Is Killing Canaanites ‘Kosher’?

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Objection: Is Killing Canaanites ‘Kosher’?

When we think about the horrors that occurred in places like Auschwitz, Rwanda, or Bosnia, it is difficult to understand how any human could command such abhorrent acts of evil or follow such evil orders. It is evident that evil is real. But can the existence and persistence of evil be explained? The perceived problem of pain and suffering prevents many people from believing in the GOD of the Bible as being holy, loving, and perfect. Many people compare modern genocide with the destruction of the Canaanites ordered by GOD in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 7:1-2; 20:16-17). How is the complete slaughter of Canaanite men, women, and children any different from the ethnic cleansing acts or terrorist attacks that occur today? It is true that humans are sinful and have the free will to perform evil acts, but how is it that the GOD who is perfect and loving could command mass murders? If GOD is love, His command to completely destroy the Canaanites needs to be explained as an act of love. But can this be done?

A Reasonable Response

The reason behind GOD’s orders for the destruction of certain groups can be made in the following bulletin points:

• GOD is Holy and perfect and the absolute moral standard.
• Out of GOD’s love, GOD created humans for the purpose of a loving relationship with Him (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 8:5; Isaiah 43;7; Matthew 22:37-40; John 15:14-15; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11).
• GOD’s love gave humans the great gift of free will.
• The great gift of free will allows for the possibility of evil.
• Humankind used free will to reject GOD and rebel, which is sin.
• Sin always separates from GOD because Holiness and sinfulness never mix.
• GOD’s Holy nature demands righteousness.
• GOD’s love demands mercy.
• GOD’s Law demands justice.
• Humankind, while living in their fallen and sinful state, chose to persist in rebellion of the absolute standard.
• GOD’s mercy allows the opportunity for repentance and restoration.
• Certain groups of humankind refused to repent and allowed pride to puff them up, thus separating them from the Savior.
• Though GOD is patient and merciful, justice must ultimately be served.
• When judgment comes, it is to serve as an act of justice, which is the loving thing to do.

The Bible And Warfare

Because the conquest of the Canaanites is an act of warfare, we must first understand what the Bible teaches us regarding warfare before we can examine the specific order against the Canaanites. The Bible has much to say about war and the right of the state to use lethal force. The Old Testament is full of examples of GOD directing Israel to go to war against certain groups. Those were special occasions, but even long before Israel’s war campaigns, GOD specifically gave Noah and future governments the justified right to shed man’s blood as punishment for murder (Genesis 9:5-6). Ultimately, warfare in the name of GOD is justice for sinful rebellion with a greater purpose in mind in order to eliminate evil. Because this sensitive subject can easily be misconstrued, it needs to be expounded upon in order to bring clarification to an otherwise confusing command.

Many agnostics and atheists alike take GOD to court with the allegation that religion is the cause of most wars and that the Bible and history books alike affirm this claim. But is that really true? Is religion the cause of most wars? In fact, it is not. First, what do we mean by “most” wars? According to the dictionary, most means a majority. If that’s the case, religion would need to account for at least 51% of all wars. But the truth is that only about 7% of wars have been religious in nature. The truth is that most wars have been created due to secular humans who desired to play the role of GOD.

In New Testament times, the apostle Paul wrote that government has a GOD-ordained right and responsibility to protect its people and to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1-5). The examples of both Noah and Paul relate primarily to keeping the peace within a nation, but may have application for war between nations.

Jesus had the heart of a peacemaker. Although He was not speaking about foreign policy, He taught that people should love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:44). Christian pacifists take this to indicate that all wars are unjust and should be avoided. The New Testament has little to say about international conflict, perhaps because the world of Christ and the apostles was under Roman occupation at that time and there were no serious threats to the Roman Empire.

Christians should not blindly support their nation’s causes in war. Our kingdom is not of this world. When military action contradicts biblical commands or morals, the Christian should refuse to support war no matter the consequences. Conversely, when the government is in the right to wage war, as when it protects itself against aggressors or when it seeks to protect other nations from aggressors, Christians should support it. Unless of course, as a pacifist, you truly believe that we shouldn’t have gone to war against Hitler and the nazi regime. However, in all cases, Christians should take the lead in seeking peaceful resolution to conflict between nations if at all possible.

Jesus taught that we should turn the other cheek on personal matters. Now suppose that the United States had an official policy to always turn its cheek to evil and oppressive governments. A government that allowed its people to be persecuted and killed by invaders would be irresponsible and immoral. For evil to succeed, overcome, and conquer, people who desire good need only to do nothing.

It is arguably the case that a strong, able and available defense is the best option as an offense for keeping the peace since would-be aggressors will think twice before starting hostilities against nations who are able and available to resist and rise above. A parallel is found in a father’s responsibility to protect his family. If an intruder comes into his home, he is justified in using violence in order to protect his wife and children. But if the would-be intruder possesses foreknowledge that the father is armed and willing to defend his family, that home is less likely to be invaded. Just as we see in nature, evil typically preys upon the weak.

The overall message of the New Testament is one of peace – this is true. But in John 2:13-22, when Jesus made a whip, ran people out of the Temple, and overturned the tables, He basically told everyone, “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness. I will not tolerate evil in my Temple.” Even when war is justified, it should be fought in a just manner with a goal of achieving peace as well as making minimal impact on human life and the environment. When the nations of the world learn that another nation is suffering under a cruel, murderous dictator, world leaders must decide how best to stop the evil aggressions. Christians should encourage their leaders to seek peaceful solutions first, but in the event that such solutions are not possible, it seems biblically permissible to support a war whose aim is to put an end to evil.

