Out of the Salt Shaker

THE SALT OF THE EARTH
Matthew 5:13

Sodium Chloride – SALT - gets a lot of bad press. It is blamed for everything from hypertension to obesity to heart disease. The need for salt is questioned. Its use is discouraged. And its presence on many tables is often more decorative than anything else. But this was not the case when Jesus announced to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth.” In the cultural world of the ancient Near East, salt was an essential and valuable commodity. For example, the Roman government often paid their soldiers’ wages in salt. And a good, faithful man was said to be “worth his salt.” In fact, our English word “salary” comes from the Latin word, salarium, which means to trade or barter with salt. Salt served a wide array of purposes in the ancient world. Interestingly, scholars have just as many interpretations of what Jesus meant by this statement about salt in Matthew 5:13. But of all the possible meanings, there are three primary interpretations that deserve our attention.

First of all, SALT PREVENTS DECAY. In the ancient East, families did not have refrigerators or freezers. To prevent meat from spoiling, they would pack it in salt. The salt would slow down the process of spoiling. That is what it means for Christians to be the salt of the earth. The presence of the saints in the world is a sovereign act of restraining grace. We are the salt of the earth, without which the forces of evil would have little or no resistance in the world. Secondly, SALT PROMOTES THIRST. When you intake a lot of salt; you become thirsty. And that is what it means for Christians to be the salt of the earth. We ought to live in such a way that we cause people to be dissatisfied with the passing pleasures of the world and to become thirsty for the living God. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

The most obvious use of salt, in both the ancient and modern world, is that of a flavoring agent. SALT PROVIDES FLAVOR. It seasons. It makes things taste better. One little boy said, “Salt is what makes food taste bad when it’s not on it!” I believe this is the primary point Jesus makes when he says, “You are the salt of the earth.” The latter part of the verse supports this, as Jesus warns about the consequences of salt losing its flavor. Christians are to the earth what salt is to food. As salt makes food taste better, followers of Jesus Christ are to influence this sinful world for the kingdom of God. We are to be kingdom condiments. We are to be sanctified seasoning. We are to add godly flavoring to this insipid world. To be the salt of the earth that Christ calls us to be, we must live our lives for God, not for this world. We are the salt of the earth. But we are salt for God. We live for the pleasure of God in order to make a difference in the world.

Here’s the issue. God is holy. This world is sinful. And our holy God cannot tolerate sin. So he has left the church on earth to salt it so that he can tolerate this sinful world. Of course, that does not mean that Christians are perfect. Rather, we are people who have experienced the goodness of God in Christ and who, as a consequence, live to glorify God and enjoy him forever. The presence of citizens of the kingdom of heaven makes this corrupt world palatable to the holiness of God. We are the salt of the earth. This principle is illustrated throughout scripture.

• We see this in Noah and the flood.
• We see this in Joseph and Potipher’s house.
• We see this in Lot and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
• We see it in Paul and the pagan sailors who were shipwrecked with him.
• And we ultimately see it in the church of Jesus Christ.

We are the salt of the earth. But are we living and serving and representing the kingdom as Christ has called us to? VANCE HAVNER wrote, “For too long we have been tickling palates with fancy flavors, spicy relishes, and clever recipes borrowed from the world. Too many pulpits serve gourmet theology with menus from Hollywood and are trying to please the jaded appetites of the fed-up humanity. But what we really need is some old-fashioned salt. And if we do not start producing more of it in our churches, we shall be good for nothing.” I agree. And I stand to say let the church be the church! And what is the church? You are the salt of the earth. In the scientific chart of elements, salt is sodium chloride. But in Matthew 5:13, Jesus gives us the place of salt in the kingdom chart of elements.

I. JESUS DESCRIBES HIS FOLLOWERS AS THE SALT OF THE EARTH.

The first two words of Matthew 5:13 are crucial: “You are…” These two words tell us that this statement is a description, not a prescription. It is not a command or an exhortation. Jesus is not challenging his followers to some ideal behavior; he is simply stating the nature of kingdom citizenship. You are the salt of the earth. Jesus does not say, “You should be salt.” He does not promise, “You will be salt.” He does not command you to be salt. He does not exhort us to act like salt. He does not encourage you to strive for saltiness. And he doesn’t exhort us to pray that God will make you salt. He says, “You are the salt of the earth.” In this statement, our function as salt is assumed. But our nature as salt is explicit. In fact, it’s emphatic, “You, and only you, are the salt of the earth.” The fact that Jesus says salt is what you are makes a vital point about maximizing kingdom influence. The Lord considers who you are to be more important that what you do. And the Lord is only pleased with what you do when it flows from who you are.

