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Those who love God should never partake in avarice nor covetousness
Praise be to the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth and all that which dwell in it. To God belong all riches and glory and adoration.
There are people who think they have made it in life, apparently. They believe that their material wealth and fortunes is the be all and end all of their life. Little do they care for others, let alone the condition of their own hearts. For their souls are only in a tizzy about aquire more and more riches and still not satisfied with their wealth.
Some of these people then resort to illegal and unethical tactics to get more money for themselves at the cost of the peace and happiness of their friends and family and also their coworkers and servant’s. While the other’s don’t do any evil methods to get more wealth but they do this ethically but in an obsessive manner. So what’s common between the former and latter types of people is both have made gods of their cravings for possessions, the very thing the the Lord Jesus warned his disciples about.
And Jesus said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)
Those who are using wicked ways to illegally get riches will surely fall if not in life then in after life. Scammers once caught are put in jail. More so worse is a massive jail that holds the souls of those whose hearts only served money rather than the Lord God. This is an enternal penitentiary called as the Lake of Fire in which all sinners will be cast into when they’re judged by God!
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him, [saying,] Behold the man that made not God his strength, but put confidence in the abundance of his riches, [and] strengthened himself in his avarice. (Psalm 52:6-7)
The best way to avoid temptation to such excessive greed or avarice is to not associate with people who are into it. If you are in the company of such people they might directly or indirectly into their sinful ways. Beware O believer in Jesus for you have been warned!
But what I meant was that you were not to associate with any one bearing the name of “brother,” if he was addicted to fornication or avarice or idol-worship or abusive language or hard-drinking or greed of gain. With such a man you ought not even to eat. (1 Corinthians 5:11)
Love Jesus Christ more than anything so that keep away from the love of money. For if you continue to hold on to the Lord God then the Lord will continue to abide with you.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)
Christ be with you!
Suggested articles:
Let your conversation be without covetousness
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (Hebrews 13:5-6)
Quick reminder: Beware of all covetousness
And Jesus said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)
The Parable of the Rich Fool (A warning against all covetousness)
“Rembrandt – The Parable of the Rich Fool” by Rembrandt – http://www.uni-leipzig.de : Home : Info : Pic. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
13 Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21)
A sin which many people celebrate openly is the sin of covetousness. You see them in magazines bragging about how many cars and mansions they own. On TV you see celebrities who constantly show off their great wealth, trophy wives (and husbands), their clothes and what not. They try to mask off their pride with the label of being achievers. No problem with mere achievements but the point remains, life doesn’t consist in abundance of possessions. Indeed, where will one take so much wealth if one has to die. Won’t it be as nothing to you once you’re gone away from this world? No man nor woman can take even a pinch of salt once his or her time is up on earth.
Jesus didn’t want to be judge to the man about the division of the inheritance. He knew the heart of all people and knew what mattered most. Notice, he didn’t tell that man to not go for his share of inheritance but rather tried to correct his perspective on gaining possessions. Does the mindset towards wealth or pleasant things matter? Yes, it does affect your moral judgement for better or for worse. Because there are lots of people who have plotted to kill their own parents for mere ounces of gold and silver. For them money was more important than family. Obviously, such killers will have to face judgement for their sins be it by the police or the Day of Judgement by God. You have got to think more about eternity rather that your time in this world which is much shorter than that in eternity.
The Lord Jesus made it clear by the Parable of the Rich Fool which he spoke about, that one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. The rich mentioned in that Parable only sought abundance of grains and goods. He only wished to have a lavish lifestyle for many years to come. Yet in all this he was not rich towards God. He didn’t care for the poor and needy. He didn’t bother about putting some money for maintaining the priests of the Lord God. In all this, that man didn’t consider about when he would die. And suddenly the voice of God rebuked him that since the rich man was going to die that very night, the wealth that he acquired whose it would be? That man’s story ended in tragedy as this parable doesn’t mention about him asking God for a chance to repent. Don’t let this be your story nor your fate. Repent of all covetousness when you have the time. Don’t waste your life in the pursuit of things that you forget about God.
Disciples of hope 