Out With The Old And In With The New?

Some people find these Old Testament accounts of orders for warfare so disturbing that they reject them altogether. They say that the warfare stories are not accounts of the acts of GOD in history, but mere myths and legends. Does that mean we should apply the popular saying “out with the old, in with the new” to the Bible? Although it would certainly be convenient, doing so really wouldn’t make sense. For one thing, when we look closely at the New Testament, we find some passages (Revelation 6-8) that are just as bloody as the Old Testament warfare passages. Ultimately, either all Scripture is GOD-breathed or it isn’t. We cannot simply pick and choose the passages of Scripture we like and throw out the ones we don’t like. The Bible is not a buffet where you get to pick and choose only what you want. That would be both illogical and inconsistent.

People often say that the Bible is contradictory because the GOD of the Old Testament is violent and cruel while the GOD of the New Testament is loving and merciful. But the truth is that GOD’s character is consistent throughout the Bible and GOD does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). Yes – GOD is love – we hear people emphasize His love all the time. And they should. After all, that’s true. But remember, GOD is also absolutely pure and holy, which means He cannot ignore sin. But many atheists argue that GOD’s order to destroy the Canaanites was a direct contradiction of His sixth commandment for the people not to murder. While it is true that the act would have been considered to be murder without GOD’s divine order, it was GOD’s divine order that made it lawful and therefore acceptable. Understandably so, many atheists will argue, “This is the problem with religion! Anything goes as long as some nutcase believes God told him to do it!”

The Problem Is Perspective

Because the story of our salvation through the Savior is told from Genesis to Revelation, we simply cannot separate the Old Testament from the New Testament. Like a covenant marriage, the two become one. If we try to understand the reasoning behind GOD’s order to destroy a certain group of people by magnifying the wrong area, the search team is going to come up empty handed in their investigative efforts. An investigative team needs to search the right area if they’re going to find the evidence for which they’re seeking. Also, even if one is magnifying something with meaning, that something of meaning can lose its meaning if you’re too close to consider the context. Think about it: If I were to put a penny under a microscope and have you look at the magnified image, you wouldn’t be able to tell me that what you’re looking at is a penny by simply examining a magnified image unless you had prior knowledge that you were looking at a penny. Sometimes we need to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. Likewise, placing our focus solely on Deuteronomy 20:16-17 will not show us the entire picture. We need to zoom out so we can discover what area we truly need to magnify. Verse 18 even provides a good clue that we need to expand the area of our search.

The Bigger Picture

In order to understand GOD’s order to destroy a certain group of people, we must zoom out and view the bigger picture from an eternal perspective. The consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23). When GOD caused the great flood in Noah’s days, He did so in order to cleanse the land from a wicked people who chose to contaminate the land with evil (Genesis 6:11-13). The Canaanites’ evil deeds originated from Ham, who gave birth to Canaan, who was considered evil (Genesis 9:18-27). Just as it is true in our present day that the influence of sinful parents typically leads children to follow their pattern of behavior, the same was true in the past. A parent’s adultery, substance abuse, manipulation, or other dysfunctional behavior establishes a pattern that children typically model as they mature. The results can be a repetition of their parents’ emotional brokenness leading to conflict, divorce, poverty, or other conditions that make their children’s, and even their grandchildren’s, lives difficult. Like ripples spreading across a pool of calm water, our actions have consequences for generations to come. Perhaps that’s why the Bible imparts some wisdom to us that we should from the very beginning direct our children on the right path so that they will walk in righteousness in their adult lives (Proverbs 22:6). The sad reality documented in the Bible is that the Canaanites – who came under GOD’s judgement – were wicked and refused to abide by GOD’s absolute moral standard.

The Wickedness Of The Canaanites

To understand GOD’s order to destroy the Canaanites, we need only to examine their wickedness. A basic knowledge of Canaanite culture reveals its inherent moral wickedness. The Canaanites were a brutal, aggressive people who engaged in deviant sexual acts. Even more abhorrent, various Greek and Latin sources bear witness to Punic child sacrifice. They also attest to a great bronze statue of Kronos, in whose arms children were placed over a fire. Textual and archaeological discoveries align with the assertions in 2Kings 23:10 and Jeremiah 32:35 that children were sacrificed to Molech in Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom. The Canaanites’ sin was so repellent that GOD said, “The land vomited out its inhabitants” (Leviticus 18:24-28). Even so, the destruction was directed more at the Canaanites’ polytheistic religion than at the Canaanite people per se (Deuteronomy 7:3–5,12:2-3). The judgment was not ethnically motivated. Individual Canaanites – like Rahab in Jericho – discovered that mercy follows repentance (Joshua 2; Hebrews 11:31). Another example is the Canaanite woman of great faith found in Matthew 15:21-28.

Justice And Mercy

The slaughter of the Canaanites represented an unusual historical circumstance, not a regular means of behavior. And unlike Islam who uses conquest in order to convert people into their religion by force, the Israelites were not converting people to Judaism; rather, they were administering judgment, which was an act of justice. GOD demands just laws and just rulers. GOD’s desire is that the wicked turn from their sin rather than die (Ezekiel 18:31-32, 33:11).  GOD literally pleaded with people to repent of their unjust ways that He might not judge them. When the Lord announced His intention to judge Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins, Abraham boldly asked GOD if He would destroy the righteous right along with the wicked. In Genesis 18:23-33, we see that GOD would spare a multitude of wicked people in order to save a few righteous people. But the Canaanites were wicked; consequently, justice was necessary.

