Exposition
Having known what betting is, its inconsistency with the things of God and how the devil masterminds it for its interest, we now want to look at the negative effects that betting comes with. By my personal encounter with victims of bet shocks and the news spanning our social media platforms about the effects of betting, I have discovered that it does more harm than good.
From our main scripture, the Bible warns us of covetousness, explaining that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (which may include money). That is to say that, life is not defined by the abundance of what you have nor can your life be secured or sustained by material possessions. All these craving for money which has led people to bet is centered on the quest to survive and survive well (to live a better life on earth). But the pillars of life are not established on these vanities and pride of life. The rich man in our text received a judgment from God to the effect that he was going to die and leave all he was boasting of.
If you have been betting to make it in life, it’s a snare to a regretful life. You will die empty, leaving the money you were foolishly chasing, because this same money which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10). Betting may cause you to leave the faith or trivialize it, pierce yourself with many sorrows and eventually die a regretful death, having realized that all was vanity and vexation of spirit. Let us pursue genuine riches that come from God, so that we will be rich towards God too.