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Bible Will I Find: The Danger Of Gambling With My Soul? By: Gary Colley
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Bible Will I Find: The Danger Of Gambling With My Soul? By: Gary Colley
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We have seen several vital studies of late concerning the sin of gambling, and especially how it goes against the principles of the Bible. Though claims are made that good may come from gambling, by the gambling industry, we are not convinced because of the facts. Money from the lottery does not go into the state’s general budget, since no sales tax is paid on lottery tickets. Claims are made that the lottery would help education and provide education scholarships, but in reality not one penny would go to hire teachers or buy supplies for our schools. Marketing programs are geared to pull in the poor, and the big push to buy the lottery tickets is generally noticed at the time when welfare and social security checks are mailed. This plan is not by accident. MONEY to ply the pockets of the gambling industry is the bottom line. Offers are made by means of the media of low priced bus rides, hotel rooms, gourmet meals, and even some tokens with which you may gamble to hook the unsuspecting. Their plan: getting the gullible into the dens of gambling. All of these thoughts are very distressing to moral and right thinking people. BUT SOME ARE GAMBLING WITH SOMETHING MORE PRECIOUS, AND STAND TO LOSE MORE, THAN JUST THEIR MONEY! It would certainly be amiss for us to warn people about gambling away their money, and not warn them about gambling away their soul! Of all the mysteries in the world, it is the hardest to understand why people would take changes with the most precious possession we have, our soul. Jesus said unto His disciples, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me…For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt.16:24-26). There is nothing of equal value with our soul! But neither is there anything equal with the souls of our children. When parents do not faithfully attend the services of the Lord’s church (Heb.10:25), when their children never see them read their Bible or hear them pray (II Tim.2:15; I Thess.5:17), when these parents are ready unto every worldly endeavor and sporting event, but never seem “to be ready unto every good work” (Tit.3:1; Matt.5:16), they are gambling with their own soul and the souls of their family. Paul exhorted, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph.6:4). Responsible parents will answer in the judgment for not training the children under their care to serve God, putting His kingdom first in their lives (Matt.6:33). This is the greatest gamble of all!–Gary Colley