Understandably so, many people question the reasoning behind GOD’s order to destroy the whole group of people, including ‘innocent’ children. First, everyone is born into sin and is a sinner (Psalm 51:5; 58:3); no one but GOD is good (Psalm 53:3; Romans 3:12; Mark 10:18); and all sinners deserve death (Romans 6:23). Second, if we believe – as I do – that GOD’s grace is extended to those who die in infancy or as small children, the death of these children was actually their salvation. The Kingdom of GOD belongs to such little ones (Matthew 18:1-10; Mark 10:13-16). Third, we should recognize that we are so invested into an earthly, naturalistic perspective that we forget that those who die are happy to quit this earth for Heaven’s incomparable joy.  Therefore, GOD did not wrong these children for taking their earthly lives. The children merely received a ‘fast-pass’ into eternal joy. And finally, we need to remember that these children were spared from growing up in the evil-infested community of the corrupted Canaanite culture where they might not have made it beyond child sacrifice anyway. And even if they managed to escape being sacrificed as children, how many of them would have grown up with a false belief that they needed to seek revenge on the Israelites for killing their parents? They wouldn’t have known the true evil of their parents, only that their parents had been taken away from them.

The Moral Argument Boomerangs Back Against Atheism

It’s ironic that atheists often present evil to be a problem and then ask why GOD never prevents evil or stops it. Yet when GOD does put a stop to evil, atheists try to call GOD evil for putting a stop to evil. Why do so many atheists raise up the flag to call out the flagrant foul of a moral atrocity? In fact, the weapon they aim at GOD backfires on themselves. The claim that GOD should not have issued such a command to destroy ‘innocent’ children doesn’t falsify or undercut either of the two premises in the moral argument as defended:

1. If GOD does not exist, objective moral values do not exist.
2. Objective moral values do exist.
3. Therefore, GOD exists.

In fact, insofar as the atheist thinks that GOD did something morally wrong in commanding the extermination of the Canaanites, he/she only affirms premise #2. The truth is that if an atheist is to live consistently with the naturalistic belief of survival of the fittest, the atheist should approve of and applaud any action taken in order to advance oneself – even if that means taking the life of someone else. But GOD did not do anything morally wrong. The truth is that GOD is the Creator of all life and He gives life and can take it away at will. GOD has the right to take the lives of the Canaanites if He sees fit to do so. How long they live and when they die is up to Him. In fact, no one actually dies – we all get moved from a temporary setting to an eternal destination of either Heaven or Hell. So, don’t allow yourself to flounder and fret over the so-called finality of death.

Specify What To Magnify

This argument that the prosecution brought against GOD began by magnifying the wrongness of destroying a certain group of people. The act of magnification wasn’t wrong; what the prosecuting people chose to magnify was wrong because they placed their focus on the wrong area of concern, which is the deaths of many Canaanite people. But how many of these prosecutors would also take the feminists and extreme liberals to court over their murders of babies via abortions? So, what I’ve done in this argument for the defense is zoom out from the wrong area of concern in order to see the bigger picture. And now that we can see the bigger picture, we’re going to zoom in and magnify the area that will reveal the truth and the reasoning behind GOD’s order. The truth we will see is sin and the reasoning for the response is justice.

In Genesis 15:13-21, Scripture reveals to us that GOD told Abraham what would happen before it ever happened. Some scholars hold that Moses, or a later editor of Genesis, is projecting knowledge of later history into the narrative in the guise of advance prophecy. The logic is that no one could possibly have known in Abram’s time that Israel would be in Egypt for 400 years and that they would be enslaved and oppressed for most of that period. Such a perspective is rooted in an anti-supernatural bias that flies in the face of the predictive biblical prophecies that have been fulfilled in amazing detail. And the Israelites’ 400 years of slavery is not the only prophecy that was fulfilled in the Bible. Prophecy is real because GOD is real and speaks to His people. The proof of prophecy is just one of the many pieces of evidence in the entire collection of evidence which reveals that Christianity is the most reasonable of all beliefs.

Ponder on this: GOD waited 400 years before judging the Canaanites because their wickedness had not reached the point of intolerability until then! This is the long-suffering GOD we know in the Hebrew Scriptures. GOD even allowed His own chosen people to languish in slavery for four centuries before determining that the Canaanites were ripe for judgement and calling His people forth from Egypt. Which, by the way, that means that GOD gave the Egyptians 400 years to let the Israelites go from slavery and to do what was right. But they didn’t; consequently, plagues came and then people who persisted in evil pursued after the Israelites and ended up drowning in their own sin. That loving and patient GOD matches the loving and patient GOD from the New Testament (1Timothy 2:4; 2Peter 3:9).

By the time of their destruction, the Canaanite culture was, in fact, saturated in sin and developed deeds from all that is demonic, embracing such practices as ritual prostitution and even child sacrifice.  The Canaanites were to be destroyed so that they would not teach the Israelites to live according to all their abominable practices that they had done for their false gods (Deuteronomy 20:18). GOD had morally sufficient reasons for His judgement upon Canaan, and Israel was merely the instrument of His justice, just as centuries later GOD would use the pagan nations of Assyria and Babylon to judge Israel for their sins. Israel was not exempt from sinning simply because they were the chosen people of whom GOD would use in the ultimate plan of salvation.

