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Would You ?


Lottery Money  

16 members have voted

  1. 1. Should your Church accept lottery money?

  2. 2. Should Christians play the lottery?



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How's this? It isn't a parable...
Acts 5:1-4 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Notice the property was not God's, but belonged to Ananias. Also the money he received for the sale of the property was also in his power.

Peter never said the money belonged to God. As a matter of fact, it is indicated it was Ananias's to do what he wanted to do with it.

Ananias' crime was lying to the Holy Ghost, not keeping the money. Had he told Peter that he kept part of the money, he would not have been struck dead.

As to being saved and buying a lottery ticket, since God nowhere condemns the buying of a lottery ticket in His Word, you are being legalistic.

As I have pointed out earlier, people cast lots (gambled) in the Bible and were not condemned.

And do you realize that you gamble each time you drive on the highway? There are thousands of highway crashes a year, which means to get on the highway is gambling on getting to your destination safely.

There are more than 300 people struck by lightning each year, so even to step outside one's house is to gamble on being one not struck

People gamble every day.... even those who are Christians.,

Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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Matthew 22:17-21 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

Imagine that! Jesus must have forgotten that the penny belonged to God! He told the Pharisees to give the money to Caesar instead of to God.

On our pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, silver dollars, ... all our legal tender, we have this superscription: United States of America.

Render unto the government that which is the government's.

Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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How's this? It isn't a parable...
Acts 5:1-4 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Notice the property was not God's, but belonged to Ananias. Also the money he received for the sale of the property was also in his power.

Peter never said the money belonged to God. As a matter of fact, it is indicated it was Ananias's to do what he wanted to do with it.

Ananias' crime was lying to the Holy Ghost, not keeping the money. Had he told Peter that he kept part of the money, he would not have been struck dead.

As to being saved and buying a lottery ticket, since God nowhere condemns the buying of a lottery ticket in His Word, you are being legalistic.

As I have pointed out earlier, people cast lots (gambled) in the Bible and were not condemned.

And do you realize that you gamble each time you drive on the highway? There are thousands of highway crashes a year, which means to get on the highway is gambling on getting to your destination safely.

There are more than 300 people struck by lightning each year, so even to step outside one's house is to gamble on being one not struck

People gamble every day.... even those who are Christians.,




If you take it into context and don't skip to what supports your intent, it makes much more sense:

Acts 4

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither ° said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
34 Neither ° was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35 And laid them down at the apostles feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need °.
36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, ° (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
37 Having ° land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.

Acts 5

1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it, at the apostles feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own °? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

Acts 4:32 makes it clear they had nothing that was their own, but held all things in common or together. They didn't hold them as a group of people or as a government or as a cult, but as the Church - belonging to Christ. The punishment was a result of them keeping things back from the Church for themselves and then lying about it. Kind of like keeping money back to buy lottery tickets.......

I noticed you did not respond to being saved and belonging to Christ......why??

Surely you're not ashamed to belong to Him and afraid to turn all your possessions over to Him and be a steward of His things......are you??
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I noticed you did not respond to being saved and belonging to Christ......why??

Surely you're not ashamed to belong to Him and afraid to turn all your possessions over to Him and be a steward of His things......are you??
I did respond. you overlooked it. But I shall word it so you can remove any doubt of my Salvation.

I have placed my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He has saved me, and I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.

Context or no, Peter still told Ananias the money was his and could have done whatever he wished with it.

There is not one verse in the Word of God that tells me to give Him all my money.
Try again. Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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Matthew 22:17-21 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

Imagine that! Jesus must have forgotten that the penny belonged to God! He told the Pharisees to give the money to Caesar instead of to God.

On our pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, silver dollars, ... all our legal tender, we have this superscription: United States of America.

Render unto the government that which is the government's.



Now you're stretching it......wow!!

Christ was saying that it is not unlawful to pay (or be charged) taxes(that's what "tribute money" is), not that money should not be given to God. They were trying to trip Him up between acknowledging human leadership and acknowledging God......and it didn't work. Just like your attempts won't work here in trying to twist and deceive with the scriptures. Pulling scriptures out and taking them out of context to try to justify sin in your life is just as much sin as what you are trying to justify. In the end, it all leads to loss...and, in some cases, destruction.
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I did respond. you overlooked it. But I shall word it so you can remove any doubt of my Salvation.

I have placed my trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He has saved me, and I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.

Context or no, Peter still told Ananias the money was his and could have done whatever he wished with it.

There is not one verse in the Word of God that tells me to give Him all my money.
Try again.



