Gambling with God’s Money

[CubsMascot]

We all know that our currency says In God We Trust...and God doesn't approve of gambling.
We of course use God's money everyday including in gambling. With that said..
When churches hold Bingo games in a church do you believe that is gambling? Seeing that it's in a church
do you believe he would see it as gambling? Or would he consider it ok because the money goes towards the church?

I'm on the fence for and against it as being gambling... What do you think?

 

[Impaired]

Insurance = gambling
Stock market/investing = gambling

 

[Mirage]

I’m curious how you know for sure God doesn’t approve of gambling? Traditionally, this has been taught in church, but it’s not technically in the Bible (if we are talking about Christian beliefs).

In general, I think the Bible would imply that gambling money that you can’t afford to lose would be unwise, and having a gambling addiction would be wrong, but I don’t think gambling in it if itself is automatically wrong. It can be a fun pasttime just as any other form of entertainment.

Gambling with the goal of making a lot of money (and certainly if you are being dumb with how much you are risking), however, is not wise. And gambling addictions definitely ruin lives. If you can’t gamble without getting addicted or chasing your money, you should not gamble. According to gambling odds, you will not make money by going to a casino in the long run. How do you think hey can afford to pay for those lavish halls?

 

[Impaired]

I don't recall there being a biblical restriction against gambling. Just greed and loving money over people/God.

 

[The_Chameleon]

In Matthew 21:12 Christ made it clear that any form of commerce within the church was unacceptable. It is a place of worship and Biblical learning, not commerce or anything else. From what I know of scripture, I can't say that gambling itself is inherently sinful, but it does lend itself to greed and the love of money and has no place in a church.

Matthew 21:12
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

 

[CaptainObvious]

In Matthew 21:12 Christ made it clear that any form of commerce within the church was unacceptable. It is a place of worship and Biblical learning, not commerce or anything else. From what I know of scripture, I can't say that gambling itself is inherently sinful, but it does lend itself to greed and the love of money and has no place in a church.

Matthew 21:12
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

That was Jesus upset at how the Temple was being used during Passover, that does not mean he didn't approve of gambling. By the way, the money changers weren't gambling, they were exchanging money to be used as tithes, or to buy goats to be used in sacrifices, and were overcharging for the exchange.