The bottom line is that Israel had to be set apart as GOD’s chosen people in order to fulfill prophecies so that Jesus could save us from ourselves and unite Creator and creation once again in a loving relationship. From the beginning of this argument, the prosecuting people brought forth that if GOD is love, the command of destroying the Canaanites needs to be explained as an act of love. I have shown that GOD’s order was an act of love for three vital reasons:

1. GOD’s love demands mercy. Because GOD was loving, He waited 400 years to see if the Canaanites would repent so that they may be restored. But they did not repent; instead, they chose to rebel and live a life of sin, which included child sacrifice. For 400 years, GOD actively chose to be patient; 400 years of dedicated patience is an awesome act of love.
2. GOD’s Law demands justice. GOD cannot be loving unless He serves justice for what is evil. Because the Canaanites were evil, the judgment served was justice served, which was an act of love.
3. GOD’s judgment was loving because it was part of a bigger plan for Jesus to come through a chosen people in order to eliminate evil and redeem us from the Fall.

Conclusion:

In response to the question, “If GOD is love, why would GOD order the destruction of the Canaanites?”, the answer is as follows: “GOD ordered the destruction of the Canaanites because GOD is love. The destruction of the Canaanites was not an evil act ordered by an evil GOD; rather, it was an act of justice ordered by a loving GOD in order to eliminate evil.” The bigger picture from an eternal perspective reveals that GOD is less concerned with a current circumstance of a temporary physical condition because He is more concerned about saving souls. Because GOD is love (1John 4:8,16), there simply cannot be evil within Him.

“The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
(Psalm 92:15) -NIV

Superhero: Solution Seekers

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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below:

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This is Part 5 of my Superhero series. In the introduction of this series, I provided the argument that heroes are real and then I distinguished between heroes and superheroes. I also provided a list of what defines a superhero. In Part 1, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute standard of Good and realize that evil is a mere privation of what is good. In Part 2, we learned that superheroes recognize the absolute moral standard and realize that what is wrong can only be known by the standard of what is right. In Part 3, I defined and expounded upon love because all superheroes are full of love and are compelled to act out from love. In Part 4, I explained that superheroes desire to save people from all forms of danger and/or death and this desire comes from love.

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In this message (Part 5), I’m going to examine another defining characteristic of superheroes: they are solution seekers!

Solution seeker! Yes! Being a solution-seeker is a great concept and a wonderful thing to write on a resume! But there’s one problem: we often worry about what’s wrong. Many people are prone to pointing out problems. In fact, I just pointed out a problem by pointing out that problem. (Oh no! That’s a problem!) But wait – there’s more! I have good news to share! Where there are problems, there can be solutions! In fact, here is a solution to problems: Never point out a problem unless you’re also willing to seek a solution. At the very least, you must be willing to seek a solution to a problem or else you become the problem. For the one who refuses to seek a solution accepts the problem as a permanent pain.

If seeking solutions is such an easy answer to pesky and persistent problems, why are there so many people who are depressed and/or filled with anxiety or worry? Why do so many people consider suicide? Well, there exists two major evil villains that prevent people from seeking solutions: Fear and Doubt – they are the fork in the tongue of the serpent. Many people often allow problems to paralyze them from going forward due to fear of failure; many people also what-if themselves into indecisiveness and doubt themselves into idleness.

Fear and Doubt:

Fear paralyzes people and prevents possibility. Even if you do not fear anything, you can still be denied possibility due to Doubt. If Doubt becomes a barrier between you and Belief, it becomes equal to fear in the sense that it still prevents you from possibility. The person who allows Fear and Doubt to take control becomes his/her own problem because he/she is imprisoned within his/her own mind. In the prison of problems, your only cellmate is stagnation.

There Is Hope:

I’m going to let you in on a secret in the hope that you’re going to tell everyone and it will no longer be a secret: Doubt fears Belief, and Fear doubts Belief. Even with as much hatred and evil as Fear and Doubt have within themselves, they still understand the concept of teamwork; together, they can imprison you! However, Doubt fears Belief. Doubt fears Belief because Belief banishes Doubt away. Where is your concept of teamwork? You cannot have teamwork with Fear or Doubt while seeking Possibility. Fear and Doubt already work together with plans of destruction and their target is you! You can only pair up with Belief and Vision in order to find Possibility. Belief banishes Doubt from you when you and Belief join together to create a team. Together, you can then overcome Fear because you would believe that you can do so. However, because Fear doubts Belief, Fear will follow you, doubting that Belief will remain within you. Since Belief banishes doubt from you when you team up with Belief, Doubt will live inside of Fear (who is following you), motivating Fear to follow you. However, the pursuit will be in vain because Belief is eternal so long as you never have an about-face of doubt. That means you will always be able to find Possibility so long as you team up with Belief. But belief in what? Not what, but who! Belief in the Savior, Christ Jesus! The Savior is the Solution – we simply need to seek the Solution to all problems if we are to find the specific solutions for specific problems!

Resist and Receive:

“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”
(James 4:7-8) -NLT

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
(Matthew 7:7-11) -NLT

The special stipulation to this promise is found in James 4:2-3; our desires need to be in alignment with GOD’s will. Ask yourself three important questions:

1. For what are you asking?
2. Why are you asking for that specific request?
3. Will it benefit the Kingdom of GOD?

Knowing GOD takes faith, focus, and follow-through. Jesus promises a reward for the passionate pursuit of seeking GOD’s will.

What Does GOD Say About Fear?