No need to try again. You have made it clear that you aren't concerned with truth or rightly dividing the word as you don't believe that context has anything to do with the scriptures. I have done my part to warn the unruly as we are commanded in 1 Thessalonians. You OBviously only seek to live a life of liberal sin and that is your choice. I will not waste any more of my time, but will wash my hands. The losses you will suffer will certainly not be because of lack of warning. I'll just pray that one day you will choose to take God's word seriously and repent of your distortion of it and your false teachings. Feel free to put your last words in, but it won't change what you are doing and God is witness. I'll simply leave you with this one last thought.....and then I will leave:

1 Thessalonians 5
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.


It's quite OBvious that gambling and playing the lottery (which is gambling whether you like it or not) is an appearance of evil. Can you justify sin with, "It was mine, so I decided to do whatever I wanted to do with it."?
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You really have no Scriptural proof that I sin with my money... none whatsoever.

You judge me as sinning, yet since you have no Scripture to prove I am sinning with my money, you are judging wrongly.

I have shown gambling in the Bible and no reprimand for that gambling.

Let's look at what the word 'lucre' means, shall we?

Way of Life Encyclopedia
LUCRE
Gain in earnings; profit; usually in a dishonest or ill sense. In the O.T. it is used for judges which accepted bribes to pervert justice (1Sa 8:3). In the N.T. the word "filthy" is added to "lucre" to describe unlawful or unspiritual financial gain. The false teacher is motivated by such lucre (Tit 1:11). Church leaders must be men who are not motivated by the financial benefits of the ministry (1Ti 3:3,8; Tit 1:7; 1Pe 5:2). Though it is not wrong for a man to take wages for his spiritual ministry (Ro 15:27; 1Co 9:6-14; 2Co 11:8; Ga 6:6; Php 4:14-16; 1Ti 5:17-18), his motivation must be to serve Jesus Christ, not money.


The word 'lucre' appears few times in the Bible, and not one of those times is it said to be associated with gambling... not once. And when gambling is mentioned in the Bible, not once is it said to be called lucre... nor are those who are said to be gambling ever chastised by God for doing so.

So, to condemn me for saying I would purchase a lottery ticket is being legalistic since God's Word never condemns gambling.
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In Leviticus, gambling was used to determine which goat would be sacrificed and which would be a scapegoat. Joshua cast lots before the Lord.

Solomon revealed that even when one gambles, the Lord is in it. Bet you didn't know that, did you?

Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

Notice Solomon did not say gambling is wrong. He said when one gambles, the Lord is the one who decides the outcome of that gambling.

So I can conclude that if I bought a lottery ticket tomorrow and won, it is God who gave me the winnings. He does not condemn it, but apparently blesses some by letting them win.

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No need to try again. You have made it clear that you aren't concerned with truth or rightly dividing the word as you don't believe that context has anything to do with the scriptures. I have done my part to warn the unruly as we are commanded in 1 Thessalonians. You OBviously only seek to live a life of liberal sin and that is your choice. I will not waste any more of my time, but will wash my hands. The losses you will suffer will certainly not be because of lack of warning. I'll just pray that one day you will choose to take God's word seriously and repent of your distortion of it and your false teachings. Feel free to put your last words in, but it won't change what you are doing and God is witness. I'll simply leave you with this one last thought.....and then I will leave:

1 Thessalonians 5
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.


It's quite OBvious that gambling and playing the lottery (which is gambling whether you like it or not) is an appearance of evil. Can you justify sin with, "It was mine, so I decided to do whatever I wanted to do with it."?
Gambling is an appearance of evil? If so, it is only to the legalistic. Gambling was practiced to determine which of two goats would be sacrificial and which would be a scapegoat. Joshua was never condemned for gambling, and he gambled before the Lord, Nor was Nehemiah, Nor were the Apostles.

My, my the lengths people will go to to condemn people for something God never condemned in His Word. Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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For some clarification on terminology:

Webster's 1828 Dictionary [K-Z]
lotLOT, n.

1. That which, in human speech, is called chance, hazard, fortune; but in strictness of language, is the determination of Providence; as, the land shall be divided by lot. Num. 26.

2. That by which the fate or portion of one is determined; that by which an event is committed to chance, that is, to the determination of Providence; as, to cast lots; to draw lots.

The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Prov. 16.

3. The part, division or fate which falls to one by chance, that is, by divine determination.

The second lot came forth to Simeon. Josh. 19.

He was but born to try the lot of man, to suffer and to die.

4. A distinct portion or parcel; as a lot of goods; a lot of boards.

5. Proportion or share of taxes; as, to pay scot and lot.

6. In the United States, a piece or division of land; perhaps originally assigned by drawing lots, but now any portion, piece or division. So we say, a man has a lot of land in Broadway, or in the meadow; he has a lot in the plain, or on the mountain; he has a home-lot, a house-lot, a wood-lot.

The defendants leased a house and lot in the city of New York.

To cast lots, is to use or throw a die, or some other instrument, by the unforseen turn or position of which, an event is by previous agreement determined.

To draw lots, to determine an event by drawing one thing from a number whose marks are concealed from the drawer, and thus determining an event.

