Following Balaam’s shameless ways of greed brings “the way of truth into disrepute” -2 Pet.2:2. Even though we’ve been repeatedly warned about the “destructive heresies” -2 Pet.2:1 of these false teachers, we continue to follow.
They continue to demand, and we continue to pay what they insist on. We are as foolish and wicked as these false teachers themselves. Teachers and congregations alike walk in the way of Balaam: the way of greed for self-enrichment.
2 Pet.2:3: “Through greed they will make merchandise of you with false words.” Yet this could never be if we refused to pay what they require. We would never be taken advantage of by false words if we ourselves loved the truth.
But we do not. We love money and thus continue to tithe and give according to demand. We imagine that God must bless us with multiplied financial rewards because we gave according to the law of our self-made religion. But it is not like that at all.
Rather, we fall under the condemnation of 1 Tim.6:5 of those who “think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” This same verse says that it is only those who are “of depraved mind and deprived of the truth” who think this way. This reproves the wayward church of today who gives in the expectation of getting.
It is what Simon the sorcerer did. He gave his money in order to spiritually benefit thereby. He saw what he wanted and brought his offering in order to get it. This is lust.
He thought that if he gave money to Men of God, he would get what he wanted in return. He imagined that if he sowed his “seed of faith,” he could get things from God. If he paid the price, he would obtain the same “prosperity” as the apostles.
Witchcraft employs such methods, but not Christianity. The ministers of today have raised multitudes to follow Simon Magus while quite willingly receiving the money which Peter rejected as unholy. Peter’s rebuke rightly falls upon these sons of Simon as they originally did upon the deluded sorcerer of Samaria.
Acts 8:20-23: “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours.”
It is this shameless and deluded love of money which will condemn Simon and his children of today’s church. 1 Tim.6:9: “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”
The desire for money itself is enough to send this generation of church-goers into everlasting judgment. This verse calls wanting riches, “foolish and harmful lusts.”
With this longing in the heart, already one has fallen. Temptation has overcome you in the snare of “the deceitfulness of riches which choke the Word” -Mt.13:22. No reward awaits you: rather ruin and destruction.
1 Tim.6:10: “The love of money is the root of all evil.” It will cause you to wander away from the faith. This coveting will change you into an idolater, far from being a Christian at all.
Eph.5:5: “This you know with certainty, that no covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”
Lust for money masquerades as giving in the church of our generation. We pretend that we are giving for the glory of God and good of others, but it is really for our own benefit.
Greed has deceived us into thinking that we can give to God as a means of having Him repay us for our “service.” The Word of God absolutely reproves this misguided thinking. Rom.11:35: “Who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?” Job 41:11: “Who has first given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine!”
We want it to be so that God will reward us with treasures upon earth. But Jesus has already warned us not to store up treasures upon earth or long after it. Mt.6:24: “You cannot serve God and Mammon/Riches/Money.”
They are two different gods. There can be no compromise between them. The true and living God calls His servants with a heavenly calling to set their affections on the things above. The god of Mammon leads his slaves to focus on the things below, on self and wealth which ushers them into everlasting ruin.
Nevertheless, we pursue riches as if this was our God-given heritage. But only “a man with an evil eye hastens after wealth” -Prov.28:22. And thus we show who we really are: idolaters [Col.3:5] who serve “the Mammon of unrighteousness” -Lk.16:11, but not the God of heaven.
Jesus’ own words rebuke our lustful giving in order to gain. Acts 20:35: “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Acts 2:45: “They began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all as anyone might have need.”
Love does what no system or law can do. It makes self-centered men gladly abandon their own interests and comforts for the good of others. Love leads to selflessness. Nothing but love can produce such results.
2 Cor.8:1-5: “Now brethren we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their generosity.
“For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints.
“And this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.”
Several things are to be noted about these loving brethren.
[1] It was the work of God’s grace in their hearts that made them give as they did. Paul himself was amazed at this gracious work of love which went beyond his own expectations.
[2] They did not give out of a sense of obligation. No law prompted their actions. No command from the apostle compelled them with a sense of duty.
[3] Tithing had nothing to do with their generosity. Ten percent of their deep poverty would never have even approached the amount that they freely gave. If tithing were their standard, they would have given far less than they did.
[4] Their love could not be discouraged or turned aside. Love made them insistent on giving from their own accord.
[5] They did not give because the economy was good. Neither the amount of money in their hand nor their own level of comfort determined how they gave.
[6] Gladness and joy flowed from their heart for the great privilege of helping others. It was the kind of giving that God loves.
[7] Complete devotion to the Lord Jesus and His people was the underlying source of their sacrifice. Love motivated all.
The Macedonians were full of the love that gives. The people of God were blessed because of it. They themselves were blessed and the Father in heaven was delighted and glorified. That is how it should be.
Copyright Steve Phillips 2020