There are over 300 instances in the Bible in which we are instructed not to fear. There are two major reasons why we should not fear:

1. Trust in GOD;
2. love for others.

(1) There should be no fear in this limited lifetime because we know our eternal destiny:

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”
(Matthew 10:28-31) -NLT

(2) Why would we fear the outcome of choosing to love?:

“And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”
(1John 4:17-18) -NLT

Therefore, we do not fear people nor do we fear punishment. Perfect love casts out all fear. And since we trust in GOD – who is love (1John 4:8,16) – and we choose to love GOD and others, we have no reason to fear.

What Does GOD Say About Doubt?

“When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”
(Psalm 94:19) -NLT

Do you see how this works? Belief banishes doubt. Faith (trust) in GOD creates hope. With hope, one has reason to seek solutions. While seeking the Solution, the Holy Spirit gives the seeker wisdom and vision. Wisdom and vision plan out and produce possibilities.

“And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’ ”
(Matthew 14:28-33) -ESV

Peter had faith and so he walked on water. However, he allowed doubt within and he started to sink. But remember: doubt was living inside of fear and fear is faithful to follow. Doubt and fear joined forces and caused Peter to sink. But in seeking the Savior, the Solution was found: trust in the Lord is the solution. Faith creates hope and hope gives birth to possibilities.

“Then Jesus told them, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,” and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.’ ”
(Matthew 21:21) -NLT

So, faith is foundational and prayer is powerful. But in order to pray we must first be seeking GOD. If prayer, however, is one of the keys to being a solution seeker, then prayer needs to be properly understood.

Faith-filled Purposeful Prayer:

Prayer needs to be purposeful if it is to be powerful (I’ll expound upon prayer in parts 21-22). Prayer is not a means of merely asking for what we want. GOD is not a magic genie and prayer is not the magic lamp by which to summon GOD. Prayer is a connection between us and GOD. A healthy relationship requires constant communication. So, talk. Prayer is also a way to love others. We should pray for others (Ephesians 6:18-19). But we should also pray that GOD’s will be done and not our own (Matthew 26:39, 42, 44). In the connection of prayer, the goal is to come into alignment with GOD’s will. Regarding prayer, it is important to remember that GOD always answers our prayers in one of three possible ways: yes, no, or not yet. And it is important to thank GOD for all the “no” answers. All the “no” answers eventually lead to the “yes” moment. When we pray, we must pray for the right reasons. Motive matters. We don’t need a mantra, we need a meaningful connection with the Maker. Prayers need to be genuine and purposeful. But remember: you don’t always need to know exactly what to say (Romans 8:26-28). Just be honest.

“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
(James 1: 6-8) –NIV

Doubts are sometimes unavoidable and seem inevitable. Whether intellectually based or emotionally charged, all doubts need to be doubted and examined. If you find yourself doubting, you’re certainly not alone in your struggle. In Mark 9:24, the father of the possessed son asked Jesus to help his unbelief. Having the courage to doubt your doubts and investigate their causes leads to greater confidence in your relationship with Jesus. In seeking the Savior, He can help work through your doubts to increase your faith. Therefore, investigate your doubts. Seek Truth. Be specific about what your doubts are – write them out and list reasons for and against them. Also, pray! And never stop praying (1Thessalonians 5:17)! Like the father of the possessed son, we too can ask GOD to help with unbelief. Be a Solution seeker! This is important because belief casts out doubt and love casts out fear. The faith-filled become the faith-full! The faithful and loving solution-seeker is stable and also able to pursue possibilities.

Beyond, Through, and To:

“Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.”
(1Peter 5:7) –NCV

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 4:6-7) -NLT

Though the Bible does not explicitly say that worry is a sin, we can still logically conclude that it is a sin by examining all the available evidence. One simply cannot trust GOD to provide if one worries about provision. Likewise, one cannot trust GOD about wellbeing if one worries about wellbeing. Faith is trust. There’s no trust in worrying because worrying comes from doubting GOD.

“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
(Hebrews 11:6) -NLT

Know this: GOD already told us He will take care of all our needs (Matthew 6:25-34).

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
(Philippians 4:8-9) -NLT

Pray Your Way To Peace:

Prayer is not our last resort; rather, it is our first line of defense! And that is why prayer is being discussed here in addition to the end of this book. How do we get GOD’s peace? By putting into practice what we learned. We have learned that we need to put our trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6). So, let us put into practice our faith by living confidently in Christ. We can pray our way into peace! Look beyond the problem, through the potential and to the possibilities by seeking the power of GOD in prayer. If we focus on all that is good and right, our focus won’t be on what is bad and wrong. That’s easier said than done – I know. But no one ever said that what is simple is also easy. If we fill our minds with GOD’s Word, we won’t have enough room to fill our minds with the Satan’s lies and the world’s ways. Christians must think about what they’re thinking about and not allow their minds to wander into the chaotic circus of sin. In our spiritual warfare, we need to wear the helmet of salvation (explain in Part 19) because it is spiritual armor for the mind. Negative thoughts can be replaced with positive ones, and the more that godly substitution takes place, the more peace and joy we can experience. Many times we are asking GOD to change our situation when GOD desires to change our stinkin’ thinkin’! GOD’s peace is promised to guard those who pray – with thanksgiving – about everything.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
(Romans 8:28) -NLT

Stay Focused:

We already know the ending of the story! Christ returns, evil is banished to Hell, and all believers will live happily ever after with Jesus for eternity (Revelation 19-21). Knowing this, our focus should simply be on how to continually make things better until Christ returns. GOD gave people the great gift of free will. Where free will exists, evil is always possible; in fact, bad things are inevitable in this sinful fallen world. But GOD created us to create good while we choose to live a life of love. So, what are you creating? In order to be a solution seeker, we must trust in GOD and love others. Belief banishes doubt and love expels fear. Without fear and doubt, GOD’s peace will be with you and GOD’s power will enable you to be more than a conquerer in Christ (Romans 8:37).

