Poker, gambling and its forms have often been considered acceptable in today’s society. What was once found only in gambling halls is now found on primetime television. No longer relegated to Las Vegas, poker is in California, online, and practically in every state in the U.S. If you do a Google search for “Christian Poker”, the top ten results for me at least showed only articles saying “go ahead” or “as long as it doesn’t take over your life you are not sinning” but each article had little or no study of the Bible. Surprisingly, there is hardly any Christian material on this subject.
The question is, are we obeying God’s commandments? Are we following Jesus by playing poker? Are we dishonoring God by playing poker? Can a Christian justify playing poker? Is there such a thing as a Christian poker player? Is it a sin and does the Bible say anything at all? These questions can be answered by investigating what Jesus said. So let us study the Bible, God’s word to find the answer to whether Christians should play poker.
But before we do so, let us ask God for help as we study His word. Let us pray.
Dear Heavenly Father, today we ask that you give us your guidance and clarity in regards to this topic. Lord help us to have open hearts and minds, help us to overcome our sinful and selfish nature and to have a heart and mind like your son Jesus. Thank you for your great forgiveness and please send your Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and understanding as we study this topic today. We pray all these things in Jesus name, amen.
Nearly two thousand years ago, a lawyer came to Jesus and wanted to know what the most important commandment in the Bible was. It’s a good question don’t you think? What is the greatest commandment? I invite you to turn with me in your Bible to Matthew 22:35-40 to find the answer that Jesus gave. It says…
Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.[1]
The greatest commandment is to love God with every ounce of your being. Not some of our soul, mind or heart, Jesus said love God with all your heart, soul and mind. How can we display our love to God? Jesus gave us an answer in John 14:15 where He says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments[2].” Are we loving others and God by playing poker? Also what did God mean when He said ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’? Notice both of the two greatest commandments are about love. God is love, and we also want to love others correct? In fact if we call ourselves Christians and have not love we have gained nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3). Although humans are naturally selfish, we find that we wish to love God and follow his commandments because He first loved us (1 John 4:19, John 14:15). It is the great love and sacrifice of Christ that has drawn us to God. There is no greater love than God’s love for us. And fortunately we can follow His commandments but only through the power of Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit (John 15:5, 1 John 3:9, John 8:31-36).
So what does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? The Bible says…
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.[3]
Loving your neighbor is the fulfillment of the law. (Galatians 5:14) It is the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments. A lot of people today hear about the Ten Commandments and without deeply thinking about them they think they are some harsh restrictions that God gives people to punish them. Their selfish nature says, “Don’t tell me what to do” and many people look at the commandments as a bunch of “thou shall nots”. But really would we want to live in a world where there are no regulations against murder, fraud, theft, and rape? It is a law of love, not a law of harsh restraints. Could you imagine a world where everyone followed the Ten Commandments? You turn on the news and the newscaster says “there were no murders today, in the entire world”. Wow, sounds like heaven doesn’t it? Based on Romans 13:8-10, obeying the Ten Commandments are the fulfillment not only of God’s law, but they are the fulfillment of loving God and your neighbor.
Sin is definitely something evil, something bad. But what exactly is sin? Sin is defined as the breaking of God’s law for it is written “Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.[4]” Since sin is breaking God’s law, and love is keeping God’s law we can logically judge whether playing poker is loving or unloving, pure or a sin based on the Ten Commandments. God is calling us to purity, to His original plan to love like Him. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.[5]
So let us consider poker. In any form of poker the goal is the same. Players sit around a table and attempt to take each other’s chips. The entire purpose of the game is to take the other players’ money. But God’s law, His Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 state…
You shall not steal. ~ Exodus 20:15 (NKJV)
Poker is a game of stealing. Often a poker player may argue that poker is a game of skill but let us consider how it is played. One player may “steal” the other player’s blinds. Another will fool another player out of their money. In fact a good poker player knows two important factors of poker, bluffing and trapping. Bluffing is the art of lying, of fooling another player or players into thinking their money that they have put in a pot is no good and that they should give it up. The second poker skill is trapping which is the art of deception. A player with a strong hand will act like their hand is weak in hopes that they will fool another player into giving all their money to them by betting.
