By: Dan Kessner

We often hear people say we cannot legislate morality.  Do not think for a minute that is true!  If there were no moral laws there would be no laws at all.  Webster defines morality as: “rightness or wrongness, as of an action.”  Moral is defined as: “dealing with, or capable of distinguishing between right and wrong.”  Every law in this country, without exception, is supposed to be for the good of society, whether I agree with it or not.  Therefore, when I do not do as the law requires, I am a law breaker.  In that sense, I am an immoral person. 

I want to be quick to say, if human laws are made that are against the law of God it does not make it right for me to conform to those laws.  As examples, it is legal to gamble, consume alcohol as a beverage, and in some places prostitution is legal.  As a Christian, I am to obey the law as long as it does not conflict with God’s law.  If I do NOT do these things I am not breaking a human law, but even though they are legal, if I do them, I am breaking God’s law.

When people say we cannot legislate morality, what they really mean is we cannot make people do what the Bible teaches as right or wrong.  They are completely right in that sense.  Ironically though, they completely overlook the fact that most protection laws of the land are Bible oriented.  Laws for the good of society make it immoral to kill other people.  Moral laws are made to keep me form stealing someone else’s property.  If there were no moral laws we would have lawlessness and anything anyone was strong enough to do would be alright.  Yes, you can legislate morality. 

Laws have been made that make it legal to gamble as long as the state gets its share of the revenue.  Why is it wrong if the state does not get it share?  Does anyone really think this is good for society in general?  There is absolutely no person, with any conscience, who thinks its right to take the money that is earned to feed their family and buy lottery tickets with it.  Why does the state tempt people to do this?  A lot of people want to gamble, that’s why, and they may indeed be able to control themselves, but they are totally indifferent to the fact that because of such actions, food, rent, clothing, and money for essentials is squandered by those who CANNOT contain themselves. 

There are many good activities for people to do that does not require them to hurt others by participating.  If you buy a lottery ticket and win big, where did the money you receive come from?  Without a doubt, a larger percentage came from those who cannot afford to lose what they spent for their tickets.  Just because someone is “going to do it anyway” does not make it right for me to take part.  Isn’t it strange, on one hand, the state gives out food stamps to feed those who do not have food, then, on the other hand, tempts those who cannot afford to waste their money to buy lottery tickets?  It is truly a situation where the left hand does not want the right hand to know what it is doing.

One of the qualifications of those who would desire to be an elder in the Lord’s church is not to be greedy of filthy (base, shameful, dirty) lucre (gain, money) Titus 1:7.  Who would say it is alright for any other Christian to be greedy of such?  Yes, I know, everyone that gambles does not claim to be a Christian, but, at least, this ought to show those who claim to be it is questionable.

When one gambles there is a strong desire to get a lot for a little.  This lot, of course, comes from someone else’s loss.  When I desire to have a lot for a little it is not less than covetousness.  I Corinthians 6:9-10