Is it a sin to play Blackjack if I am skilled enough to hold an edge over the house?

Sincerely,
High Roller

Dear High Roller,

The Bible never specifically mentions gambling as a sin, but it doesn’t have to be specifically mentioned to be wrong.  There are a great many things surrounding gambling that are sinful.  Consider that:

1. Gambling focuses around money and greed.  God warns us clearly about being fixated with money (1 Tim 6:10, Heb 13:5).  God wants us to be satisfied with our income (Eccl 5:10).  Contentment is a major component of spiritual maturity (1 Tim 6:6).
2. Gambling is used as a means to gain money without working for it.  God finds pleasure in people working for their livelihood (2 Thess 3:10-12, Pr 10:4).
3. Gambling wastes money because, ultimately, the house does always win.  God expects us to be good stewards (1 Cor 4:2) and save for the future (Pr 6:6-8).
4. Gambling and the places where gambling occurs are often associated with other sinful things.  There is a reason Las Vegas is called “Sin City”.  That industry is not one that a christian should be supporting (2 Cor 6:16-17).

Gambling is addictive.  We can only have one master (Lk 16:13).

Is it a sin to wear pants?

Sincerely,
One Leg At A Time

Dear One Leg At A Time,

We are guessing that your question has to do with women wearing pants.  The Old Testament gives us the principle that women are to dress like women, and men are to dress like men (Deu 22:5).  This concept of men avoiding looking effeminate and women looking feminine is reiterated in the New Testament (1 Cor 6:9, 1 Tim 2:9).  In some cultures and time periods, only men wore/wear pants… other cultures have pants that are specifically tailored for women, and it would be quite noticeable and disturbing if men wore them!  The key is that men are to dress like men, and women are to dress like women.  Men should never look effeminate, and women aren’t to look masculine.  Culture and current fashion will dictate the specifics of what we wear, but the principle remains the same throughout all ages.

Today, many older people cannot afford to marry due to funds they get  each month for different reasons.  They will lose part of their money.  What does a christian do about this problem?  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Social Insecurity

Dear Social Insecurity,

There is a reason that the marriage vows include the words “for richer or for poorer”.  We can certainly sympathize with difficult financial circumstances, but money problems aren’t an excuse for living together outside of wedlock.  Young and old alike have financial considerations to factor in when getting married.  God promises that if we trust Him and do what is right, He will always take care of us (Rom 8:28).  If two people truly love each other and want to get married, then they should both count the cost and just say, “I do”.  No matter what, it would be ungodly to have sexual relations outside of marriage (1 Cor 7:2).

(This question is a follow-up to “Providing For Your Own”)

If a christian adopts a child, and many years later the biological parents of the child come to believe (based upon 1 Tim. 5:8) that they have a responsibility to be raising the child – what should the christian do?

Does God no longer hold them to be responsible for parenting the child?

Do I have the right to keep the child and keep them from doing what they believe is their responsibility to the child and to God?  This is a serious matter.  Please advise.

Sincerely,
Family Ties

Dear Family Ties,

Once someone makes a vow, they are bound by it even if they later regret making it.  When a child is adopted, the adoptive family has promised to take that child and make them part of their family – that is exactly why those parents are required to fulfill all biblical responsibilities of parenting.  In like manner, when someone terminates their parental rights, they also become bound by their word, even if they later regret their decision.

People often make promises and decisions that they later regret and cannot change.  When Esau gave up his birthright for a bowl of stew, he later regretted the decision but couldn’t change it (Heb 12:16-17).  Esau gave it up, and that was that.  He had to live with the consequences.

The nation of Israel did the same thing when they made a truce with the Gibeonites.  The Gibeonites tricked Israel into making a pact with them even though God had warned Israel that this would cause them trouble.  Israel murmured about the vow, but they were bound by it (Josh 9:18-20).  We are bound by our word even if later we realize we should have done differently.

An adoptive family has total rights to keep the child, and the birthparents have zero rights to take them back.  Both have made a vow and are bound by them.

If you have further questions on this issue, feel free to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and please remember to include an e-mail address.

(This question is in response to “Embryo Adoption”)

You stated that, "The Bible is very pro-adoption."

Does the Bible support adopting a child that has living biological parents (those that have offered the child for adoption)?

1 Tim 5:8 demonstrates the responsibility parents have to take care of their own children, and adopting these children could place a legal barrier between those parents and their responsibility to take care of their offspring.  Please advise.

Sincerely,
Family Ties

Dear Family Ties,

There are two sides to an adoption story, the birthparents whose rights are terminated (either voluntarily, involuntarily, or through death) and the adoptive parents that take the child as their own.  We have to deal with both groups separately.

First let’s deal with the adoptive parents.  The Bible teaches that when christians are adopted by God, they receive full rights as His children (Rom 8:15-17).  Using this principle, when a family adopts a child, they become responsible for all of that child’s needs just as if the child was biologically born to them.  Therefore, the commands given to parents and children in places like 1 Tim 5:8 and Eph 6:1-4 would apply just as firmly to an adoption situation.

Now, let’s address what the Bible says about birthparents who place their biological children for adoption.  The Bible makes it clear that parents do have a responsibility for their children, and when we said that the Bible is “pro-adoption”, we were saying that the Bible condones adopting children who are in need of families.  We were not saying that the Bible condones someone turning their back on their parental responsibilities.  The Bible has a lot to say about caring for our children, and in most circumstances, it would be the wrong thing for a christian to place their child for adoption.  The only times in the entire Bible that we ever read of faithful people doing this is when Hannah gave Samuel to be raised by the priest Eli (1 Sam 1:24-28) and when Moses’ parents sent him down the river to save his life (Ex 2:3)… and it is safe to say that both circumstances were extraordinary.