Interestingly enough, Satan in the Garden of Eden first perfected deception.
Genesis 3:13 says…
And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Satan made the fruit seem so good, if Eve would only eat the fruit she would be like God Satan promised. Unfortunately, Eve was deceived by Satan’s great deception and she willingly disobeyed God. Satan is a master deceiver, and he wants people to follow in his footsteps. God on the other hand clearly states again in the Ten Commandments that deception is wrong and sinful. It is written…
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. ~ Exodus 20:16
In addition the Bible states “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil” (Proverbs 12:20) And Jesus said “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37) Truth is of God; deception, in every one of its myriad forms, is of Satan; and whoever in any way departs from the straight line of truth is betraying himself into the power of the wicked one.
This commandment is repeated throughout the New Testament,
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.[6]
Do we enjoy it when people lie to us? Do we enjoy it when people deceive us? Of course not, sin is what has caused death in this world and sin is what has caused the great pain and suffering humankind faces daily. But the art of trapping in poker is actually the art of deceiving. A player flops a big hand but acts like they are weak by checking their hand to the other player. What are they doing? Attempting to deceive the other player. Think about it, 100% honesty doesn’t make a good poker player does it? No bluffing, no lying, no deception would make a player very easy to play against.
But even if a poker player was 100% honest, they never bluffed, they never lied, and they never deceived, would they be free from sin?
Again let us look at another of God’s commandments…
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. ~ Exodus 20:17
Covet as defined by the Princeton dictionary is to…
wish, long, or crave for (something, especially the property of another person);[7]
Poker is all about coveting; the goal is to take other people’s money. People sit around a table in an attempt to take other people’s money. In fact if we are honest, each player’s mind is focused on, wishing for, longing for, or craving the property (in this case chips which represent money) of the other players. Did God really mean we shouldn’t do this? How about a friendly Christian poker game, after all poker is just a game right? God didn’t just write the Ten Commandments in stone, He spoke them as well. Exodus 20:1 says “And God spoke all these words”. When God speaks, it is a reality. There is not a 99.9% chance that God meant what He said, there is a 100% chance that God meant what He said. God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?[8] In a world where men’s promises are like ropes of sand, God’s word stands as firm as a mountain of rock. So when God commands us to not steal, not lie, and not covet there are no exceptions.
How about just a little poker? What if we play for $1, surely $1 isn’t hurting anyone right? After all it doesn’t affect me.
Many who have been trapped by alcoholism or substance abuses such as cigarettes have warned others saying, “My addiction began with just casual smoking or casual drinking”. But what began as a smoke every once in a while soon turned into greater and greater urges that then lead them down to smoking packs of cigarettes a day. Gambling for many doesn’t start at the $500 table; it begins at the small limits and then grows. The Bible also says, It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.[9]
It is good to do nothing that makes a fellow Christian stumble. Tempting others to sin is detestable in God’s eyes. In fact, Christ greatly warned that those who cause others to sin and do not repent would be better off drowned in the ocean! (see Matthew 18:6) If that isn’t a powerful warning then I don’t know what is! The Bible also says, Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.[10] We will find happiness if we are not approving sin. Besides making others to stumble a little sin is still sin. A little disobedience is still disobedience and God is not pleased. Let us consider whose character are we emulating by playing poker. Below is a simple worksheet to cover what we have gone over so far and you can simply place each characteristic in the appropriate box.
| Characteristic of Satan | Characteristics of Poker | Characteristic of God |
| DeceptionLying
Greed / Covetousness Selfishness Pride Harming Others |
Interesting that all those characteristics go in Satan’s corner! Deception, lying, greed, selfishness, pride and the desire to harm others all are characteristics found in poker and they are also found in the character of Satan.
What if this is my primary source of income? I’m really good at making money and if I quit I won’t be able to pay my bills!
Again and amazingly we can find an answer directly in God’s word. Ephesians 4:28 says
He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Just because we are good at making money through a sinful act does not make it right.
