Sports Betting and God’s Design

With the NFL playoffs in full swing and the Super Bowl just a few weeks away, it’s no surprise that the already pervasive ads for online gambling are ramping up in big ways. This has been going on for a few years now, and we must be aware that our kids are being nurtured into believing that it’s normal and even right to place their bets. Pastor Philip Ryken tells us that gambling is not worth the gamble. In fact, he reminds us that gambling is a sin for several reasons. First, it denies God’s providence. God promises to provide everything we need, but he doesn’t tell us to gamble to get it. Second, gambling is bad stewardship as it jeapordizes the money God has entrusted to our care. Third, gambling is stealing in the sense that it attempts to profit from someone else’s loss. And fourth, gambling comes from coveting, as we risk losing our money in an effort to get another person’s money. Parents, talk to your kids about the addictive nature of gambling, and nurture them into Godly habits.