In many instances, churches emphasize performance and ignore character. We give positions of influence to people based on their talents, longevity, or connections. And we often fail to factor in the things that matter the most – like conversion experience, spiritual vitality, Christian maturity, biblical qualifications, godly wisdom, moral purity, and Christlike humility. But God will not settle for salt substitutes. God is not as concerned with your gifts, talents, and abilities as he is your holiness, godliness, and Christlikeness. With God, character precedes and predetermines performance.

D. MARTIN LLOYD-JONES said, “Christians, by being Christians, influence society almost automatically.” Indeed, you can make a difference in this world by just being who you are. Just be salt. Act like a Christian. Conduct yourself as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. What does that look like in practical terms? Jesus describes the God-blessed, Christ exalting, and kingdom focuses life in Matthew 5:3-12. It is to be poor in spirit. To mourn. To be meek. To hunger and thirst after righteousness. To be merciful. To be pure in heart. To be peacemakers. To rejoice in undeserved persecution. To be the salt of the earth is to live in such a way that your life makes the gospel of Jesus Christ more attractive to this lost world.

There is both good news and bad news here.

I’ll give you the good news first. The good news is that God uses salt. That is, God uses ordinary things. Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t describe those he uses as the gold of the earth? Or the silver of the earth? Or the jewels of the earth? Then most of us would not be fit to represent the kingdom of heaven in this world? But God in his sovereign grace uses ordinary people like you and me. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 says, “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, nor many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” Thank God he uses salt. That means that God can use you.

• God can use you without great talents.
• God can use you without a seminary degree.
• God can use you without a lot of money.
• God can use you without social prominence.
• God can use you without physical beauty.

Have you struggled to find your spiritual gifts? Be encouraged and know that God’s personnel department has a wise variety of available jobs. Jesus told us to be the salt of the earth. There are some fourteen thousand industrial uses for salt. That’s a lot of possibilities! All God needs of you in order to use you is all of you. And that is the bad news. The good news is that God can use you. God wants to you use. In fact, God will you use. In John 15:8, Jesus said, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” In other words, it’s God will to use you. Joni Eareckson Tada writes, “Frankly, I think we’re being redundant to ask God to use us. We’re requesting him to do something he already desires to do.” So if God is not using you to influence this world for his glory, it’s not because he doesn’t want to use you. But it may be because you have not made yourself usable. You may not have made yourself useful. You may not have made yourself available.

Suppose you have buy a house or building, and the former owner comes to you with the keys. There are twelve rooms in the house. But he only gives you six keys. You say, “Where are the other keys?” “Oh,” he says, “You can’t have them! There are some rooms I don’t want you to see. There are some things I want you to move.” Of course, you say, “I purchased the whole house. And I want all the keys!” Likewise, God cannot use you if you don’t make yourself totally available to him. So sometimes God will start shaking things up in your life to make you useful. You are the salt of the earth. But God cannot use you to influence the world for the kingdom if you never get out of the saltshaker. So there are times when God has to take you out of your comfort zone, turn your life upside down, and start shaking things up in order to make you useable for his glory.

II. JESUS WARNS HIS FOLLOWERS ABOUT THE FAILURE TO BE THE SALT OF THE EARTH.

Notice Matthew 5:13 again: “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” After describing his followers as the salt of the earth, Jesus raises a dilemma. What if the salt loss its taste, flavor, or savor? What do you do if the salt is no longer salty? At this point, commentators scramble to rescue Jesus. Salt is a stable compound. It never loses its taste. But the commentators, determined to protect Jesus from reproach, explain that the salt made in the granaries near the Dead Sea were actually unstable and could lose its saltiness if adulterated by other substances. When this happened, they say, the salt would be tossed out as useless and trampled under the feet of those who passed along the way.

That sounds interesting. But that kind of cultural reinterpretation of the text gives Jesus protection that he may not want. I think Jesus intentionally turned this word picture on its head to make an essential point about the kingdom influence his followers are to have in this world. Here it is: Salt is different. For salt to influence the taste of food, it must first have intimate contact with it. So much so that the salt dissolves and disappears as it infiltrates the food. But even though the salt becomes so thoroughly entrenched in the food, you know there’s salt in the food because the presence of the salt makes the food taste different. But what use would it serve to put salt on food if it tastes no different than the food you place it on? What good is salt that is not different? If salt becomes tasteless, what do you do, salt it? This ridiculous scenario is meant to be a divine warning about the great contradiction and severe consequences of worldliness in the believer’s life.

Suppose a person accidentally left a steak on the kitchen counter just before leaving on vacation. Upon returning home, he would be welcomed with a horrendous odor. He would stumble to the kitchen, trying to imagine what could cause such a stench. When finding the meat he would not blame the meat for being a rotten slab of beef. He would kick himself for failing to preserve the meat in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, we Christians are often not that logical in our response to this sinful world. We make plenty negative comments and vent great frustrations over this rotten society. But our culture is simply doing what comes naturally. As hard as it is to admit, we should quit leveling blame of decadence on pagans and start asking why the church is not more effectively preventing decay from setting in. And the only way we can make of difference is if our lives demonstrate the difference that Jesus Christ makes. Mark it down.

