Let’s imagine a woman goes to your church and you are the pastor. Her husband likes to gamble, though she doesn’t agree with it. He buys the superpowermega bowl ticket and wins $50 million dollars, but as soon as he gets his $20 million check after all the fees and taxes, he passes away, leaving it all to his wife.If his wife wanted to pay tithes, would you let the church take it? Would you tell her not to?
Not a pastor, BUT #1 I would recommend our pastor take it. As one pastor said, the devil had the money long enough.#2 If our pastor refused, I would recommend the pastor down the street take it.Just my opinion…________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
The Church of God states its position on many issues of social significance and global events through resolutions adopted at the biennial General Assembly.GAMBLING (1998)WHEREAS gambling is a vice which is growing in popularity, having been legalized by almost every state and becoming one of America’s largest industries, with an annual income of 500 billion dollars; andWHEREAS, cities, states and Native American reservations are turning to gambling as a profitable source of public income; andWHEREAS gambling is the most regressive and unfair form of taxation, since research has shown that a disproportionate number of gamblers are poor and uneducated, who can least afford to suffer the losses; andWHEREAS the odds of winning are heavily stacked against the gambler, in favor of “the house,” assuring always that the vast majority of participants will lose; andWHEREAS gambling is a violation of the golden rule, resting on a scheme that the few winners will receive their profits from losses suffered by the many losers (Exodus 20:15; Matthew 7:12; Philippians 2:3,4; Romans 12:10; 13:10; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; Galatians 6:2; James 2:8); andWHEREAS Scripture commands love for God and our neighbor (Matthew 23:36-40; Mark 12:28-33), teaching us to do all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and in friendship (John 15:13) to seek our neighbor’s good (Romans 14:19-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:15), while gambling seeks personal profit at the expense of others; andWHEREAS Scripture emphasizes the sovereignty of God (1 Chronicles 29:11-13; Matthew 10:29-30); Philippians 4:19) while gambling encourages reliance on luck and chance; andWHEREAS Scripture emphasizes the virtues of work (Exodus 20:9; Ephesians 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12; Genesis 3:19; 1 Timothy 5:8) thrift and saving (Proverbs 6:6-11), contentment and virtue (Philippians 4:11) and peace (I Corinthians 14:33), while gambling encourages risk-taking and a something-for-nothing attitude; andWHEREAS Scripture teaches Christian stewardship of resources, which holds that all things belong to God and that we are to use all earthly possessions as His agents in accordance with His will (Psalms 24:1; 50:10-12; Luke 12:42-48; 1 Corinthians 10:26; 2 Corinthians 8:5) while gambling encourages selfishness and reckless abandon; andWHEREAS proper use of money does not include gambling, but instead: provides basic needs (2 Thessalonians 3:10); supports the family (1 Timothy 5:8); contributes to God’s work (1 Corinthians 16:1-3); meets human needs and gives to the poor (Ephesians 4:28; 1 Corinthians 9:6-15); and pays taxes (Matthew 22:21—Romans 13:7); andWHEREAS Scripture condemns greed, covetousness and materialism (Exodus 20:17; Matthew 6:24-34; Philippians 3:18, 19; Colossians 3:5,6), while gambling encourages these sins of the flesh, lusting after unearned and undeserved prize money in clear violation of God’s law (1 Timothy 6:10; Luke 12:15); andWHEREAS Scripture teaches us to avoid all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22) and to hate what is evil (Romans 12:9), while gambling is a major source of income for organized crime, attracting criminal elements and encouraging participation in other vices and illegal activities; andWHEREAS Scripture encourages saving with the hope of secure return (Matthew 25:27) and invites us to lay up our treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21), which is very different from risking them for almost certain loss in gambling; andWHEREAS Scripture condemns the exploitation of employees (James 5:1-4) and emphasizes their right to earned wages (Luke 10:7); and gambling is a threat to the economy, to legitimate industries and businesses, and to positive forms of entertainment and recreation; andWHEREAS gambling produces an increase in unpaid bills, embezzlement, bankruptcy, and job absenteeism; andWHEREAS gambling produces nothing and adds nothing to the economy; andWHEREAS gambling is an addictive behavior which enslaves its victims, robbing them of their personal dignity and financial well-being (1 Corinthians 8:13; 2 Corinthians 6:3); andWHEREAS gambling is injurious to its addicts, to their families, to other innocent persons and to society (Romans 14:19-21); andWHEREAS gambling is personally selfish, morally irresponsible and socially destructive; andWHEREAS gambling interests often corrupt police and government officials. undermining the welfare of society and their respect for law enforcement;BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Church of God strongly affirms its opposition to Gambling in every form as a violation of God’s perfect will for His people; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our preachers and Bible teachers urge our people to practice the virtues of labor, thrift and saving as God’s chosen means of supplying their material needs and bestowing His financial blessings upon them; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge our members to express their opposition to any government proposals that promote and/or legalize any form of gambling in their states and communities; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we widely proclaim the power of the gospel to deliver believers from the grip and guilt of all vices and addictions; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we will refuse to seek personal profit at the expense of other persons and families; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we do encourage our ministers and churches to inform themselves concerning existing gambling laws and the state of law enforcement in their states and communities; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we support laws, lawmakers and law enforcement officials who oppose gambling; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we will work within civic, community and business organizations to prevent their sponsorship of gambling in the community; andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we actively oppose any government efforts to expand and/or promote the legalization of gambling; andBE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that we commend legislators and government officials who oppose the legalization of gambling and support them in the defense of morality (67th A., 1998, pp. 54-57).
