Gambling?

[reaganmarsh]

Greetings PB brethren,

I would welcome any resources (preferably books/articles, if possible) concerning gambling. If you know of a good sermon or lecture helping expose the heart issues at work there, that would be helpful as well.

Trying to help one of our church members and I realized I don't have much in my library on this subject!

Thanks in advance, y'all.

Grace to you.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

J.G. Vos in his book on the 8th commandment is necessary reading on this.

 

[Andres]

From the WCF 5.3:

God in His ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them at His pleasure.
Acts 27:31, 44; Isa. 55:10-11; Hos. 2:21-22; Hos. 1:7; Matt. 4:4; Job 34:20; Rom.4:19-21; 2 Kings 6:6; Dan. 3:27.

From the accompanying RPCNA Testimony to the above section:

4. Gambling is a sin against God because it denies His providential care and increases dependence on the erroneous notion of luck or chance.
It involves and encourages greed and the desire to get something for nothing at the expense of others. Its satanic character is demonstrated in the way it obsesses individuals. Some examples of unwarranted gambling the Christian should avoid are lotteries, bingo for gain, wagerings, raffles and bets. Many of the same objections may be brought against sweepstakes, door prizes, drawings and other similar practices. The Church should testify against the dependence of public agencies on revenues derived from gambling sources.
2 Thess. 3:9-10; Prov. 15:27; Prov. 16:33; Ex. 20:15, 17; 1 Tim. 6:9-11.

 

[Jonny.]

http://teampyro.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/is-gambling-ok-dont-bet-on-it.html

Here's a series of blogposts by Phil Johnson I remember being quite thought provoking.

 

[Edward]

WLC

Q. 142. What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are, theft, robbery, man-stealing, and receiving anything that is stolen; fraudulent dealing, false weights and measures, removing landmarks, injustice and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man, or in matters of trust; oppression, extortion, usury, bribery, vexatious lawsuits, unjust enclosures and depredation; engrossing commodities to enhance the price; unlawful callings, and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding from our neighbor what belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves; covetousness; inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods; distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them; envying at the prosperity of others; as likewise idleness, prodigality, wasteful gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate, and defrauding ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God hath given us.

 

[earl40]

WLC

Q. 142. What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are, theft, robbery, man-stealing, and receiving anything that is stolen; fraudulent dealing, false weights and measures, removing landmarks, injustice and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man, or in matters of trust; oppression, extortion, usury, bribery, vexatious lawsuits, unjust enclosures and depredation; engrossing commodities to enhance the price; unlawful callings, and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding from our neighbor what belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves; covetousness; inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods; distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them; envying at the prosperity of others; as likewise idleness, prodigality, wasteful gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate, and defrauding ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God hath given us.

Is there a thing that is not wasteful gaming? I tend to thing the adverb would not be needed if so.

 

[Edward]

Earl,
Many games do not ordinarily involve betting. Wasteful gaming is gaming that involves the waste of money, which we today call gambling. It is "wasteful gaming," not "wasteful gambling." The latter would be redundant.

Looking at some etymology, 'gambling' didn't seem to appear until the 1700s. Prior to that (back to the beginning of modern English) 'gaming' was the term used for what is now 'gambling'. At the time, 'gamel' probably survived as the term for games that didn't include elements of chance. Both are derived from the old English 'gamen'.

Perhaps some of our historians can shed some light.

 

[reaganmarsh]

My apologies for not replying sooner. Today's ministry duties had me tied up.

This is very helpful info. Thank you for the links and the discussion!

 

[ZackF]

Earl,
Many games do not ordinarily involve betting. Wasteful gaming is gaming that involves the waste of money, which we today call gambling. It is "wasteful gaming," not "wasteful gambling." The latter would be redundant.

Looking at some etymology, 'gambling' didn't seem to appear until the 1700s. Prior to that (back to the beginning of modern English) 'gaming' was the term used for what is now 'gambling'. At the time, 'gamel' probably survived as the term for games that didn't include elements of chance. Both are derived from the old English 'gamen'.

Perhaps some of our historians can shed some light.

Edward,
That is true; the term was not used then. But "gaming" certainly had a broader meaning than what we now call gambling.

I think the old word for a man with a gambling problem or compulsive gambler(as would be said today) was "gamester." This is especially true if he had racked up gambling debts.