• It matters how you conduct live each day.
• It matters how you lead your family.
• It matters how you treat your neighbor.
• It matters how you perform your job.
• It matters how you manage your material possessions.
• It matters how you respond to trials and temptations.

Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.” Notice the severe consequences for losing one’s saltiness. Jesus said you are good for nothing except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. Think bout that. Some things that lose their original purpose can still be used for other things. But you cannot do that with salt. There is no such thing as recycled salt. Unsalty salt is worthless. A rabbi at the end of the first century was asked how one could make saltless salt salty again. He replied that one should salt it with the afterbirth of a mule. The problem with this answer is that mules are sterile. But that was exactly the rabbi’s point. Moreover, that is the warning the Lord Jesus issues to nominal, worldly, and unfruitful disciples. Luke 14:34-35 says, “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be resorted? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” A disciple who does not live like a disciple is worth about as much as tasteless salt or invisible light.

This warning about the peril of unsalty salt should lead us to examine our profession of faith. Salvation comes when you repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It has nothing to do anything that you do. It is all about what God has done for us through the righteous life and substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. Salvation comes to those who put their in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of sin. But true assurance of salvation does not come by merely remembering some day in the past when you professed faith in Jesus Christ. And it does not come by tallying up all of the religious things you do. True assurance comes as God conforms you into the image of his Son by the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” More than just remembering the day when you walked down the aisle and gave the preacher your hand, you ought to be looking into the mirror of God’s word to see if there is evidence of real change taking place in your life.

In his little book, Stop Dating the Church, JOSHUA HARRIS lists ten “must-haves” you should factor in as you search for a church home. The ninth question listed is quite provocative: Is this a church that is willing to kick me out? That may seem to be a harsh factor that would cause you to avoid a church. But, in reality, that’s the kind of church you ought to be looking for. When a person who claims to be a Christian lives in a way that blatantly contradicts all that it means to be a disciple of Christ, a faithful congregation’s responsibility is to begin the process of removing that person from membership and to treat him or her like an unbeliever in the hope that he or she will repent and ultimately be restored.

Now, that may see unloving to you. But I submit to you that what is really unloving is for a person to live in a way that contradict the way of Christ without repentance and be in a church that allows them to think that they are right with God when they are not. I hear people say, “I’m saved and on my way to heaven anyhow?” But that’s not the truth. You don’t go to heaven anyhow. You get to heaven God’s way. So you don’t get assurance of salvation in spite of how you live. You get assurance of salvation by how you live. If you are saved, there will be a difference in how you live.

Let me close with a word to unbelievers and a word to believers.

A WORD TO UNBELIEVERS. Maybe you have refused to accept Christ because of the way you have seen Christians live. “Church people are just hypocrites,” you say. But let me tell you that Jesus Christ is not a hypocrite. And as long as he is who he said he is and as long as he did what he said he did, he is worthy of your trust, love, worship, service, and obedience. In John 14:6 Jesus declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Look to Jesus and be saved. Unlike salt, too much of Jesus will not make you sick. To the contrary, he gets sweeter as the days go by!

A WORD TO BELIEVERS. Jesus warns his followers about the consequences of failing to be the salt of the earth. And the severe consequences are that you will not be able to influence others for the kingdom. In fact, just the opposite takes place. You are thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. But notice that it is people who will reject you, not Jesus. If you fail to be what God calls you to be, you rob yourself of the opportunity to be a godly influence in the lives of others. And people may want to have nothing to do with you. But that doesn’t mean that is how God will treat you. God majors in using people who are good for nothing. The emphasis of the text is not the warning. It is the calling: You are the salt of the earth. And the message of the text is that the Lord has placed a calling on your life. The Lord believes in you.

At artist went to visit a dear friend. When he arrived, she was weeping. He asked why. She showed him a handkerchief of exquisite beauty that had a great sentimental value, which had been ruined by a drop of indelible ink. The artist asked her to let him have the handkerchief, which he returned to her by mail several days later. When she opened the package she could hardly believe her eyes. The artist, using the inkblot as a base, had drawn on the handkerchief a design of great with special ink. Now it was more beautiful and more valuable than ever. And sometimes the tragedies that break our hearts can become the basis for a more beautiful design in our lives.

Notes from Sunday - 11/15/09

Praise God for another Lord’s Day in worship at the Shiloh Baptist Church.

I taught my New Members Class for the first time in two weeks. It was good to be back in the saddle again. Thank Deacon Brinkley for filling in.

The choir sung one of my favorite Thompson Community Singers songs this morning – “I Tried Him And I Know Him.” (Does anyone remember all the great "Tommies" songs that Kim McFarland led?). It was very encouraging.

