The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-5, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  Copyright John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

What the Christian attitude should be to the California State Lottery?

Answer

I told someone the other day, "Don't buy those lottery tickets, but if you win give the money to Grace Church."  Let me give you an answer to that.  I am glad that you asked that; I was going to bring that up tonight.  Personally, I don't see gambling as a legitimate expression of my stewardship of what God has given to me.  There is no verse in the Bible that says, "Do not gamble."  Somebody always says, "Well, I mean, even the disciples cast lots."  Right.  That was a means by which they were able to determine the will of God because God spoke through that method--that's a little different. 

I do not believe that the Bible legitimizes gambling as a means of stewardship.  I also feel on the social end of it I think the lottery is a disaster and I will tell you why.  The people who buy the tickets are the people who can least afford to buy the tickets.  An already poor populace are literally consuming those things.  It plays into the hands of the people who need to learn how to work productively and not hope against hope.  It is another expression of "They that would be rich fall into many snares and hurtful lusts."

I heard on the radio today something that is a bizarre illustration of this.  I couldn't believe what I heard.  There was a guy, a Midwest (I don't know if you heard about it) bank manager who embezzled 10 million dollars out of his bank, went to the Ceaser's Casino in Atlantic City, deposited it on account, and gambled away every cent--10 million dollars that he had embezzled.  They are going to punish the casino by making them stay closed for one day.  That tells me several things:

1.  That's a joke

2.  It must be a significant punishment.

You can't even imagine the kind of money that they take in.  When you create an environment in which people can gamble away what they have--they will do it; and if it is legalized, I mean it is a tragic thing to think about.  These are the people who can least afford it and they are the people who most need to learn how to be productive by working. 

You know, the Bible advocates gaining money by inheritance (that's fine, you know the Bible talks about that), by hard work, by wise investment, but it never advocates getting rich by gambling: fast money.  So I am not going to tell you that it is a crime to pay a dollar, I mean, you're curious.  If you went through Las Vegas you'd probably put a quarter in the machine once or twice just to see what happens.  I don't want to lay some legalistic trip on you, but I do not believe that is a legitimate way, certainly not a legitimate way to fund education at the expense of already poor people who are going to waste their substance on that.  It is the reverse of what a society ought to do.  If it wants to educate its people, it ought to take the money from the people like us who can assist in that properly, rather than the poor people, but that's where the money is going to come from.