WOW that is a lot of whereas’s and Resolved……Does that mean the COG General offices would refuse a gift of 5 million to Missions________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
Personally, if the topic comes up with a believer, I would probably discourage small-level gambling– one lotto ticket a month. It’s bad math. In terms of greed and not earning it…. I don’t think it’s wrong to apply for a scholarship or to win a sweepstakes, and I am not going to judge the heart of a lottery player. They could be hoping to win to start a new orphanage in Mozambique or the sponsor 10,000 kids for Christmas shoeboxes or Save the Children. Playing the lottery could be motivated from greed but so could a lot of other things.
One is to be admired that stands by their principles. My word is my bond, as they say, and I agree whole heartedly. In life we do not have the same backgrounds nor the same principles. ________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/
No doubt they will have little trouble finding someone who will gladly take their ill-gotten gains. I will not be a hypocrite, being against gambling until I stand to gain something from it. I’d just as soon put a slot machine in the church foyer for ‘fundraising purposes,’ set up a poker table on the altar, or make the church office into a whorehouse.
Gambling and whorehouses? Other than the fact that in some places, the same people might actually own both (they want to reinvest those gambling prophets), how do those belong in the same category. The New Testament is really specific not to fornicate, including sex with prostitutes. Gambling? You have to use some elaborate theological reasoning on that one.
Personally I couldn’t accept the money, but I should be aware of a few worthy charities that could benefit from an unexpected gift________________“Hell will be filled with people that didn’t cuss, didn’t drink, and may even have been baptized. Why? Because none of those things makes someone a Christian.”
Let’s consider these hypothetical cases.1. Lottery ticket is a gift.1a. Church member gets a lottery ticket as a ‘white elephant’ gift at a Christmas party. The ticket wins. Member of congregation wants to give 10% to the church. Would you refuse if you knew the circumstances? He or she did not gamble, but has a gain? 1b. Same as 1a, but church member wants to give 100% away and considers it to be dirty money. Would you accept all of it for the church? 2. Church member regrets purchasing lottery ticket. Church member wins, feels guilty, and wants to give it all away?There are some laws in the Old Testament requiring Israelites to give 10% of flocks and herds of the land of Israel to the Levitical priesthood. There were actually 3 tithes in the Bible. This turned into teaching that Christians had to pay 10% of cash income. Various other traditional teaches have been added that the tithes must be paid to the local church, or the tithe or general fund of the local church, depending on the denomination.The individual’s in question has an issue of conscious that would cause him or her to be sinning if he/she did not give the money to the tithing fund of the church. You found out about the winnings. Would you forbid them to give them to church? Would doing so be causing a brother (or sister) to stumble?With all the lottery ticket purchases going on, this __could___ happen. Mathematically, though, the odds are slim unless its a tiny payout. That’s what lottery ticket purchasers need to understand.
I gotta build a school.I’ll take the money. ________________Charles A. HutchinsSenior Pastor SPWCCongregational Church of Godwww.spwc.church
As a young Marine I once lost a month’s pay about $80 on my first ship as I LEARNED’ to play poker. LOL I learned NOT to play poker. We take chances all our lives, not only with money but years ago men would gamble their families lives, speeding on slick tires. Not many slick tires now a days and I have NEVER again played POKER. But Link has raised some good points along with you other commenters. I have enjoyed reading them all and it does give pause to think.Of course I would rather err on the side of right; but it is always down to our own mind and connection with our Lord.SURELY NO ONE would argue that it is NOT a sin to use grocery money to buy lottery tickets. IT WOULD BE A SIN TO CAUSE CHILDREN TO GO HUNGRY.JMOI have bought a lottery ticket and have dreamed of what I would do with the winnings. It never happened and churches still made their monthly payments on loans. My dad considered that CLOSE to a sin, to Borrow money to build a church and pay interest on a loan. If I am not mistaken he never allowed a church he pastored to borrow money. the money was raised BEFORE addition to churches was made________________Some facts but mostly just my [email protected]/