I continued my study of Philippians today with a message on 3:15-19 that I called, “The Importance of Christian Fellowship.”

I actually spent this week studying Philippians 3:15-16. However, Saturday afternoon my plans changed and I decided to preach verses 15-19. I am glad that I did.

I hope to go back to preached the sermon I prepared on verses 15-16 someday. But I really doubt that it will happen.

Next week’s text: Philippians 3:20-4:1.

Random Bible study note: The Bible was not written in verses and paragraphs. It was written in complete thoughts. The verse-chapter divisions were added centuries later. And they are not Inspired.

Thank God for those who were added to the church today.

Congratulations to Pastor George E. Hurtt and the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church on your celebration of one year together as pastor and people. Philippians 1:3.

I cannot believe the USC Trojans were beat down by Stanford yesterday. Stanford? Stanford! Oh well, no Rose Bowl this year.

Last night Manny Pacquiao made history by scoring at twelfth round TKO again Miguel Cotto. Bring on Pacquiao vs. Mayweather!

The Dallas Cowboys suffered a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers this afternoon.

The Jaguars pulled one out against the New York Jets today. Interesting decision to down the ball at the one yard line. Good thing they made the field goal.

God's Cause

Sovereign God,

Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart,
and I appeal to thee with greatest freedom
To set up thy kingdom in every place where Satan reigns;
Glorify thyself and I shall rejoice,
for to bring honor to thy name is my sole desire.
I adore thee that thou art God,
and long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice in it.
O that all men might love and praise thee,
that thou mightest have all the glory from the intelligent world!
Let sinners be brought to thee for thy dear name!
To the eye of reason everything respecting
the conversion of others is as dark as midnight.
But thou canst accomplish great things;
the cause is thine,
and it is to thy glory that men should be saved.
Lord, use me as though wilt,
do with me what thou wilt;
but, O, promote thy cause,
let thy kingdom come,
let thy blessed interest be advanced in this world!
O do thou bring in great numbers to Jesus!
Let me see that glorious day,
and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls;
let me be willing to die to that end;
and while I live let me labor for thee to the utmost of my strength,
spending time profitably in this work,
both in health and in weakness
It is thy cause and kingdom I long for, not my own.

O, answer thou my request!

Finishing the Beatitudes

I am preaching through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) on Wednesday nights. Last night, I complete the introductory section - The Beatitudes of Jesus (Matt. 5:3-12).

The next section of the passage in Matthew 5:13-16, where Jesus describes the influence his disciples should have on the world for the kingdom of heaven. Using to gripping and dynamic word pictures, Jesus declares, "You are the salt of the earth" (5:13) and "You are the light of the world" (5:14-16).

Following this paragraph, I will be venturing into new ground in my exposition. Over the past two months, I have taken a fresh look at the beatitudes. But I have benefited from study notes that I already had on file. But I am now at a place in the text where I must study each text from scratch. I am looking forward to digging into portions of scripture that I have never studied or taught before. But it will require a lot more work. So please remember my study time in your prayers and my sequential exposition of Philippians on Sundays and the Sermon on the Mount on Wednesdays.

I preached last night from the final beatitude recorded in Matthew 5:10-12, in which Jesus blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. I entitled the message, "In the Line of Fire." It was very hard work. But the Lord is faithful. Here is the sermon skeleton from last night's message:

Title: "In the Line of Fire"

Text: Matthew 5:10-12

Series: The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)

Theme: The blessing of Christian persecution

Point: The Lord blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.

Outline:

I. The reality of Christian persecution (5:10-11)

A. You will be reviled (v. 11)

B. You will be persecuted (v. 11)

C. You will be slandered (v. 11)

II. The reason for Christian persecution (5:10-11)

A. You will be persecuted for righteousness' sake (v. 10)

B. You will be persecuted for Christ's sake (v. 11)

III. The response to Christian persecution (5:12)

A. Look up and rejoice: "for your reward is great in heaven"

B. Look back and rejoice: "for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you"

Celebrating 1 Year as Pastor & People

This past week, we celebrated our first year together as pastor and people at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville.

It is hard to believe that a whole year has past since I was installed as the pastor of SMBC. It really does seem like it was just yesterday. It has been a year in which God has proven himself faithful, as always.

I am grateful, humbled, and overwhelmed by the goodness of God in sending me to such a loving people, who appreciate the word of God, and who are willing to follow leadership, and our eager to reach lost people with the good news of Jesus Christ. The Lord could have sent me to a place where the ministry of the word is "out of season." It is the Lord's mercy that he has given me a people as the wonderful membership of Shiloh.

