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Do you Believe in Luck?
Posted : 2 Jan, 2011 02:21 PM
Before I was saved and born again, I went though a stage of my life gambling alot and soon learned the hard way that I it was a game of chance and you could win if luck was on your side. Now, I don't even believe in luck because now I believe in destiny. If anything happens in my life now, it is a blessing from the lord not luck.
For the Christian, winning and losing have a different meaning than the world, when dealing with the reality of Jesus Christ. "7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my LORD: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Philippians 3:7-9). Because Christians are to separate themselves from the world by their conduct, i.e., "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2Corinthians 6:17), it is imperative that the Saints have an understanding of the meaning of such worldly concepts as luck and gambling, that go beyond a mere legalistic listing of things to be avoided, i.e., "Touch not; taste not; handle not" (Colossians 2:21). Instead, our heartfelt obedience in avoiding luck and gambling must be soundly founded upon a proper understanding of "What saith the Scripture?" (Romans 4:3).
Luck
Who needs luck? Certainly not the Christian! Just look at all the "riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19) the Saints have been given! "2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our LORD, 3 According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (2Peter 1:2-3). Though luck may have the connotation of prosperity or success in the world's vocabulary, it involves the element of chance; and, uncertainty is not part of the success guaranteed by the LORD. Instead, the Saints can find in the Scriptures, Promise after definite Promise to make certain their prosperity and success. "This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8). "But whoso looketh into the Perfect Law of Liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1:25). (2Peter 1:4), It may sound unfair to vilify luck, when it seems to have been such a good friend in days gone by, but we no longer ought to knowingly take credit away from the LORD Jesus Christ for our success by attributing our prosperity to luck. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things [i.e., luck] are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2Corinthians 5:17).
The Providence of God is more than able to match and exceed the luck of the world. "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us" (Ephesians 3:20). God's Providence is His benevolent and wise forethought and provision for His children. "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures" (Psalm 36:8). And, instead of wishing luck to another Christian, the Saints should say, "God bless you", e.g. "24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace" (Numbers 6:24-26). When addressing someone who may, or may not, be a Christian (but, has benefited you, or you desire their good), our Spanish friends have a pleasing expression: "Vaya con dios" (meaning: "Go with God"); or, simply say, "God be with you", e.g., "And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee" (Ruth 2:4). And, of course, it is understood in our sentiments and greetings, "The LORD is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you" (2Chronicles 15:2).
Since luck does not give the LORD Jesus Christ the credit for our prosperity and success, all True Saints should avoid any such expression as "Good luck" from slipping from our mouths, that would give those around us the impression that they should seek something or someone other than the LORD Jesus for True Prosperity and True Success. "I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). Rather, we, of all people, should say, "God bless you" or "God be with you". "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man" (Colossians 4:6). And, since the spirit of gambling is found in any activity that would allow us to be profited only at the expense of our neighbour, let us avoid all "appearance of evil" (1Thessalonians 5:22) by separating ourselves from this antithesis of love. "20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen? 21 And this Commandment have we from Him, that he who loveth God love his brother also" (1John 4:20-21). May we seek to demonstrate by our lives the reality and certainty of the "More Sure Word of Prophecy" (2Peter 1:19) of the LORD Jesus Christ.
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