LOT, v.t. To allot; to assign; to distribute; to sort; to catalogue; to portion.




Webster's 1828 Dictionary [K-Z]
lotteryLOT'TERY, n. See Lot.

1. A scheme for the distribution of prizes by chance, or the distribution itself. Lotteries are often authorized by law, but many good men deem them immoral in principle, and almost all men concur in the opinion that their effects are pernicious.

2. Allotment. Not used.



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It seems that,when it comes to money, it is easy to compromise. is the Lord meeting our needs? if so, the rest is fluff. We too often depend on the almighty dollar, and less on the Almighty God. if something is purchased, or built on lottery money, then the world owns it, not us; it was their schemes that purchased it. We try to give God the glory, and say that it is a blessing from him, but we know, deep in our hearts that the motive is greed and influence. I voted "no" on both accounts.

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It seems that,when it comes to money, it is easy to compromise. is the Lord meeting our needs? if so, the rest is fluff. We too often depend on the almighty dollar, and less on the Almighty God. if something is purchased, or built on lottery money, then the world owns it, not us; it was their schemes that purchased it. We try to give God the glory, and say that it is a blessing from him, but we know, deep in our hearts that the motive is greed and influence. I voted "no" on both accounts.

The motive is not always greed. I left out an important bit of information about the lottery ticket that was given to me where I won $2,000 dollars. I will share it now.

$1,000 dollars of that money went to a friend who had need for the money in his business.
$600 dollars of that money. I used to buy a refridgerator and oven for my sister because hers were both shot.
Yes, I did spend the remaining $400 on myself, but that which it was used for was $165 lot rent, $80 electric, $57 on my quarterly water bill and the rest on groceries. I do not believe I was greedy with the winnings at all.

Nor can it be said one who gives another a lottery ticket is greedy when that one did not purchase the ticket for the purpose of himself getting rich, as my friend had done for me. To purchas a lottery ticket for another person is not showing greed. It is a gift. To receive a gift in the form of a lottery ticket is not greed.either. Edited by Standing Firm In Christ
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I believe gaining an income by gambling of any sort comes under the heading of "filthy lucre", and the scriptural principle is that the church should stay well clear of it.



1 Samuel 8:3 And his sons walked n
ot
in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgme
nt
.




1 Tim
ot
hy 3:3 N
ot
given to wine, no striker, n
ot
greedy of filthy lucre; but patie
nt
, n
ot
a brawler, n
ot
covetous;




1 Tim
ot
hy 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, n
ot
doubletongued, n
ot
given to much wine, n
ot
greedy of filthy lucre;




Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; n
ot
selfwilled, n
ot
soon angry, n
ot
given to wine, no striker, n
ot
given to filthy lucre;




1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, n
ot
by constrai
nt
, but willingly; n
ot
for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;



Websters 1828 Dictionary definition:
LU'CRE, n. lu'ker. [L. lucrum.] Gain in money or goods; profit; usually in an ill sense, or with the sense of something base or unworthy.





Of course, one plays the lottery, gambles, because of covetous, they want, yet they do not want to earn it by the sweat of their brow. And any income from sin is blood money. Of course I don't expect every professing Christine to agree with that. And we know there be ways that seems right to man, yet its not God's way.
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It seems that,when it comes to money, it is easy to compromise. is the Lord meeting our needs? if so, the rest is fluff. We too often depend on the almighty dollar, and less on the Almighty God. if something is purchased, or built on lottery money, then the world owns it, not us; it was their schemes that purchased it. We try to give God the glory, and say that it is a blessing from him, but we know, deep in our hearts that the motive is greed and influence. I voted "no" on both accounts.


amen.gif


Greed, covetous, gets the best of many, and it blinds them, even to seeing their own greed, covetous.

Lu 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

1Co 5:10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.


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Gambling was practiced to determine which of two goats would be sacrificial and which would be a scapegoat. Joshua was never condemned for gambling, and he gambled before the Lord, Nor was Nehemiah, Nor were the Apostles.

This argument CANNOT be used to justify gambling.

The "casting of lots" in scripture was NOT gambling. It was done "before the Lord" to find out God's will on a matter, and it was NEVER done for financial gain.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The lot was always resorted to by the Hebrews with strictest reference to the interposition of God, and as a method of ascertaining the divine will (Pr 16:33), and in serious cases of doubt (Es 3:7). Thus the lot was used at the division of the land of Canaan among the serveral tribes (Nu 26:55; 34:13), at the detection of Achan (Jos 7:14,18), the election of Saul to be king (1Sa 10:20-21), the distribution of the priestly offices of the temple service (1Ch 24:3,5,19; Lu 1:9), and over the two goats at the feast of Atonement (Le 16:8). Matthias, who was "numbered with the eleven" (Ac 1:24-26), was chosen by lot.
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