Peter Witkowski Apologetics, Discipleship

Young Men Don’t Surrender to Madness of Gambling

Young men do not allow the gambling platforms targeting March Madness to drive you into the madness of sports gambling and prediction markets. They promise that their platforms will transform your sports knowledge into the cash needed to live out your fantasies and to provide for your family. They encourage risk which appeals to your impulses to lead while promising you security which appeals to your more rational side. Even if you lose that first bet, many apps will refund your bad decisions with in-app credits. In other words, follow the adrenaline and pursue the cash because you have nothing to lose…well, almost nothing.

The Spiritual Cost

In reality, the apps will cost you your soul. Life is not found in securing quickly gotten fortunes but in obedience to the word of God. Jesus calls young men and all others not to lay up “treasures for yourself on earth…but lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be (Matt. 6:19-21).” The faithful man pursues not wealth that perishes but holiness, which last for eternity. Those who get this wrong – even if they attain wealth – will lose their contentment, their happiness and their soul. King Solomon warned his sons to be wary of covetousness and greed warning them, “Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors (Prov 1:19).”

No Work Around

Now some young men will seek to squeeze past Jesus’ teachings with appeals to altruism. They gamble not for themselves but for others. They are placing those $500 bets because they want to buy a new home for their wife or to free their parents from the oppressive weight of their student loans. They are not pursuing greed for greed sake but for the sake of loving others.

Though such ideas glimmer with propriety, they still reside outside the bounds of Scripture. To gamble is to earn income apart from work. When the young man receives his gambling payout, he has not produced one of those widgets from economics 101 or any other good or service. He has not created a pizza for his neighbor, produced a report that helps his company adjust their production numbers, or transferred the knowledge of the multiplication tables to his third-grade class. In placing online bets, young men seek gain apart from all those things…apart from the hard work of studying books, twisting bolts, and crunching numbers. Though our society glorifies such ill-gotten gains, the Scriptures warn young men to avoid that which costs them nothing. Proverbs 20:21 proclaims, “An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.”

Moreover, the mindset of gain that chases wealth apart from work has, either knowingly or unknowingly, embraced a hope that runs counter to the hope of Christ. Those who chase easy money believe that money can heal their heart and wash away their sins. They think their earnings will lead to less stress, which in turn will lead to better test scores or to a better relationship with their young wife. But such hopes will always disappoint for they lead away from the light of Christ. Jesus warns: “If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness (Matt 6:22).” As Jesus concludes in Matthew 6:24: “You cannot serve God and money.”

Even if you win your millions, you will ultimately lose. The influx of cash will not change, but exacerbate the selfishness that led you to waste m and to fight with your parents or your bride. You will just do so wearing nicer clothes or living in a nicer home.  As Jesus notes in Matthew 16:26: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

The Financial Cost

And most of you will not gain the whole world. The gambling and prediction market apps can afford to refund that first loss because they know an overwhelming majority of bettors will never ultimately win. According to a study from the University of California only 4% of gamblers earn a net profit.

The other 96% lose their hard-earned money. A U.S. news report found that the majority of gamblers (66%) wager $100 or more a month and that 27% wager $500 dollars or more a month. Those losses often reverberate through the gambler’s life. More than 30% of online gamblers carry debt because of their bets.  A quarter (25%) of them have missed a bill payment because of their bets and a quarter (25%) of them now worry that they have become the slave of the app that was supposed to liberate them from financial troubles. In short, those apps will happily cover the young man’s first loss because they apps know that the odds of that the young man become a lifetime loser are in their favor. This is why those running the apps can afford a suite at the Super Bowl and their clients cannot.

Flee the Apps

Young man, flee from gambling apps and prediction markets that seek to entice your souls. Though the apps promise you the glories of this world, they will not give – but take. What Solomon says of the adulterous woman in Proverbs readily applies to the gambling apps seeking to get space on your phones, “For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword (Prov 5:4).” Young man do not follow the gambling apps to your earthly ruin and to your spiritual death. Close your ears to their cries, do not give them access to your phone, and do give them your hard-earned money. Flee from them.  