Conclusion:

“Show mercy to those who have doubts. Save others by snatching them from the fire of hell.”
(Jude 1: 22-23) –GW

You can be a superhero! You can be a superhero by simply being a consistent solution seeker! In the name of Jesus, go be a defender of the faith by helping others battle fear and doubt. Peter was saved while sinking in the sea of doubt because he reached out to Jesus. All people can find salvation by doing exactly what Peter did – by reaching out to Jesus and trusting Him to save. In fact, I did the same thing when I once found myself sinking and Jesus saved me too! To read my testimony, see my other article, “My Testimony: From Agnosticism, To Atheism, To Christianity“.

Here’s the bottom line: When a problem comes along, you must whip it! Whip it good… in the name of Jesus!

 

Is Gambling A Sin?

Someone wrote to me and asked, “Do you think gambling is lawlessness? Playing poker at a casino, etc.”

Well, before we determine whether gambling is or is not lawlessness or a sin, we must first define our terms. What is lawlessness? What is sin? What is gambling? Only after our terms are defined will we know if gambling is lawlessness or a sin.

What is lawlessness?:

As I discuss in my article, “I Never Knew You,” the word “lawlessness” is the Greek word [458] anomia (an-om-ee’-ah), which is a compounded word of the alpha [1] a (ah), which means “no,” “not,” or “without,” and [3551] nomos (nom’-os), which means the commandments, the Mosaic Law, and the Old Testament scriptures in general. And so anomia means a person of iniquity, a person who possesses no fixed moral standard. It is the wickedness of living contrary to the knowledge of the Law. And according to Matthew 13:41, these are the unrighteous and evil tares who will get gathered and thrown into the fire.

What is sin?:

The Hebrew word for “sin” is [2403] chatta’ah (khat-taw-aw’), which is an offense or wrongdoing, something that demands a penalty. The Greek word for “sin” is [266] hamartia (ham-ar-tee’-ah), which is a compounded word of the alpha [1] a (ah), which means “no,” “not,” or “without,” and [3313] meros (mer’-os), which means a part, portion, or share. And so as a verb, this word literally means “to miss the mark”; consequently, so as to not share in the prize or get a section, allotment, or portion. And so both the Hebrew and Greek’s basic nuance of this word means missing the road or missing the mark. It is for this reason that sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the Law of GOD (1John 3:4) and rebellion against GOD (Deuteronomy 9:7; Joshua 1:18). And this is why sin can be described as departing from the “the way” in that the person misses the mark and travels down the wrong road. It is for this reason Proverbs 3:5-7 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 your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” And Proverbs 4:27 says, “Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.” And it is for this reason Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Therefore, sin is the overall the failure to conform to GOD’s Law in thought, feeling, attitude, word, action, orientation, or nature.

And so we need to investigate what gambling entails so we will be able to discern if it is living contrary to the knowledge of the Law, missing the mark, and going down the wrong road.

What is gambling?:

According to Dictionary.com, “gambling” is “the act or practice of risking the loss of something important by taking a chance or acting recklessly.” And “gamble” is “staking or risking money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance.”

Is gambling lawlessness and/or sin?:

If gambling is viewed as entertainment and is kept in moderation, is it really any different from other activities that waste our money? Isn’t “responsible gambling” the same as spending a bit too much money on video games, seeing a movie at the theater, eating unnecessarily expensive meals, or purchasing unnecessary items that tend to clutter our homes? Well, gambling can definitely be viewed as another avenue of wasting money; however, it is different than most unnecessary purchases and entertainment choices for a few reasons.

As I described in an article I published a long time ago, casinos are rigged; they use a variety of marketing schemes to entice gamblers to risk as much money as possible. They often offer inexpensive or even free alcohol, which encourages drunkenness, and thereby a decreased ability to make wise decisions. Everything in a casino is perfectly rigged for receiving money in large sums and giving almost nothing in return, except for fleeting and empty pleasures. An examination of any random state’s department of revenue for casinos is quite revealing – billions of dollars comes in and not much money goes out. Gambling expenditures is around $500+ billion per year – that’s more money than Americans spend per year on films, books, amusements, and music entertainment combined!

Lotteries attempt to portray themselves as a way to fund education and/or social programs. However, studies show that lottery participants are usually those who can least afford to be spending money on lottery tickets. The allure of “getting rich quick” is often too great a temptation to resist for those who are desperate. Unfortunately, the chances of winning are infinitesimal and almost impossible. The end result is that people ultimately lose their money that they could have otherwise saved or invested into another purpose.

However, many people claim that they gamble or play the lottery so that they can give the money to the church or to some other good cause. So, can gambling proceeds please GOD? While this may be a good motive, the reality is that few people actually use gambling winnings for righteous purposes. Studies reveal that the vast majority of lottery winners are in an even worse financial situation a few years after winning a jackpot than they had been before they won all the money. But why is that? Let’s face it – money doesn’t change a person’s character; rather, money ultimately amplifies a person’s character. If a person isn’t a good steward with a little amount, the person won’t be a good steward with a large amount.

In Luke 16:10-13 (NLT), it is written, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

We are all called to be good stewards with all that has been given to us. According to Dictionary.com, a steward is “a person who manages another’s property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others.”

