way to stay current with my life and thoughts. Others may simply stumble across, having never heard of me before. I hope that this site is beneficial for those in both categories. And I believe that it will be, because I intend for this site to be not really about me at all, but rather to be a teaching tool for those who will visit.
Primarily, that is what I am: a teacher. So if you are wondering to yourself how the writer has time in the middle of the day to create a blog and add his thoughts to it, the answer is the weather. In Chattanooga, TN where I live, school has been dismissed early for today because of a light dusting of snow in the area. Not exactly a blizzard, but enough that the southerners feel a day out of school is sufficient celebration as well as appropriate precaution, since most in this part of the country are uncomfortable driving in such conditions.
And so it begins: the launching of this web site as an extension of my classroom. Perhaps with a few more students and most definitely with a few less interruptions. Even the weather can't stop me today.
My success in doing this, of course, has yet to be determined. Perhaps I will succeed and many people will find the information on here useful. But that may not happen. The point then is not to succeed, but to attempt to succeed.
People's time is too valuable to waste, and so part of the attempt will be to publish information that is useful and, in the opinion of the writer, necessary. Some who visit this site may know me personally, and can use this as another way to stay current with my life and thoughts. Others may simply stumble across, having never heard of me before. I hope that this site is beneficial for those in both categories. And I believe that it will be, because I intend for this site to be not really about me at all, but rather to be a teaching tool for those who will visit.
Primarily, that is what I am: a teacher. So if you are wondering to yourself how the writer has time in the middle of the day to create a blog and add his thoughts to it, the answer is the weather. In Chattanooga, TN where I live, school has been dismissed early for today because of a light dusting of snow in the area. Not exactly a blizzard, but enough that the southerners feel a day out of school is sufficient celebration as well as appropriate precaution, since most in this part of the country are uncomfortable driving in such conditions.
And so it begins: the launching of this web site as an extension of my classroom. Perhaps with a few more students and most definitely with a few less interruptions. Even the weather can't stop me today.
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