Jesus said…
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. ~ Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
But what is also amazing is that God promises to take care of our needs if we put our faith in Him. Jesus made this promise to us.
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.[11]
God has made a promise that He will take care of you if you seek Him first. Trust Him, He won’t let you down.
But what if we just play poker for fun? Nobody is losing money so is that ok?
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ~ Ephesians 5:3 NIV
Perhaps God can seem like a killjoy. But His purpose is always best. If we look away from our own pleasure and see what characteristics we are demonstrating in even free poker games we see some alarming factors. Impurity such as lying, greed, pride and selfishness are still center stage even in a free poker game. Should we practice sin for fun? Should we practice lying to each other? Should we practice deceiving each other? And yet that is exactly what we are doing even in a free poker game. Let us say that poker is 100% skill, it still does not pass God’s Commandments. There is still deception, lying, greed and covetousness.
The bottom line is this. You can’t play around with sin. You can’t nibble around the edges. God’s word says…
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.[12]
The flesh is a word simply meaning the cravings of sin, our carnal nature. So we should not seek temptation, Christ never sought out temptation to display His power, and He avoided it at all costs. When He was tempted it was for a purpose to demonstrate God’s power over sin and Satan. Too many Christians are struggling with sins and one reason they do not have victory is not for a lack of God’s power but it is because they are making provision for sin. Those who are trying to overcome cigarettes for example would promise God that they would not smoke but then leave a pack of cigarettes in their bedroom. Then they wonder why they are tempted to smoke! We must demonstrate to God that we trust His promises by also taking steps of faith and getting rid of everything that can bring temptation. Online poker accounts should be closed, watching poker on TV should no longer be watched, any form of temptation that we have control over we should get rid of. Eliminating forms of temptation are statements of faith to God saying, “Lord I trust that you will give me the victory as promised and here is my demonstration of trusting in you”.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.[13] If we are in the habit of playing poker, in any form then we should not just remove the evil but we should also replace the evil habit with a good habit. There are plenty of positive things we can do instead (study, pray, share with others, spend time with friends or family, read the Bible, workout, help others, these are just a few suggestions).
It might be a hard task for us to give us certain sins. The reality is some sins like poker can bring us worldly profit. It might seem like you are losing by giving up something that can give you additional money and power. Often it can seem like you are losing out on a profit that could be yours. The reality however, is that those who desire to hold on to this worldly profit are actually those who lose. Jesus said…
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?[14]
We may have thought that we can’t afford to give up a certain sin, the reality is that we can’t afford not to give it up. If you don’t surrender your will to God and allow Him to give you the victory, you will exchange your soul for the things of this world. Trust me, you are not losing out on anything by giving up poker. In fact, you are actually gaining by giving it up. It is written…
Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ~ 1 Timothy 6:6-11 (NKJV)
The reality is in the past, and even now we seem to be pretty messed up based on God’s word. Perhaps today you have realized that you are guilty of playing poker, deceiving others, lying, stealing and coveting. But there is hope, a great small little book entitled Steps to Christ says this…
“The closer you come to Jesus, the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; for your vision will be clearer, and your imperfections will be seen in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature.”[15]
When faced with God’s truth, when faced with the perfect life of Jesus, we see just how much we need Him. Habits can be hard to break. We know that God’s desire is for us to completely give up poker and gambling, and it may seem like a big request. But is it really too much to ask when compared with what Jesus gave for us? I invite you to turn to the book of Romans 8:12-14, it says…
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.[16]
I have a mortgage. My entire house was already paid, every penny of it. I am simply in debt to the party who paid for my house. Therefore I have an obligation to pay that debt. Romans chapter 8 verse 12 says we have an obligation. Only this debt is not one of a financial nature. This debt is much deeper. It was paid not with American dollars but with something better, with the blood of God’s only Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.[17]
Indeed there is no greater love than Jesus for us. He paid it all, by laying down His life for us. The death that we deserved was laid on Him. Therefore we have such a great obligation to live no longer for ourselves but for Christ.
