Lottery MoneyLottery Money

Can a Christian Can a Christian accept scholarship accept scholarship

money from the money from the Lottery?Lottery?

Searcher’s Class - Searcher’s Class - 20052005

Issues InvolvedIssues Involved•What about money from What about money from

other “questionable” other “questionable” sources?sources?

•What about money from What about money from unknown sources?unknown sources?

Issues InvolvedIssues Involved• Is the MONEY immoral or Is the MONEY immoral or

tainted?tainted?•Can the church accept a Can the church accept a

gift from someone who gift from someone who won a jackpot?won a jackpot?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

•Does accepting the Does accepting the money condone the money condone the activity?activity?

•Should you ask where it Should you ask where it came from?came from?

• Is ignorance an excuse?Is ignorance an excuse?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

• Is the money itself Is the money itself immoral?immoral?

• Is it the money or the Is it the money or the activity that produced it?activity that produced it?

• Is money – moral, Is money – moral, immoral, or amoral?immoral, or amoral?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

• Is the money itself Is the money itself immoral?immoral?

• Is it still immoral when Is it still immoral when we don’t know the source we don’t know the source of the money?of the money?

• Is it moral when we don’t Is it moral when we don’t know the source?know the source?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

•Must every bill be traced?Must every bill be traced?• Is it possible that some Is it possible that some

money in your wallet was money in your wallet was used for drugs, alcohol, used for drugs, alcohol, prostitution, or other prostitution, or other immoral activities?immoral activities?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

•Must every bill be traced?Must every bill be traced?•Must a bank or business Must a bank or business

ask the source of the ask the source of the money before accepting it?money before accepting it?

•At what point is it clean At what point is it clean again?again?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

•Must every bill be traced?Must every bill be traced?•How many transactions must How many transactions must

it go through to be OK?it go through to be OK?• Is there a spiritual cleansing Is there a spiritual cleansing

process for dirty money?process for dirty money?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

•What about government What about government funds?funds?

•Does some government Does some government money come from money come from doubtful sources?doubtful sources?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

• Can we drive on roads paved Can we drive on roads paved with alcohol tax funds?with alcohol tax funds?

• Can we call fire or police paid Can we call fire or police paid with taxes from a massage with taxes from a massage parlor?parlor?

• Can a teacher accept a pay raise Can a teacher accept a pay raise from “sin taxes”?from “sin taxes”?

Questions for Questions for DiscussionDiscussion

• Is there any Bible Is there any Bible teaching on this subject?teaching on this subject?

•You have expressed your You have expressed your opinions and views –opinions and views –

•Now it is time to see Now it is time to see what God says.what God says.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says•Proverbs 13:22Proverbs 13:22 – – A good

man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says•Albert BarnesAlbert Barnes – – The

heaped up treasures of the wicked find their way at last into the hands of better men.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says• John GillJohn Gill – – The riches which

wicked men get are laid up in the purposes of God for good men; and in his providence they are translated from one to another:

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says• John GillJohn Gill – – so the riches of

the Egyptians were designed for the Israelites, and by the providence of God were put into their hands.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says• Exodus 12:35Exodus 12:35 – – Now the

children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says• Exodus 12:36Exodus 12:36 – – And the LORD

had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says• Ecclesiastes 2:26Ecclesiastes 2:26 – – For God gives

wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says•Adam ClarkeAdam Clarke – – He has a life of

labor, disappointment, and distress; for because he is an enemy to God, he travails in pain all his days;

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says•Adam ClarkeAdam Clarke – – and, as the

wise man says elsewhere, the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just. So he loseth earthly good, because he would not take a heavenly portion with it..

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says•Proverbs 28:8Proverbs 28:8 – – One who

increases his possessions by usury and extortion Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says•Albert BarnesAlbert Barnes – – Ill-gotten

gains do not prosper, after a time they pass into the hands of those who know how to use them better.

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says• John GillJohn Gill – – The meaning is, that

things should be overruled by the providence of God, that what such an avaricious man gets in his dishonest way should not be enjoyed by him or his;

What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says• John GillJohn Gill – – but should be taken

out of his hands, and put into the hands of another, that will do good with it, by showing mercy to the poor.

Conclusions:Conclusions:1.1. Money itself is not immoral.Money itself is not immoral.

2.2. Money is to be gathered and Money is to be gathered and spent.spent.

3.3. If it was gathered in a evil If it was gathered in a evil way, the “cleansing” is to way, the “cleansing” is to put it in the hands of the put it in the hands of the righteousrighteous

Conclusions:Conclusions:4.4. Money can be Money can be gatheredgathered in in

evil waysevil ways

5.5. Money can be Money can be spentspent for evil for evil activitiesactivities

6.6. Christians CAN use money Christians CAN use money from evil sources – to do from evil sources – to do goodgood