Jesus the Light 26 Godly Work 3
No greedy person – such a person is an idolater – Has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God –Eph.5:5
Coveting wealth and promotion do not make the Lord happy at all. The Scriptures command us to keep our hearts free from these things. Heb.13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. God has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”
Work is what God has given for us to glorify Himself by doing His will on earth as it is in heaven. By working, provision for the basic needs of life is obtained.
The Word of God commands all believers in 1 Thess.4:11,12: “to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.”
Work is not for the purpose of making us rich. It is not to provide many comfortable things for our enjoyment. God’s purpose in putting money into our hands is that we “will be enriched in everything so that you can be generous on every occasion” -2 Cor.9:11.
Through honest labor we will have “something to share with those in need” -Eph.4:28. And “at this present time your abundance will be a supply for their need” -2 Cor.8:14. We are to share with others as a “bountiful gift, and not affected by covetousness” -2 Cor.9:5.
The focus of a real Christian is not upon Self but on the good of others. Phil.2:3,4 says: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty conceit, but with humility of mind value one another as more important than yourselves; do not look out merely for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Greed ruins this purpose of God in our lives. The Word of God strongly warns us against greed and selfish ambition: 1 Tim.6:5-11: “Those who have evil minds and have lost the truth think that serving God is a way to get rich. But godliness with contentment is great gain. If we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with that.
“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, man of God, run away from all those things.”
Money does not corrupt you, but desiring it does. Hear again what this passage has told us: “want to get rich…love of money…longing for it.” These are all matters of the heart. The desire for riches brings condemnation because the heart is now focused on another god: the god of Mammon/Riches. And that idol will destroy you.
The Lord God commands us to be content with having food and covering. Coveting turns the focus of the heart from God and spiritual things to self and the things of this world. The Word of God warns us in Lk.16:13: “You cannot serve God and Mammon [Riches].”
Coveting makes us serve riches rather than the Lord. And when we do, we become idolaters. This is what the Word of God calls this longing after prosperity.
Col.3:5: “Put all evil things out of your life; wanting things that are evil, and greed, which is idolatry.” Eph.5:5: “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Here a greedy person is no different than a fornicator. Both are terrible evils.
No matter what the false preachers of Prosperity have told you, fruitfulness cannot develop in a heart possessed with the desire for wealth. Such longing is referred to as cursed thorns which overtake and destroy the growth of the Word of God in a person.
Mt.13:22: “The deceitfulness of riches choke the Word.” Riches and the longing for them deceive the soul. Many delude themselves thinking they can serve both God and Riches. But that is a lie. Mt.6:24: “No man can serve 2 masters; you cannot serve God and Mammon/Riches.”
Hear this, you false prophets of Prosperity! Prov.21:6 says: “The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vanity of those that seek death.” And your man-made doctrine of Prosperity is surely such a lie.
Jesus sternly warns each and every one in Lk.12:15: “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed.” You may even gain the whole world by your love of money, but you will lose your soul.
Even if you do gain wealth, what have you gotten? Eccl.5:10: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is meaningless.”
Dear Listener, do not be deceived by the GO’s of Greed and the Pastors of Prosperity. They are leading you astray into paths of ruin. Hear well what Prov.22:16 says: “He who oppresses the poor to make much for himself or he who gives to the rich, both alike will come to poverty.”
Coveting leads to dishonesty in order to obtain what the heart is set upon. Wanting to be rich and longing for money have been the destruction of many men.
This evil desire for wealth has led many to the foolish practice of borrowing money when they have no means to repay it. We are not to allow greed to lead us into the evil of indebtedness.
The Word of God forbids this. Rom.13:8: “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.” Our God has promised in Phil.4:19 to: “supply all our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” He has not promised to supply for our greedy desires; and if He has not supplied, it is not a need.
The one who borrows out of his desire for immediate gain rather than patiently waiting upon the Lord to supply his needs will not be blessed. He will find what the Word of God warns us of in Prov.22:7: “The borrower becomes the lender’s slave.”
But the one who lends to a fellow believer is not to take advantage of the one in debt. No, he is not to charge interest, make profit by, or harass the one in his debt. Lev.25:37 says: “You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor your food for gain.”
Jesus says this about lending in Lk.6:34,35: “If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great.”
Believers are not to work with a greedy heart. We are to seek to please the Lord Jesus in all our efforts. It is Him we are serving.
And this we do diligently, honestly, and free from the love of money. This brings glory to God as well as blessing from Him.
Prov.22:1: “A good name is more desirable than great riches, lovingkindness is better than silver or gold.”
May we seek the Lord’s grace to be genuine believers in our homes and at our work, for His Name’s sake.
Copyright 2019 Steve Phillips