As Christians, we are merely managing what GOD has allowed to be in our care. A prominent principle that permeates the Bible is stewardship. The Bible repeatedly and consistently paints the picture that GOD is the ultimate owner of everything and we are merely stewards for the time being (Job 1:21; Psalm 24:1; 49:17; 89:11; Ecclesiastes 5:15; Luke 12:42; 1Corinthians 4:1-2; 1Timothy 6:7). We are all called to be stewards of the Gospel that Jesus has entrusted to us through the command of the great commission (Matthew 28:16-20). But in addition to that, we are all to be good stewards of everything the Lord has given to us or provided for us. We are all called to live a disciplined life (Romans 8:9; 1Corinthians 9:27; Galatians 5:22-23; 2Timothy 1:7; Titus 1:7-8; Hebrews 12:11). One of the fruits of the Spirit is that we will live with self-control. And while living a disciplined life, we are to live a life of love toward others.

What is right?:

If we are to find out if gambling is wrong, we need to know what is right; we will know what is wrong if we know what is right. Out of all the supposed 613 commandments, Jesus gave us the greatest commandment (and a second that is like it):

It is written in Matthew 22:37-40: “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

So, are we loving GOD when we gamble?:

Christians are not to allow their minds or bodies to be mastered by anything other than the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 6:12) – anything else leads to idolatry. It is for this reason it is written in Romans 12:1-2, “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” And if you don’t believe you are mastered by anything, I challenge you to ponder on what thoughts determine your actions. In John 8:34, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” That which you cannot walk away from has ownership over you. If you are unable to release your hatred toward others, you are a slave to sin. Even if you are unable to walk away from something seemingly insignificant such as a cigarette, you are a slave to the desire. Truly, people are slaves to anger, pride, jealousy, pornography, greed, promiscuity, alcohol, drugs, and many other things. Therefore, motive most certainly matters. If you find yourself in a casino, why are you there?

If we are to love GOD, then we should have faith that GOD will provide what we need, not necessarily what we want.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Further, Matthew 6:24-34 teaches us that our trust should be in GOD as our Provider and we should not worry about our provision because GOD will provide.

GOD rewards those who seek Him. We are to be seeking the Lord, not money. Money is not the solution to all of our problems; our Savior is the Source and the solution. Many people might raise an objection to this and say, “People gotta eat and you need money to eat!” But don’t forget what is written: we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4). GOD’s Word alone is the sustenance for the soul. Do you trust GOD? After all, faith entails trust and we should trust in the Lord with all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5-7). If we trust in the Lord, we can be content in all circumstances, whether we have a little or a lot (Philippians 4:11-13). But gambling feeds covetousness, which is the opposite of GOD’s call to be content.

The Voice translation paraphrases 2Thessalonians 3:10-12 this way: “This is exactly why, while with you, we commanded you: ‘Anyone not willing to work shouldn’t get to eat!’ You see, we are hearing that some folks in the community are out of step with our teaching; they are idle, not working, but really busy doing nothing—and yet still expect to be fed! If this is you or someone else in the community, we insist and urge you in the Lord Jesus the Anointed that you go to work quietly, earn your keep, put food on your own table, and supply your own necessities.”

In short, we’ve got work to do. There are no shortcuts to success in life. Gambling is risking losing your money on a chance to receive everyone else’s money without working for the money. In essence, the gambler wants something for nothing. But there’s one major problem with this scenario: luck does not exist. Humans — in alignment with an evil agenda — have unfairly rigged the casinos and it is in favor of the house, not the gambler. Lotteries are designed to collect money. Chance without GOD is the personification of anarchy and nihilism. Everything not controlled by humankind is controlled by GOD. But GOD has allowed humans to have control in many areas of life due to our gift of free will. Sadly, gambling is one area of life where humans have control; those in control have set up the odds in their favor and they are only taking advantage of those who gamble.

Are we loving others when we gamble?:

You can choose to believe this or not, but we don’t need a fortune to be able to love people.

Acts 3:1-10 is a fitting and powerful example of this! It is written, “Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, ‘Look at us!’ And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, ‘I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!’ And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”

Peter didn’t have money, but he gave the man what he had – the gift of Christ Jesus! We may not have a lot of money, but we are all capable of giving what we do have – the Good News (Gospel)! All miracles come from GOD! Are miracles possible? Absolutely! Yes! If GOD exists, miracles are possible. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). But winning money from the lottery or casinos is not a miracle. It’s odds. Amazing? Yes. Exciting? Yes. Miracle? No. It’s a numbers game and the odds are set up for you to lose.

As previously mentioned, expenditures on gambling are around $500+ billion every year. What could that amount of money do to help the poor, widows, orphans, or those who are sick? Imagine the good, wholesome projects that could be supported by such an enormous amount of money for an annual budget. How many people could be fed? How many shelters could be built? How many water wells could be provided? How many missions could be funded to preach the Gospel? How many churches could be planted? How many Bibles could be printed and given out? Instead of such worthwhile projects, however, these billions of dollars are dumped into a system that leads to addiction and abuse. While casinos collect billions of dollars, preying on people for greedy profit, I can’t even convince people to sow $20 into the ministry so I can continue to share the good news of the Gospel! Therefore, it would be difficult, indeed, to conclude that gambling is good stewardship of the money with which GOD has entrusted a person. In reality, to pour one’s money into a system that mathematically and statistically has been proven, time and time again, to benefit the “house,” and take from the gambler, certainly would fall into the category of unfaithful stewardship.

While the Bible doesn’t specifically condemn gambling, it does warn us to stay away from the love of money (Matthew 6:24; 1Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5) and to avoid “get rich quick” schemes (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10). Furthermore, we are encouraged to use our financial resources to minister to people in need and to advance the Kingdom of GOD, not store up treasure for ourselves here on this earth (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:15-21).