Determine now to acquire wealthy justly and honestly through the godly means of hard work. Slowly and faithfully expand your bank account through plumbing buildings, producing reports, and earning degrees and certificates that will lead to more opportunities for more promotion and gain. As Proverbs 13:11 notes: “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” Gain wealth little by little.

Godly Adrenaline

Lastly, prove your manliness not through foolish risks shaped by ill-gotten gain but through taking biblical risks shaped around a love of the Lord and others. Endure the teasing of those who mock you for passing on the next adventure so that you can save for your first apartment or home. Embrace the possibility of rejection and pursue and then marry a godly woman. Then, invite the challenges and blessing of children into that marriage. Risk becoming more involved in your church and bearing the burden of your brothers and sisters in Christ. Venture past the limits of social convention and share the gospel with a coworker and lovingly confront a friend over his sin. Take a chance and pursue political office to promote the flourishing of your neighbors. In other words,  chase the adrenaline rush that comes with securing heavenly and avoid those that will fade with the playing of “One Shining Moment.”

Final Thoughts

Young men, the betting apps and prediction markets are calling to you. Guard your life and soul. Do not surrender to the madness of ill-gotten gain which leads to death. Layup for yourself treasures in heaven.  

Peter Witkowski Apologetics

Would Jesus Protest Cities Church?

The videos of protesters storming into Cities Church in Minneapolis with whistles, curses, and chants of “Ice Out” has raised all kinds of legal questions and one important theological question: would Jesus approve of this church storming?

Scriptural Support?

Seeking to justify the actions of the protesters, several social media theologians and personalities have referenced the time when Jesus’ flipped over tables in the temple. The gospel of Matthew provides the following summary of that event: “And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. (21:12).” These commentators equate the protesters’ belligerence that left children in tears with Jesus’ smashing of pigeon cages.

Were the Protesters Justified?

While Jesus’ actions in the temple were unquestionably disruptive and angered the self-righteous leaders of the temple, thoughtful readers will look beyond the action in an effort to discern their purpose. Jesus did not advocate for disruption for disruption’s sake. He had more non-violent interactions with the temple and other places of worship (shaped by dialogue, Scripture readings, and sermons) than violent.  When Jesus did breakout the whip, he did so not to prevent worship but to prevent others from preventing worship. Jesus offers the following commentary on his actions, “He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers (Matt 21:13).” He cleansed the temple because he longed for the temple to proclaim the glory of the Lord so that all the nations might worship him and spirit and truth. Any spiritual practice that runs contrary to the worship of Jesus (even if profitable and sanctioned by someone with reverend before his or her name) was to be purged from places of worship.  

Even if you grant that one cannot be an ICE Agent and a Christian (which I do not – the Scriptures permit men to defend the state – see Lk 3:14), the one thing he would need most would be the worship of this church which transforms people more into God’s image.

In other words, Jesus would not have joined these protesters as they brought and end to true worship for the sake of a political point. Jesus would have support those who shared his vision for spiritual worship and were “teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Col 3:16).”

In short, Matthew 21:12-13 condemns the protesters’ harassment of Cities Church. And the passage will also condemn any future protest of a local church that seeks to worship the one true, and triune God in accordance with Jesus’ teaching.

I share the pastor of Cities Church – Jonathan Parnell- assessment of the protest: “This is shameful.”

Peter Witkowski Apologetics, Discipleship, Pain & Suffering

How Amos Helps to Shape the Christian Response to Wicked-on-Wicked Violence

When the world of sin and darkness turns in upon itself producing horrific results, Christians should neither rejoice nor participate in such evil. Rather, they should call both those attacking and those being attacked to repentance.

Two Nations Steeped in SIn

In Amos 2, the Old Testament prophet declares that the nation of “Moab shall die amid the uproar, amid the shouting and the sound of the trumpet (2:2).” The prophet’s listeners would have readily assented to Moab’s judgement. Moab which came into existence through incest (Gen 19:36-38) was forever and always at odds with Israel. They hired Balaam of talking donkey fame to curse the Jews as they entered the promise land (albeit unsuccessfully) and kept up the attacks long after Israel became a nation. One of Israel’s first judges, Ehud, famously delivered Israel from Moabite rule when he thrust a sword into the Moabite king who was so fat that “the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade (Jg. 3:22).