Based on the enormous amount of scripture we have considered it is clear that gambling and all forms of poker are evil and not in God’s will for our lives. We have an obligation, let us take a stand for Him and forsake our past life. I invite you right now to ask God for help, for His forgiveness in this area and thank Him for His power to overcome. Ask Him to help you gain the victory in all areas of your life where you may be struggling with sin. I invite you pray to Him now and may God bless you as you choose to follow Him.
Before commenting on this article we encourage you to read the comments and answers provided. Some individuals have argued that bluffing is not lying, this has been sufficiently proved a false argument from the Bible and the dictionary. In addition other arguments regarding comparing poker to business, sports etc have also been answered from the Bible. We also encourage you to listen to this powerful testimony of an ex-professional poker player.
[1] Matthew 22:35-40 (NKJV)
[2] John 14:15 (NKJV)
[3] Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV)
[4] 1 John 3:14 (NIV)
[5] Romans 12:9 (NIV)
[6] Colossians 3:9-10 (NIV)
[7] http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define%3A+covet&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10
[8] Numbers 23:19 (NKJV)
[9] Romans 14:21 (NKJV)
[10] Romans 14:22 (NKJV) – only partial quotation of the verse
[11] Matthew 6:26-34 (NKJV)
[12] Romans 13:14 (NKJV)
[13] Romans 12:21 (NKJV)
[14] Matthew 16:26 NKJV
[15] Steps to Christ, p. 44. E. G. White
[16] Romans 8:12-14 NIV
[17] John 15:13 NKJV
I feel as though when ppl sit down at the poker table they are there because they either want to just sit down and have fun, they dont really mind losing the money, or they think they are good enough at the game that they will in fact win money and they are thus engaging in the game with you. This leads me to believe that winning the money off them isn’t bad because in both circumstances they are prepared to play the game. I believe you can be a witness at the table as there are many people there who could use God. Deceit within a game where everyone understands that deceit is part of the game is hardly a sin, that is like saying that the common group ice breaker, 2 truths and a lie, is a sin. A game where you tell 2 truths about yourself and 1 lie and then the ppl around you have to guess which one is the lie. The ppl involved understand the premiss of the game and see that the deceit is integrated into the game. What are your thoughts on this?
Hi David,
Thanks for the questions and I think they are valid. Sometimes we may do something and it may not feel like it is a sin as in some of the examples you mentioned. But how can we determine if our feelings are correct or not? We are warned that “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) and that “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) Many will find too late that they thought they were saved and safe when in reality they were deceived and lost. Thankfully we don’t have to be one of those individuals. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and He has told us that “the truth shall set you free” (John 14:6, 8:36) The Bible and the Bible alone is our lamp, our guide, our only factor in determining what is truth. Is “A game where you tell 2 truths about yourself and 1 lie” a sin? Let’s define sin, the Bible gives us a definition in 1 John 3:4 which says “sin is the transgression of the law.” So sin is a breaking of God’s Ten Commandments. I’m sure we know already that one of the commandments says “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” (Exodus 20:16) So since sin is a breaking of God’s commandments and it is a sin to lie, it is therefore clear that telling a lie, even in a game scenario is a sin. “God requires that truthfulness shall mark His people, even in the greatest peril.” (Patriarchs & Prophets p. 655) “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)
Jesus loves you with an everlasting love David, and Satan well knows that the only sin Jesus will not forgive us of, is the one we refuse to confess and forsake. And so one of Satan’s greatest deceptions is that of self-deception. The book of Revelation tells us that God’s last church says “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17) If you disagree with what I have said, then feel free to show me my error directly from the Bible alone, but if you cannot show that I am in error, then you know that you have received the truth directly from the word of God, and that to neglect this counsel and continue in sin will result in eternal loss. It is unsafe to delay obedience. You may never hear the invitation again. Give up poker beloved, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:19-21)
what about being a spy? don’t spies deceive? if deception is the key to whether something is good or bad, then spying would be wrong wouldn’t it?
