March Misfortune

We are human beings who are vulnerable to sin, but we have a powerful friend who walks with us and will help us overcome and experience victory in our lives. In 1st Corinthians 10, we read:
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

When temptation comes our way, we have to be spiritually sharp to discern when we are being tempted, and stand strong and not give in.  God gives us the resources to enable us to do that.  We have the instruction of God's Word and we possess the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.  We can be challenged to live in a constant state of dependence on Christ so that when the enemy comes to lure us away from God, we can exercise His power to walk in victory.

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James 1 has plenty to say about resisting temptation, and in this passage, we also see the progression of sin:
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Well, after two exciting weekends of college basketball and scores of brackets filled out and subsequently "busted," by and large, and plenty of money wagered on the NCAA men's tournament, the Final Four has been set.  Unbeaten Kentucky will face Big 10 champion Wisconsin, who is thought to have a shot at ending the Wildcats' streak.  And, two seemingly perennial participants - Duke and Michigan State, will square off in the other national semifinal game.

And, according to FBI estimates, by the time the new champion cuts the nets down next Monday night, there will have been more than 2.5 billion dollars wagered on the games.  A Baptist Press article states that:

The FBI estimates that more than $2.5 billion is wagered on March Madness each year, exceeding the amount bet on the Super Bowl, according to the NCAA website. The American Gaming Association estimated that Americans have filled out 70 million brackets this year with the average bet per bracket coming in at $29. The total number of brackets filled out exceeds the number of votes cast in the last presidential election for either President Obama or Mitt Romney.

The NCAA "opposes all forms of gambling -- legal and illegal -- on college sports," according to the group's website. Betting on college sports provides children an entry point to gambling, prompts individuals involved in organized crime to contact student-athletes and "threatens the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of the game," the NCAA said in a statement on its website.

And...it could be illegal. So says Marc Edelman, law professor at the City University of New York, who is quoted as saying in Forbes that NCAA Tournament betting violates federal law and gambling laws in many states. He writes, "Most participants who pay entry fees into NCAA Tournament pools will probably never stop to consider the legal implications of their actions," adding, "However, while the participants in NCAA pools are rarely prosecuted, there is a strong argument that pay-to-enter contests violate both federal and state law."

Legal or not, there are moral and ethical implications at play here.  Barrett Duke, vice president for public policy and research at Southern Baptists' Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, is quoted as saying that, "Christians would be wise to refrain from gambling on the NCAA Tournament." He said, "That is the best way to make sure they are not violating their responsibilities before God and their fellow man. They should share their convictions with others and encourage them to refrain as well."

Duke wrote to Baptist Press about three principles of gambling overall, contending that these practices violate Scripture. He says, "When we gamble, we misuse some of the resources entrusted to us by God, we set a dangerous example for others to follow, and we lend credibility to a practice that destroys millions of people every year. First Corinthians 10:31 reminds the Christian of his stewardship responsibility. The Christian must use all the resources at his disposal in a manner that glorifies God. This includes the little things as well." He also states, "He must also remember that his actions influence the decisions of others. In 1 Corinthians 8:13 the apostle Paul instructs the Christian to be sure his activity does not cause another to stumble by following his example. While someone may be able to control his gambling, someone else who follows his example may not."

And, commenting on the principle of loving our neighbor, Duke says, "The Christian must bear in mind that he has a responsibility to help others flourish. Engaging in an activity that takes what belongs to another is not putting others first."

Paul Chitwood, executive director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, is quoted as saying that gambling "is a growing problem in our nation as well as in Kentucky." He states, "When we stop to consider that organized crime is the big winner when people gamble, that the integrity of the games and athletes we love is threatened and that countless thousands of children suffer the consequences of their parents' gambling addiction, one could hardly call gambling a harmless endeavor." He said that placing even minimal wagers on basketball games violates biblical principles and added that, "The Bible warns us repeatedly against the sins of greed and covetousness, both of which are the essential motivations in gambling..." He also pointed out that gambling violates the principle of loving our neighbor.

So, what do we take away from this information?   Well, for one thing, we recognize that while the Scriptures don't say "thou shalt not gamble," there are a host of Biblical principles that are violated by the practice.  We have to evaluate our practices by using the Scriptural test, and recognize where our behavior doesn't line up with God's Word.   

By calling attention to seemingly small forms of sinful behavior, we can prevent a greater problem taking root in our lives.   Think about statements such as "it's just one drink..."   Or looking at a pornographic website on your computer or phone.   The strongholds of sin in our lives began with just one action, one errant choice, which is repeated - gamblers didn't start out to become addicts and leave a trail of destruction behind, but that's what happens when you play with sin, any sin.  The man or woman whose marriage has broken up due to porn or through adultery likely didn't set out one day to become addicted or to become unfaithful.  Sin has a characteristic - it takes hold of us one choice, one action at a time, until we are overtaken.  We have to be careful to evaluate our choices in the light of Scripture.