Is gambling cute or “innocent fun”? Look at what was happening at the foot of the Cross while Jesus is giving His life for these very sins in John 19:23-24:
“When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things.”**
These soldiers threw dice to see who gain Jesus’ clothing. This was common in that day for soldiers to receive the clothes as compensation since clothes were very expensive in that day. This was a small benefit to their job.
A beaten, dying, innocent man’s clothes are up for grabs to the lucky roller. If only these soldiers knew that the clothing they REALLY needed from Christ was spiritual clothing: to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ through repentance and faith!
The filthy rags that we bring to Christ are cast off and replaced by the righteousness of Christ when cry out for mercy for our sins and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Guess what? That new garment is free and cannot be earned nor can you roll the dice to receive it. It’s a free, gracious gift to lost, sinful souls of mankind.
**- The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (electronic ed.) . Good News Publishers: Wheaton.
-Mark (thankful that the Lord now sees me as righteous but only because of Christ Jesus – it’s His garb that I now wear)