Lots of questions this week. Keep 'em coming and we'll try our best to answer them. This great question has been answered by many pastors and thinkers already. Here are some links to a few good articles/resources:
The short answer is NO. The authors seem to point out several common reasons why Christ-followers ought to avoid the lottery. I have listed 6 below:
1. The motive is wrong. People don't just buy the lottery to 'have fun,' but rather they hold to the hope (even if it's a small, small hope) of getting rich. The love of money - as the Apostle Paul said - is the "root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). If we are to follow Jesus, we must fight against the desire to be rich.
2. It is a misuse of what God has given to us. Everything we have and own belong to God. When we play the lottery (or gamble at a casino), we are taking unnecessary (and usually unwise - as there is virtually no chance of you winning) risks with a God-given stewardship of money. We are simply being irresponsible with someone else's money.
3. There is a disruption of the natural cycle of work and reward. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, "If anyone will not work, let him not eat." This is how life operates. Albert Mohler writes, "The Bible points to a very different financial strategy -- work and save. Ten dollars played in the lottery each week adds up to over $10,000 in twenty years. Saved and invested, those same funds would provide a good start toward a college education, a down-payment for a home, or a retirement fund."
4. The lottery preys on the poor. Dr. Mohler writes, "Wealthy persons are not fueling lottery sales. Studies indicate that over 80-percent of all lottery tickets are bought by only 20-percent of purchasers -- and these buyers are disproportionately 'low-income, minority men who have less than a college education.'"
5. The lottery empowers governments to prey on its citizens. When we were in Belize, Central America (on our last missions trip), this point was made abundantly clear. The local government was endorsing the construction of a local casino, but many ordinary citizens protested because they knew it would bring ruin on their community.
6. It may ruin our friend. Even if we are doing it for entertainment & if we are in control of our spending, there are many who aren't. Millions and millions of dollars are spent each year treating those severely addicted to gambling. By playing the lottery, we are tempting and hurting these individuals. The Apostle Paul teaches us to avoid certain cultural activities - even if we are permitted to do so in the Bible - for the sake of weaker brothers and sisters (see 1 Cor. 8).
I think Frederica Mathewes-Green sums the issue up well: "It's not that there is something inherently evil in lotteries. The problem is that there's so little good in them—and so much potential for damage. We should always be aware of the danger that gambling poses to the "weaker brother." Gambling addiction is like alcoholism, and the sheer availability of lotteries ensures that some people who would otherwise never discover their weakness will be sucked into its grip."
[Answered by Pastor HM]