Our Sunday morning services were a blessed of the Lord. Particularly, the 10 AM service was very special. There were several surprises added to the order of service in celebration of my first pastoral anniversary. I don't like surprises! But these were so encouraging. My heart was so moved with gratitude for all that God has done for us. The Lord has done great things in our midst. And he is worthy to be praised!

Our music department brought their A-game as this lead us in musical praise. As always, it was good to have Genesis (children's) choir participating in our worship. It was also good to hear Ray sing again. Glad he is feeling better.

I preached on Philippians 3:12-14: "Striving to Be Like Christ." I leaned into a pitch, took one for the team, in order to get on base. The presentation did not reflect my level of preparation. Thank God his grace is sufficient and his strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Next Sunday's text: Philippians 3:15-16.

Praise God for those who received Christ and were added to the church.

Sunday afternoon, our sister church - The Bethel Institutional Baptist Church - joined us in worship. It was a privilege to have Drs. Rudolph McKissick Jr. & Sr. and the good people of the Bethel family to celebrate God's goodness with us. The Bethel praise team and choir lifts our hearts in praise. And my friend and brother, Pastor McKissick Jr., ministered a great word from Mark 2:1-11 - "The Right Kind of Noise."  

Thank you, Shiloh, for your prayers, kindness, and encouragement. Your expressions of love have uplifted me in more ways that I can express.

I love you. And I daily thank the Lord for the wonderful privilege and sacred duty of being your pastor-teacher.

May the Lord grant us many years together to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to advance the kingdom of God on earth in this generation!

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone be the Glory)

hbc2

George Hurtt Speaking @ Shiloh

Last night, my friend and brother, George Hurtt (Sr. Pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles) spoke for our midweek service at Shiloh.

George served alongside of me during my ministry at Mt. Sinai. And after my departure, George was selected as my successor. Under his ministry, the church continues to grow and have a strong witness for Christ in Los Angeles.

George is my dear friend, brother in Christ, and fellow Gospel soldier. And it was a great honor to have him minister to the saints at Shiloh.

And my goodness did the Lord use him to preach. His message was taken from Psalm 37:7-11. He preached on Waiting on God. Without a doubt, it was a word in season. I needed the message. And so did many other the saints in attendance.

I am very proud of George and praise God for all that the Lord is doing in and through George life and ministry.

Please remember George Hurtt and the Mt. Sinai Church family in your prayers.

Is Gambling A Good Bet?

Let me begin by putting my cards on the table (pun intended): I BELIEVE THAT GAMBLING IS A BIBLICALLY INDEFENSIBLE ACTIVITY.

• I agree with GEORGE WASHINGTON: “Gambling is the child of avarice, the brother of iniquity, and the father of mischief.”
• I agree with MARTIN LUTHER: “Money won by gambling is not won without self-seeking and love of self, and not without sin.”
• I agree with AUGUSTINE: “The devil invented gambling.”
• I agree with MARK TWAIN: “The best throw at dice is to throw them away.”
• And I agree with STANLEY HAUERWAS: “Tell the people who are involved in gambling that as Christians they can’t do it. Otherwise, you’re just caught up in the pluralistic politics that will ultimately destroy the church.”

I know these quotes may seem harsh, strict, and narrow. But I do not think I overstate my case when I say that those who trust God don’t gamble and those who gamble don’t trust God. As stark as it seems, the final analysis is that that we must choose between God and gambling.

Let me preface my argument with two qualifications.

GOD IS NOT AGAINST MONEY, WEALTH, OR PROSPERITY. Spirituality and poverty are not synonyms. One does not assume the other. A rich person can be modest, generous, and Christlike. And a poor person can be selfish, covetous, and materialistic. The difference is the disposition of your heart, not your financial status. 1 Timothy 6:10 says: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” Don’t misread that statement. Money itself is not the root of all kinds of evil. Money is morally neutral. But your attitude toward money is either godly or worldly. So do not confuse any statement in this message to mean that God wants all his people to be broke, sick, and miserable. The truth is that every dollar that comes into your possession through legitimate means is gained because of God, not in spite of him. Proverb 10:22 says, “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” And 1 Timothy 6:17 says “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

GOD IS NOT AGAINST TAKING RISKS. All gambling involves risks. But not all risks involve gambling. And it is gambling that God is against, not risk-taking. Life is full of risks. Any entrepreneurial endeavor involves certain risks. Every job, no matter what it is, involves some risks. Your decision to follow Christ involved risk. You decision to get out of bed this morning involved risks. Risk is an inevitable reality of life in a fallen world. In fact, the Parable of the Talents, recorded in Matthew 25:14-30, condemns those who are blessed by the Lord but who are unwilling to take any risks for him. God is not against risk taking. But God is against games that involve gambling.