Hi Paul,
Good question. Some people wonder if deceiving individuals at certain times is acceptable. Let me give a good example. One time in the Bible David was running for his life from King Saul. In order to help himself during this life or death instance, the Bible says he deceived Ahimelech the priest. 1 Samuel 21:1-3 says “Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?”
So David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has ordered me on some business, and said to me, ‘Do not let anyone know anything about the business on which I send you, or what I have commanded you.’ And I have directed my young men to such and such a place. Now therefore, what have you on hand? Give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever can be found.”
This deception seemed to work to David’s advantage, if we were to continue to read, David acquired 5 loaves of bread, and the sword of Goliath. He also was able to escape. Was David’s action here, in time of life or death, a big deal?
Speaking of this event between David and the priest it is written “The priest looked upon him with astonishment, as he came in haste and apparently alone, with a countenance marked by anxiety and sorrow. He inquired what had brought him there. The young man was in constant fear of discovery, and in his extremity he resorted to deception. David told the priest that he had been sent by the king on a secret errand, one which required the utmost expedition. Here he manifested a want of faith in God, and his sin resulted in causing the death of the high priest (1 Samuel 22). Had the facts been plainly stated, Ahimelech would have known what course to pursue to preserve his life. God requires that truthfulness shall mark His people, even in the greatest peril.” (Patriarchs & Prophets p. 655)
There were 12 spies that scouted out the promised land, but we have no record of them deceiving anyone, with the exception of the 10 unfaithful spies who perished because of their bad and unfaithful report. We should never try to justify lying, it cost the life of Ahimelech, it will cost eternal life for those who do not repent of such, for it is written “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:6-8) Let us heed the words of Jesus, may the Lord bless you as you do.
Will i was just reading again and you talk about the fact that its never good to deceive.. i totally agree with that and am not trying to cause any arguments here,
so how would you justify the fact the Rahab deceived the men of Jericho to allow the spies to escape… its something that i have pondered for a while and reading this just brought it to mind.
interested in your input….
Hi David,
Great question, Rehab did deceive the men who were searching for the spies and yet we are told “Choose poverty, reproach, separation from friends, or any suffering rather than to defile the soul with sin. Death before dishonor or the transgression of God’s law should be the motto of every Christian.” (Testimonies For The Church Volume 5, p. 147) How then should we handle a similar scenario? Recently a book entitled “A Thousand Shall Fall” recorded the real life events of a Seventh-day Adventist German family who lived during World War 2. One day the wife of that family hid a Jew in her home and police came knocking at her door. They asked her “are you hiding a Jew?” To answer yes, though truthful would result in near certain death for her family and the Jew. To answer no would mean transgression of God’s law. She answered something to the extent of “search the home yourselves gentlemen”. The police asked her a second and third time and each time she answered the same. After the third answer the police looked at each other and left without a search. The Lord had protected this family without her yielding her integrity.
In the case of Rehab, lying was not the best option. The Lord who had sent manna to feed over a million people for forty years could have easily protected Rehab and the spies as He did with this German woman. However Rehab is recorded as one who is faithful because she did not harden her heart as the rest of the inhabitants of Jericho. Instead she put her faith in the God of Israel and desired a better life. For this she was rewarded. Rehab had just come to know the Lord, and as it always is, when we first come to Christ we are far from perfect. Just as Rehab repented of her occupation of harlotry, she also repented of lying. Her story of redemption from sin and faith in a faithless city is worthy of merit. However to copy every action of every individual in the Bible is not the Lord’s intention for our lives. Before accepting any point of faith, before taking any decision, we must follow a plain thus saith the Lord. Hope that helps!
hello so what your saying is about 50 or 60% of the jobs/professions are sinful lawyers,politicians, used car salesman jus to name a few have jobs where lying and decit are common practice i think playing poker for a living is jus another way for someone to make a living not everyone is cut out to be a butcher baker or a candlestick maker.ive been in retail for over 25 yrs and i hate my job would love to play poker evryday and earn jus what i make now im not greedy or selfish just love the game of poker.
