Should Christians Play the Lottery?

My initial immediate off-the-cuff answer would be, “Well, no, Christians shouldn’t play the lottery.” But why? At its heart, the lottery is gambling or coveting something that is not yours. But if you even back up and think about it a little bit, as we’ve been studying the book of Luke, there is so much about stewardship and how to handle finances. We know all things belong to God. And so, is it wise to do the lottery? We know the lottery is set up on losing. Gambling is a losing proposition. From a common-sense perspective, it doesn’t make sense to invest in something where you know you are probably going to lose. In that sense, then, playing the lottery as a Christian doesn’t make sense, and it isn’t good stewardship of what God has provided.

But I think the question is even deeper. Why would a Christian want to play the lottery? I think that is an even more pertinent question. Why is it that I would want to play the lottery as a Christian? Is it that I hope I can hit it big where all my needs are going to be taken care of? God has already promised, “My God shall supply all of your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” But when he doesn’t, are we then saying, “I can hit the lottery”? I just think it is against who we say we are as believers. I trust in God; I don’t have to trust in a lottery to fulfill my needs or make me happy.

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