Though God’s declarations of doom against Moab were rather standard affairs by the end of the Judean empire, God’s justification for punishing the Moabites would have surprised Amos’ original audience. This time Moab will be destroyed for their sins against other sinners. Amos predicts that Moab will be burned with fire because it “burned to lime the bones of the King of Edom (Amos 2:1).”

Like Moab, Edom excels at persecuting the Jews. Amos chapter one records that the nation of Edom had partnered with Philistia and Tyre to betray and enslave God’s people (Amos 1:6, 9). Next, Edom took up arms and violently pursued the Jews to whom they were distantly related. The Edomites lacked compassion, loved evil, and delighted in opposing God and terrorizing the Jews. According to the prophet Ezekiel, the descendants of Esau rejoiced “over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate (Ez 35:15).” Because of Edom’s sins, Amos reports that God “will send a fire upon Teman and it shall devour the strongholds of Bozrah (Amos 1:12).” As the prophet Joel notes, the cities of Edom would become in-turn “a desolate wilderness (Joel 3:19).” The prophet Obadiah concurs writing of Edom that it “shall be as though they never had been (Ob 16).

In short, Amos has declared that God will judge the wicked nation of Moab for having abused the wicked nation of Edom. The sin of one nation or people against another person or nation (regardless of how wicked said person or nation is) is never excusable. The Lord who rules over all will hold all to account for their sins, irrespective of their victim’s merits.

Lesson’s From The Fallen

Amos’ prophecy reveals that the proper response to Moab’s vengeance and Edom’s calamity is not rejoicing but warning. When false churches burn down, when cult leaders are murdered, or when one war lord is violently dismembered by another war lord, Christians should not sin against their enemies through misplaced rejoicing, a neglect of justice, or participation in said sins. Christians should not berate the followers of cults on X as they grieve the deaths of their loved ones. They should not turn a blind eye to the brother who murders an abortion doctor. And, they should not join those rioting because they disagree with a court’s unjust verdict. The sins of others never excuse or justify new sins, especially the sins of God’s people.

When Christians see a Muslim attacking a Buddhist, they should lovingly call both groups to repentance. They should call the one sinning to repent for God will judge their sins and hates their violence. And they should call the one being sinned against to repentance. While the attacked will not be judged for their attacker’s sins, they will still die for their sins…for their idolatry, cruel words, and rejection of the Bible. An even greater and more perfect judgement awaits all of humanity regardless of whether they are suffering or cause suffering. Anyone not covered in the saving blood of Jesus will spend eternity in hell. The suffering of the wicked should not move Christians to mock and attack the wicked when they hurt. Rather it should drive them to once again to lovingly call their lost neighbors and family members to repent lest they die.

The Wider Discussion

This response to the suffering of the wicked extends beyond Amos, aligning with the broader witness of Scripture. According to the Old Testament, God not only judges the wicked, he longs to see them saved. Decades after Amos had receded into the background, the prophet Ezekiel declared, “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live (Ez 33:11)”

Such sentiments also align with the witness of the New Testament. When Jesus was asked about the horrific deaths of the Galileans who had their blood mixed with the blood of animals, the Messiah turned the conversation towards repentance, declaring, “but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Lk 13:3). Similarly, Jesus continues to delay the final judgment and the recreation of the universe because as the apostle Peter notes in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” While God often uses one wicked nation or person to justly punish the wickedness of another nation or person, the Lord never delights in their sorrow. He desires to see all repent.

Conclusion

When Christians see the wicked attacking the wicked, they should not rejoice in the suffering of the wicked nor share in such sins. God does not rejoice in the calamity of the wicked. Those who faithfully follow the Lord Jesus Christ will use such moments to spread the gospel and to call those walking in darkness to embrace the light of Jesus. They will love their enemies.