Mark, true the stock market can be gambling to some.
greed, pride, lust for power and all.
but, investing and buying and selling is scriptural.
Even the perfect wife described in proverbs 31 went out and bought land and sold it and with her profit bot something else.
In mat 25 ..the parable of the talents.
Jesus describes a story of a servant who was given 5 talents.
He immediately bot and sold something for 5 talents more and likewise the servant with 2 talents did the same. The moral of the parable was not to invest and produce was the sin since the servant who hid his money in the ground was chided.
Buying a good company and investing in it is scriptural. I can name 100's of scriptures.
But, in all things we should ask God what to invest in and what to do with the proceeds.
The way I invest and the council I get from the Holy Spirit has allowed churches to be built all over the world.
But, then I don't love money and I obey with what he tells me to do with the profit.
Lastly, a person doesn't have to have money to love money.
And, it's the love of money that is the root of all evil.."NOT MONEY ITSELF".
I actually don't judge christians so I make no statements at all in that regard.
But, I do evaluate things and when I look at a person I don't count money for anything in their relationship with the Lord.
The poorest person in the world can love God and people and obey.
But, just becasue they have money I don't hold that against them either. What they do with the money and their obedience to the Master
is how a person lives or dies.
God doesn't have money flow out of ATM's to get His work done on earth. He can but He deosn't choose to do it that way.
He gives people ideas and commands and with that they will profit.
But, He knows their heart and if money makes them stumble then God is careful about how big the blessing is.
So, I argue that your statement is correct. If you are using the market to go to Las Vegas..that's wrong. But, investing in solid compnaies and reaping the returns and doing His will with those returns is not gambling.
In gambling their is chance. and if you are in Las Vegas the rules are stacked against you.
Researching and investing on that research especially if the Holy Spirit is involve will produce results every time.
As to margin....I'm confused at why that is in your post.
If you beleive that to buy a stock in compaq computer is wrong than what does margin have to do with it.
Please accept these statements from a humble servant. You asked for other opinions in your post. I don't think you were trying to dictate or force with your post.
I would be more concerned with a person's heart and what they did with their money as long as they obtain the money scripturally.
Investing is scriptural.. if you have a job somewhere you are supported by the stock market. if you don't have a job that is in that line then you pbuy prodcuts supported by the stock market..
a TV ,a car, house , apartment, something....
W/O the market then it wouldn't exist. So, you cannot blame the market system as evil if you purchase any pordcut that is the fruit of that market system.
I guess if you make everything yourself and live in a cave ..you
can say you don't partiscipate in the market<g> |