There is no lost eleventh commandment that says, “THOU SHALT NOT GAMBLE.” I cannot quote book, chapter, and verse that explicitly prohibit gambling. In fact, the words “gamble” or “gambling” are not even used in any of the major translations of the Bible. The only time the concept of gambling as sport is ever mentioned in the Bible is when the soldiers cast lots for the clothes of Jesus as the foot of the cross. So if gambling is not discussed in scripture, how does one come to the conclusion that God is against gambling? There are four biblical concepts that lead to the conviction that gambling is not a good bet.

I. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

A.W. PINK said it well that the sovereignty of God simply means that God is God. And because God is God – the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things, we must abstain from gambling to trust, honor, and submit to the sovereign authority of God. Let me explain. Games that involve gambling are most often based on luck, fate, or chance. But these ideas are all incompatible with the God of the Bible. Atheism, agnosticism, and deism have a view of God that permits fate, luck, and chance. Atheism simply says there is no such being as God. Agnosticism says we do not or cannot know whether God actually exists. Deism says there is a God who created the heavens and the earth. But deism believes that God wound up the world like a clock and then left it to run on its own devices.

If you hold to one of these views, you can easily embrace the ideas of fate, luck, and chance. But Christians are theists. More specifically, we believe that the God who has eternally coexisted as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is alive, awake, alert, aware, almighty, and at-work, accomplishing his own agenda. And this idea of a living, personal, sovereign God is not merely the position of brainwashed fanatics. And it is not merely the conclusion of pedantic theologians who teach outdated doctrines in stuffy academic settings. One of the first songs we teach children to sing says, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” Faith in luck and faith in God are mutually exclusive. To believe in the God Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus, and the church is to disbelieve in fate, luck, and chance.

Someone may object: “What about the times when people cast lots in scripture? Did God approve of that?” Yes. People did cast lots in the Bible. It was a crude equivalent to rolling dice. It had the same purpose as pulling straws. And, yes, God did approve of it at times. But it was not gambling. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” Get that. Nothing just happens. God is in control of everything. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

You may be thinking, “H. B., aren’t you pushing this thing a little too far? Sure, I gamble every now and then. But I am not intentionally practicing idolatry or pagan superstition. It’s just fun. I’m a recreational gambler. I do it for entertainment.” Sure. Okay. All right. God is not anti-fun, anti-recreation, anti-entertainment, anti-happiness, or anti-pleasure. But 2 Timothy 3:4 says that God is definitely against those who are lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God. God is against any form of fun, entertainment, or pleasure that is exalted over our love for him. And this applies beyond gambling. We as Christians need to do a much better job at disciplining the media, technology, and activities we engage in. We must not engage in anything that will make our lives empty, our faith weak, or our witness ineffective. In their book Preaching to Strangers, WILLIAM WILLIMON and STANLEY HAUERWAS write: “To be a witness does not consists in engaging in propaganda nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist.”

II. THE SPIRITUAL AFFECTS OF YOUR CONDUCT

Gambling is a difficult and complex issue to discuss, because of the different levels, nuances, and perceptions related to it. Consequently, Americans have never been on one accord about whether or not gambling is wrong. Even religious groups waver between support or toleration of it and active opposition to it. But while the intrinsic evil of gambling may be debated, the extrinsic effects of gambling cannot.

• Gambling feeds on human weakness, contributes to the debasement of character, and destroys self-respect.
• Gambling attracts a number social pathologies, including alcohol and drug abuse, prostitution, pornography, and violent crime.
• Gambling increases divorce, poverty, and suicides.
• Gambling, both legal and illegal, leads to bribery, swindling, and tax evasion.
• Gambling produces nothing. The gambler loses. The community loses. Only the game owner or operator really wins. Most of the gamblers do not.
• Gambling doesn’t produce any new wealth. Legalize gambling, take 100 people and let the action begin. When you return, there will be no new products created, no source of new wealth. There will only be a redistribution of money on an unfair basis.

HERE’S THE POINT. Gambling produces only negative results. It is parasitic in nature. It carries detrimental personal and social consequences with it. Let me bottom-line this for you: BAD GAMBLING IS REDUNDANT. GOOD GAMBLING IS AN OXYMORON. Therefore, you must factor the spiritual effects of your conduct into your convictions about gambling.

A. CONSIDER HOW YOUR CONDUCT AFFECTS YOUR WALK WITH CHRIST.

Gambling is habit forming, addictive, and destructive. It is what PASCAL called “a fatal fascination.” In fact, gambling is so potentially habit inducing that we use terms like “obsessive,” “compulsive,” and “pathological” in reference to it. This is another factor so-called recreational gamblers have to deal with. Some Christians argue that gambling is only threatening in its abuse. Therefore, one may participate in some form of social or casual gambling without detrimental effects. They argue that gambling is a matter of Christian liberty and that to speak authoritatively against it is unjustifiable legalism. Perhaps that’s true. A few dollars here or there may not destroy your solvency or your character. But given gambling’s history; the burden of proof is on you. All the evidence points to the fact that gambling is not mere entertainment. Its seductive power can take a person from harmless fun to destructive addiction in no time. So you must always consider how your conduct affects our walk with Christ.