Thank you for your comment but I’d have to respectfully disagree with your points. A lawyer, politician or used car salesman can do a professional job at their occupation without committing sin. The prophet Daniel was the vice-president of the largest empire in his day, yet when 122 politicians dug for dirt on his life they exclaimed “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” (Daniel 6:5) Again, when Daniel was thrown in the den of lions, he was miraculously spared and the reason was given “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” (Daniel 6:22) It is then possible to do the jobs you mentioned (with the except of poker) without committing sin. It is dangerous to desire to sin and justify it because of the sinful practices of others. We have only one safe pattern to follow and that is Jesus. If we try to justify our sins we will never overcome them and will be found in the resurrection of condemnation. My dear friend Kirk, listen and heed the tender warning of Jesus found in Exodus 23:2 “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil”. May the Lord bless you if you do.
You Have done a great Job answering these questions concerning gambling God Bless you
Hey, So this is a continuation of the forex question. I am a daytrader. I don’t invest in get rich quick schemes, I have been educated to do it professionally. It is a business of exchanging goods and services with one another (a buyer and a seller) Just like real-estate. Yes, at times there are temptations no doubt about it, when anger, greed, and such comes in, but reading this entire article and comment sections, I need to focus myself more on the LORD and thank him for the opportunity that I have and fix my sinful habits. And so I thank you. Any comment or suggestion is welcome.
Thanks for the article… I enjoy Texas holdem however my spirit sensed it was against my Christian beliefs however I try to dismiss those feelings…. Please pray that I am delivered from participation …. Unfortunately gambling is growing in our nation…. Being propelled by government sanctioned establishments. Where can we hide from these temptations? On military overseas bases some facilities offer Texas holdem tournaments with low buyin @$10 twice a week in sports bars with slot machines…. Then run advertisements on military tv warning about compulsive gambling. What a shame problems have a genesis in these environments. Please pray for me and others to overcome such temptations.
Wow just came upon this website while searching for the answers to 1 Pet 3:18,19.
I was a serious poker player between 2004-2011. I am a dentist by trade but loved to play poker. I played in the biggest games around. Even playing in games that had tens of thousands of dollars at stake.
I can honestly say that poker is not a christian activity that God would have us spend time doing.
My marriage almost ended because of poker. My family life suffered greatly because of poker. I was not a good husband nor a good father when I was playing. I would spend many many hours playing and some days went to work after playing all night. I would justify to myself that it was ok because i was winning and that poker was a game of skill and not gambling.
But the truth is that my love for poker was the one thing that kept me from God. Poker was the one thing that I would lie to my wife and family about.
Then by His grace and through some very providential circumstances God revealed to me that I needed to let go of poker and I have not played in over 2 years. It was an addiction like any other addiction that I have to pray about daily.
I now am the youth leader in our church, I study the bible everyday and spend my life in Jesus. My life is so much happier now with my wife and family.
You can justify it all you want, but the truth is that you are sitting at the table trying to take money from people who are less capable than you and who for the most part can’t afford to lose that money because its there mortgage or child support.
I would strongly recommend that anyone playing poker pray about it and ask God to reveal the truth to you and that the Holy Spirit leads them to let go of it all together.
See you all at GYC..
Praise the Lord! Thank you for that powerful testimony brother David and may the Lord bless you and use you for His glory.
I think it needs to be thrown out there that noone is perfect and we all have fallen short. The pursuit of perfection isn’t the key to entering God’s kingdom, but trusting in Jesus is.
With that being said, I am still indifferent. Something essential I feel that Will left out is the fact that everything we own has been given to us by God and being responsible with our money is being respectful to him.
Now, if poker is something we enjoy doing with an awareness of our own heart and we put into it strictly what we can afford, that is in no way a sin. Same thing as going to the movies as far as I’m concerned. However, blowing money carelessly while being stingy to give an offering would be self destructive.
As far as the lying aspect of the game you are emphasizing, the question is do we hold the realization that it is just a game? Tons of Christians play call of duty (the video game), and they aren’t killing. I think with a distinction between reality and poker its fine.