Ponder on the widow who gave her last coins in faith to GOD as her Provider (Mark 12:41-44), and the early Christians who donated their money and goods to the church (Acts 4:32-37). As it turns out, I wrote an article on this: “Everything.” Since gambling glorifies the love of money, tempts us with dreams of getting rich quickly, sets up odds that heavily favor the house and not the gambler, and tempts us to direct our money toward frivolous earthly hopes instead of causes that help people in need and whatever advances the Gospel, gambling is clearly an activity Christians should avoid. Think about this: gambling is a celebration of receiving all that others have lost. But life isn’t about what we can receive. Jesus told us that it is better to give than receive (Acts 20:35). But who are we giving to if we are using our money for gambling?

Proverbs 28:20 says, “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.”

But… but… but what about the casting of lots, which is described several times in the Bible? Isn’t that a form of gambling? Well, the Bible does not describe the specific method of casting lots, but it seems to have been similar to drawing straws or throwing dice. Interestingly, GOD sometimes used this ancient practice as a means of showing His will. Aaron was instructed to choose between the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat by casting lots (Leviticus 16). Joshua cast lots to divide land among seven tribes (Joshua 18). The Israelites returning from Babylon cast lots to determine who got to live within the walls of rebuilt Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11). Even the apostles of Christ cast lots to determine who would replace Judas as the twelfth apostle (Acts 1). How can this sort of activity identify GOD’s will if it is based on chance outcomes? That’s a fair question. However, the Bible says the outcomes were not left to chance: Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

First, casting lots is not staking or risking money or anything of great value on the uncertain outcome. And the desired outcome is not a celebration of gaining what everyone has lost.  Therefore, casting lots was not the same thing as gambling. Rather, it was an acceptable way to discern GOD’s will in the era before the Holy Spirit was given to believers. Casting lots never occurred again after the Holy Spirit was given to believers. And this is why casting lots should not be regarded as an acceptable means of discovering GOD’s will in this present day – we have the whole Bible plus the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Summary:

Casinos, lotteries, and gambling websites all aim to take your money – that is the goal and they are obviously achieving that goal. After all, they are businesses whose aim is to make money, and thus they scheme to get you to risk as much as possible so that you may lose as much as possible and they can gain as much as possible. If that weren’t the ultimate end goal, they wouldn’t rake in billions of dollars like they do. I urge you to resist the temptation to chase “get rich quick” schemes. At the very least, gambling will lead to loss; however, gambling possesses the potential to ruin lives. GOD gives people time, talent, and treasure with an expectation of accountability (“Burying The Talent”). So, what are you doing with all that GOD has given you?

Conclusion:

Gambling is first and foremost a moral issue. There was a time in American society when the majority of people revered GOD’s absolute moral standard and considered such things as promiscuity, abortion, homosexuality, drunkenness, cursing, pornography, and gambling to be wrong. Obviously, times, circumstances, and culture have changed, but they have not changed for the better. GOD and His Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). A genuine Christian is the one who eliminates from daily life the vice and immorality that is characteristic of a corrupt and contaminated culture that continually desires to abandon GOD’s will in favor of the standards of a sick and sinful society. Instead of joining a sinful society, we need to study GOD’s Word in order to learn how GOD desires us to live. We should not be followers of the faithless; instead, we need to be leaders of love.

Rather than asking if gambling is wrong, we need to seek the Lord and know what is right. Just as it is written in Micah 6:8, GOD has already told us what is right. We need to keep our focus on what is right. We are to love GOD and to love others. We need to earn our money and then be good stewards of what we do have by using it wisely to love GOD and to love others. If we are not good stewards with what GOD has given us, we’re not loving GOD as we should. If we’re throwing away money to businesses whose aim is to take advantage of people, then we’re not using that money to love others. The bottom line is that lotteries, casinos, and other ways of gambling are merely clever ways of stealing from the general population.

Gambling is a spiritual and financial timebomb in a pretty package, and no demographic group is immune to the social pathologies associated with it. Gambling associates itself with a number of problems, including alcohol and drug abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking, violent crime, embezzlement and bankruptcy, theft, spouse and child abuse, and even pornography and obscenity. This is why gambling is not a “victimless crime.” What appears to be harmless entertainment with the investment of one’s own money becomes a destructive and costly influence on the person and the community as a whole (Proverbs 14:12-13). The gambling industry is by nature parasitical and predatory.

Mark Twain once shrewdly observed that “the best throw at dice is to throw them away.” But don’t take Mark Twain’s word as the final authority on the matter. In fact, it doesn’t even matter what I say about this matter. What matters is GOD’s Word. But clearly, GOD’s Word tells us that gambling is wrong because it is not in alignment with GOD’s absolute moral standard of what is right. I believe GOD’s Word makes it evident that gambling is living contrary to the knowledge of the Law, missing the mark, and going down the wrong road. I challenge you to be a good steward with what GOD has given you and to use it to love GOD and to love others.

Are you gambling more than you intend to risk? A person choosing to live a life out of alignment with GOD’s absolute moral standard is a person gambling with his/her eternity. I challenge you to consider all that you gamble with every choice you make. I also challenge you to read another other article I published, “Subtle,” and examine the subtlety of sin. I bet you’re gambling more than you intend to risk.

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In John 14:15, Jesus says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” So, what are His commandments? What is Christ telling us to do? As it turns out, I wrote an article on that: “My Commandments”