Mark it down. Spiritual maturity doesn’t happen automatically. Christlikeness is the by-product of your commitment to godly habits that facilitate spiritual growth. Therefore, if you are going to grow in your spiritual walk, you must commit yourself to activities that will draw you closer to Christ, not pull you away from him. Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 says, “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved to anything.’” Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, “Abstain from every form of evil.” And Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the found and perfecter of our faith...”

B. CONSIDER HOW YOUR CONDUCT AFFECTS YOUR WITNESS FOR CHRIST.

I believe that gambling violates the eighth Commandment, recorded in Exodus 20:15: “You shall not steal.” Yep. I said it. Gambling is a form of stealing.

The Bible repeatedly teaches that it is wrong to exploit people. And the lottery is one of the most exploitative gambling mechanisms in existence today. In order for you to win the lottery, someone else has to lose. Think about that. When two people sit down to work out an honest business deal, they are looking for a “win-win” situation. For instance, if the need is there on one side, and the supply is there on the other side, both parties win. But when the only way I can win is by you losing, I have moved into the realm of exploitation. Just imagine a businessperson saying to a potential partner, “I’ve got a great deal for you. I’ll take all the profits. And you take all the losses.” That is the nature of the lottery. You have to take from one to give to another. You have to make many losers in order to have a handful of winners. And everyday, America makes thousands of losers so a few people can win. That’s exploitation. It’s stealing. And it’s even worse when you consider the lottery is primarily aimed at and financed by poor people. It is a fact that most lottery outlets are located among poor people. That’s not incidental. It’s theft by exploitation.

Now, I can hear someone saying, “Wait a minute here. People play the lottery voluntarily. Besides, it’s legal.” I agree. But that doesn’t make it right. Legality and morality are two different things. So you have to go beyond what is merely legal and judge things by a biblical morality. When you do, you will conclude that gambling is robbery by mutual consent. Someone always loses, and it’s generally those who are least able to afford it. That’s wrong. The lottery tears people down. The Lord is about lifting people up. And if we are on the Lord’s side, we must shun games like the lottery in obedience to the Lord’s command for us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

III. THE SACREDNESS OF THE BIBLICAL WORK ETHIC

I said in the introduction that God is not against the legitimate acquisition of wealth. But what are the legitimate means of acquiring wealth? According to the Bible, there are three legitimate ways to acquire wealth: (1) as a gift, (2) as a fair exchange, or (3) as payment for labor. Gambling does not fit any of these criteria. Gambling revenue is not a gift from God. It is not a fair exchange. And it is not payment for labor, not matter how hard you work to win it.

That brings up another point about the lottery and our commitment to those who are less fortunate. The lottery appeals to the weakness of people and not to their strengths. It feed their thoughts of inability. It makes them willing to let the government come in and hand them their future basically for free. So they wait and pray for a big lottery payday, while they continue in their circumstances. That’s wrong. The government is only responsible to provide a just environment so that you can have equal access and not be discriminated against based on illegitimate criteria – like race, religion, or gender. Government is responsible for removing tyranny from the marketplace. But it is immoral to sanction and promote games that produce undeserving millionaires. As Christ followers, we must condemn gambling because it undermines the biblical work ethic. God’s way out of poverty is through productivity not chance. Christians do not hope to get winning numbers in order to gain prosperity. We work!

Proverbs 6:9-11 says, “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” Ephesians 4:28 says, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” And 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” Those who refuse to be productive should not be given the lottery as an easy way out of the responsibility of work. They should be made to starve.

According to scripture, money is designed to do three basic things: (1) Money is meant to take care of your personal and family needs; (2) to further the work of God; and (3) to provide help for those in need. Here is another way gambling undermines a biblical work ethic. It undermines one’s view of the purpose of work. Simply put, gambling perpetuates selfishness. It blows me away that state governments have won support for state-sponsored lotteries with flimsy arguments about better education, more police, or whatever noble thing they say will do with the lottery income. Come on. Be honest. You don’t play the lottery thinking about how it will help schools. You’re trying to help yourself. D. JAMES KENNEDY is right: “Gambling is institutionalized covetousness.” Gambling is also a violation of the tenth Commandment, recorded in Exodus 20:17. Gambling reveals and inspires covetousness, greed, and materialism. Gambling says, “I want it all. And I want it now.” But you had better heed the words of Proverbs 28:20, that says, “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”

IV. THE STEWARDSHIP OF YOUR RESOURCES

Everything you posses is a gift from God. But God gives it with an expectation of accountability. You may use your possessions as either tools or toys. Either way, we are responsible to God for their use. By right of creation and redemption, humanity, along with the entire universe, belongs to God in Christ. Our obligation is to use all of our resources responsibly. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says: “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.” Irresponsible use of God’s provisions, at any level, is a sin. Therefore, we must factor the stewardship of our resources into our convictions about gambling. And the doctrine of Christian stewardship can be summarized in four short statements.

