DO YOU GAMBLE?
As a Christian, do you gamble? Do
you line up to buy lottery when the
win is big? I know of Christians
who do so. Some even have the
boldness to say that when they
strike big they will give a good portion to the church.
The government will legalise online gambling. Turf Club and Singapore Pools will offer online gambling for existing games and lotteries. Singapore Pools will have lotteries for 4D and Toto, and online
betting for football and Formula 1.
Turf Club will offer horse-race betting online. Now its easier to place
a bet on-line. No need to look over
one’s shoulder to see if you recognise anyone from church or a Christian colleague etc.
My contention on the matter of
gambling is not whether the government legalises it. They have a
tough decision to juggle with it. My
contention is with us Christians.
How do we face this matter personally if we are doing so regularly?
Vices exist in this world. Everyday
we have to decide how to live the
Christian life in a midst of sin and
temptation, be it gambling or otherwise.
Let me provide us with some biblical guidelines on how we should
handle it. “Thy word have I hid in
mine heart, that I might not sin
against thee” (Ps.119:11). Let the
Bible be our guide and defender.
All things are lawful unto me, but
all things are not expedient: all
things are lawful for me, but I will
not be brought under the power of
any (1 Cor. 6: 12). There are many
things that are lawful to do. As long
as I don’t break the law I can do
those things. Here we have gambling as lawful now. So I can gamble; but look at God’s word again.
“All things are lawful unto me, but
all things are not expedient
(profitable).” “All things are lawful
for me, but I will not be under the
power of any.” Here we have Paul
saying, “do not be controlled by it.”
Gambling can be a habit. A Christian can be a habitual gambler.
Every week, the person must visit
the 4D or Toto booth. Or else, every
week it is an “adventure” to the casino. Brethren, if you are in it, you
are a habitual gambler.
Now see what Paul says “but all
SINGAPORE — Singaporeans are still the second-biggest gamblers in the world, but the latest statistics from a British gambling consultancy indicate that losses incurred per adult resident here have
fallen from three years ago.
The average adult resident in the Republic lost €680 (S$1,189) last year, down from €822 (worth
S$1,451 at the time) in 2010, according to H2 Gambling Capital.
Almost half the amount last year was lost in casinos, with the remainder going to lotteries, non-casino
gaming machines, betting and offshore gaming websites.
Last year’s numbers were published on news magazine The Economist’s website on Monday and
showed Singapore ranking second behind Australia in terms of gambling losses per adult resident.
Total gambling losses incurred by Singapore, which include losses by tourists and other visitors here,
amounted to S$9.9 billion.
Ten countries including the United States, China, Japan and Britain racked up bigger gambling losses,
with the US coming up tops at US$119 billion (S$151.1 billion).
Explaining why Singapore ranked second for gambling losses per resident adult, H2’s founder Simon
Holliday cited the highly legalised and regulated industry here as a factor, in addition to the relatively
high propensity to gamble and easy access to most forms of gambling.
“I’d think there are much higher rates of gambling in other Asian countries but it’s not regulated. This
is why Singapore comes out high on this list,” he told TODAY.
“Singapore is probably the only Asian country where you actually get a realistic assessment of what
people are actually gambling on.”
TODAY, 13 Oct, 2016
things are not expedient
(profitable).” In 1 Cor. 10:23, he
says: “All things are lawful for me,
but all things are not expedient: all
things are lawful for me, but all
things edify not.” The word “edify”
is to “build up.” This is a simple
guideline for everyone to gauge in
what we do as a Christian. Does it
edify us? Does it help me in my
spiritual life and walk with Jesus? If
I go on-line gambling or stand in
the line to place my bet on 4D or
TOTO, how does it edify me spiritually? All gambling depends on
CHANCE or LUCK. As a Christian
we do not depend on that. Our lives
is in the hands of the Lord and He
will be the One to direct and lead
us (Ps. 37:23), not by CHANCE or
LUCK. Not even fatalism has a part
to do with us. Am I spiritually
blessed (edified) if I gamble?
Finally, we should ask ourselves:
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink,
or whatsoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Is the
Lord my God glorified in what I
do? Is He pleased? Is He happy? Is
His name honoured in what I do?
Or do I bring shamed to Him? “for
them that honour me I will honour” (1 Sam. 2:30).
This is all about us, the Christian in a
non-Christian world. How should we
be such a Christian? If you have a
problem with gambling let us do
our part to help you.
Pastor