God gives us discernment to know what’s right and wrong, he doesn’t want us walking on pins and needles with little thing we do. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not enncouraging recklessness but the important thing is he sees our heart. Noone else can. Jesus used to drink wine back in the day, granted it had antibacterial purposes, but it was also a social act.. but not to get drunk. In my heart I know a beer or two isn’t wrong and I think the same view can be transferred to poker.
You made some great points man but you can’t say a card game is evil. I feel that’s how your coming across. Your point that it shouldn’t be given the light of day isn’t fair. It can be very healthy, social, and fun. Its the addiction and greed that fills people up that’s evil.
But like I said, you did make some good points and I commend you for your studies of the Word but a balance of truth and love is essential. As almighty as he is, and has a wrath we can’t imagine, God is also loving and understanding.
Hi Gage,
Thank you for your comment regarding poker. I have been behind on comment responses lately, I have a similar comment sitting in my queue, so my apologizes as well. I appreciate your comment saying “you did make some good points and I commend you for your studies of the Word but a balance of truth and love is essential.” With that in mind, may I add that truth never contradicts love. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and God is love. They are not contradictory. So when the word of God says thou shall not lie, thou shall not steal, thou shall not covet, these truths are in perfect harmony with love. I ask you to hear me out as a brother who is seeking to be loving. It is my goal that we both make it to heaven. And if for example you saw that I was in danger either physical or spiritual, would you not warn me and attempt to lead me to the right path? Certainly you would for this would be loving.
Before I address poker, I want to address video games and for example Call of Duty as you mentioned. Poker and video games are two things i used to do, but by God’s grace I have 100% stepped away from. I can say with all certainty that getting completely rid of these things was a struggle, but now I am much happier in Christ. Now many say, it’s just a game. What I think in my mind is not the same as reality. But the Bible says “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7) Again Jesus said “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28) Herein Jesus has said that if you commit adultery in your mind you are in a lesser degree as guilty as if you had committed the actual action. If you read the next two verses 29-30 Jesus warns that those who do such must repent or they will lose out in heaven. This principle also applies to video games and poker. Those who take pleasure in playing Call of Duty take pleasure in violence. And it is written “The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” (Psalm 11:5) Just like the sin of adultery in the heart, those who take pleasure in violence found in video games are debasing their souls, heaven marks the love of sin to their account, and unless repented of this path will certainly lead to destruction. The trapping, deception and lying in poker are sins, because they are in a game does not mean they are lesser evils. The excuse that it is just a game is not in harmony with the teachings of Jesus and will not be acceptable to God. For it is written “But there shall by no means enter it (heaven) anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27) But why would God be so strict? I mean the Lord doesn’t want us walking on pins and needles with little thing we do right? The reason the Lord is so strict against lying and deception, is because Satan was once a perfect angel who began to lie in heaven. His rebellion caused many holy angels to fall with him. Satan lost heaven in part because of lying (John 8:44). Do we think we can then enter into heaven while lying? Certainly not friend, for this is a self-deception.
Regarding Jesus drinking wine, this wine was unfermented, or what the Bible calls new wine, that is what we call today, grape juice. Drinking alcoholic wine in any quantity is also marked as a sin in the Bible. I wrote a full article that is helpful regarding this and it is found here. You also mention that if we only use enough money in poker so that we can afford it, certainly it is not a sin. But if I use only enough money in acquiring a harlot so that I can afford her, is it not a sin? I believe this sufficiently answers all your points. Friend, know that the human heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Our feelings are deceptive. We can only trust the Bible. I have shared the truth from the Bible with you, not in a condemning tone, but as one who cares about you in love. Please friend, consider this, you are in your current condition in great danger of failing of receiving everlasting life. The great deception of our time is that of self-deception, many professed Christians believe they are rich and in need of nothing, but do not know that they are naked, miserable, poor, wretched and blind (Revelation 3). The message of Jesus to one such as yourself is to repent and receive forgiveness, for this is a matter of life or death. May the Lord bless you if you do.
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