A. WHAT I POSSESS, GOD OWNS.

This principle is the heart of Christian stewardship: God owns it all! Psalm 24:1 is clear: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” Everything we possess belongs to God. So ask yourself a simple question: Do you believe that God has provided you with a certain amount of money for the purpose of wagering it so he can get the glory and you win? As you consider that question, remember that God is not just a passive observer in gambling. Since everything you have belongs to God, he is the one who is bankrolling your gambling. Your money is really his money. And since God owns everything, you have to also believe that it is okay with him for you to gamble with his money. For the record, God is not.

B. WHAT I GIVE, GOD MULTIPLIES.

Luke 6:38 says: “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the same measure you use it will be measured back to you.” If you want to prosper, don’t gamble. Give. No, giving is not some spiritual get-rich-quick scheme. But the wonderful and inevitable truth is that God blesses generous people. And let me say a word to those of you who think, “If I win the lottery, the first thing I’m going to do is give God his share.” That attitude is not spiritual or noble. Read 2 Samuel 24:18-24. The godly thing is when you refuse to offer to God that which costs you nothing. If you really want to honor God, give from what you have; don’t make hypothetical promises about stuff you don’t have.

C. WHAT I INVEST, GOD REWARDS.

Here again we find the significance of Jesus’ Parable about the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). God honors those who make wise, strategic, and legitimate investments. Gambling is a violation of this principle of stewardship on two grounds. First of all, Luke 14:28-30 teaches us the importance of counting the costs. Anyone who counts the costs of gambling would determine that it is not a wise investment. Statistically, you are twice as likely to get hit by a bolt of lightning twice than to win the lottery. I was watching CNN’s coverage of a big lottery one day and someone said, “Gambling is a regressive tax levied against those who can’t do math.” Gambling is also a violation of this principle because it does not factor in Matthew 6:19-21, where Jesus commands, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieve do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

D. WHAT I NEED, GOD SUPPLIES.

Gambling is evil because it suggests that God cannot be trusted to meet your needs. So you need to help him by going for a lucky strike. And that’s why having things like raffles and bingo in the church can be sinful. No, there is nothing wrong with those games, in and of themselves. And there is nothing wrong with giving prizes to winners. But something is wrong when a church says by its actions that it doesn’t have confidence that it can move its people to give regularly, sacrificially, and cheerfully. And there is something wrong when we don’t trust God to provide for the ministry needs through his people, and we resort to gambling to meet legitimate needs. I repeat: Those who trust God don’t gamble. And those who gamble don’t trust God. Do you have needs? There’s a way to get your needs met that is better than playing the lottery or going to a casino or betting on sports games. Trust God. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

One day a man was lost in a desert without water, but he saw an old shack. He painfully made his way to the shack. Inside was a little jar of crystal clear water set on the floor next to a pump. But as he reached down to pick up the jar of water, he noticed a sign. The sign said, “Use this water to prime the pump out back. When you are satisfied, refill it and leave it for the next person who will pass this way.” He found himself on the horns of a dilemma. What if he followed the directions and there was no water in the well? He had to make a decision to either serve himself now, or invest and take the chance that deep down there was so much more. Likewise, you have a choice. You can take the little that God has given you and consume it for yourself. Or you can use it to prime something that’s got so much more. It all boils down to whether you believe there’s something underneath the ground.

IF THE WORLD FROM YOU WITHHOLD OF ITS SILVER AND ITS GOLD
AND YOU HAVE TO GET ALONG WITH MEAGER FARE
JUST REMEMBER IN HIS WORD HOW HE FEEDS THE LITTLE BIRD
TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT THERE

IF YOUR BODY SUFFERS PAIN AND YOUR HEALTH YOU CAN’T REGAIN
AND YOUR SOUL IS ALMOST SINKING IN DESPAIR
JESUS KNOWS THE PAIN YOU FEEL, HE CAN SAVE AND HE CAN HEAL
TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT THERE

WHEN YOUR ENEMIES ASSAIL AND YOUR HEART BEGINS TO FAIL
DON’T FORGET THAT GOD IN HEAVEN ANSWERS PRAYER
HE WILL MAKE A WAY FOR YOU AND WILL LEAD YOU SAFELY THROUGH
TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT THERE

WHEN YOUR YOUTHFUL DAYS ARE GONE AND OLD AGE IS STEALING ON
AND YOUR BODY IS BENDING BENEATH THE WEIGHT OF CARE
HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU THEN; HE’LL GO WITH YOU TO THE END
TAKE YOUR BURDEN TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT THERE