Money is not evil, but the love for money is evil, is quoted by many Christians. It sounds so pious and of course it is true, because the Bible says in 1 Timothy 6:10, that the love of money is the root of all evil. 그렇지만, do these words come from a righteous heart that belongs to Jesus or from a corrupt heart that is selfish and belongs to the mammon? Because many times, these words are used by Christians to cover up their love for money and their covetousness and desire for riches. What does the Bible say about the love for money and the desire for riches? What happens when money becomes your god?
What does the Bible say about the love for money?
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:6-12)
안으로 1 Timothy 6:1-10, Paul warned Timothy of false teachers, who taught another doctrine, contrary to his doctrine and the wholesome words, even the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the teaching which is according to godliness. These false teachers considered godliness as a way of gain.
Peter also warned of false teachers, who would bring in damnable heresies and through covetousness with feigned words make merchandise of the believers (2 베드로 2:1-4).
But Paul said, that those, who will be rich shall fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have been led astray from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Unfortunately, many Christians have ignored this warning and have been deceived by false doctrines, which derived from covetousness (greed) and focus on (fulfilling) the lusts and desires of the carnal man and earthly prosperity.
Because of these false doctrines, many Christians have been deceived and have come under the control of the mammon. They have a love for money and are controlled by greed, whereby they are never satisfied and never have enough but keep lusting for more money.
Everything revolves around money in their lives. And to get more money, they use prayers and the words of God for their carnal lusts and desires and apply soulish manipulative methods in the spiritual realm to get money and draw the riches of this world to them, just like those, who belong to the world and the ruler of this world, the devil and don’t know God.
By faith in their thoughts, words, and methods they receive what they want. 그렇지만, because they are carnal they don’t know that by applying these deceptive methods and participating in occult practices, they also open the gates for the darkness and not only receive earthly riches, but also corruption and mischief of the world (또한 읽어보세요: 인생은 자기충족적 예언인가??)
돈이 신이 될 때, you can’t serve God
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (매튜 6:19-21)
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (매튜 6:24)
Jesus warned many times about the danger of love for money and the deceitfulness of riches. Jesus said, among others, that you can’t serve two masters. Because you will either hate the one and love the other or you will hold to one and despise the other. 그러므로, you can’t serve God and mammon.
그렇지만, many preachers say the opposite and claim that you can love both and serve both.
And because many Christians believe the words of preachers above the words of Jesus, they believe this lie and walk in this lie and have a love for money and are focused on money and put their trust in money, just like the world (또한 읽어보세요: Why the prosperity gospel is preached?).
돈이 신이 될 때, you shall trust in money instead of God
Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
And He (예수) said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses (루크 12:15)
But the Word says, that you shouldn’t trust in money, but you should trust in God. Money is a tool on earth and should remain a tool and must not become a god in the lives of Christians.
그렇지만, many Christians rely more on money than God, just like the world.
Maybe money has great value on earth, but money has no value in God’s Kingdom.
You can’t buy access to God’s Kingdom, nor buy the things of God’s Kingdom.
In contrary to the people on earth, God is not for sale and you can’t impress God with money and/or bribe God with money. And the Holy Spirit is also not for sale (루크 12:15-21, 행위 8:17-24).
Only Jesus Christ can save and keep you. His blood can cleanse you from all your sins and iniquities and justify you and reconcile you with God. Only through Jesus Christ you can enter the Kingdom of God and receive the Holy Spirit.
And as long as you put your trust in Jesus and obey Him and keep His commandments, you will stand and remain saved (또한 읽어보세요: What are the commandments of God and the commandments of Jesus?).
Jesus commanded the church in Laodicea to repent
That’s why Jesus commanded the church in Laodicea to repent. The church was very prosperous and wealthy and trusted in his riches. The church had need of nothing. Although, that’s what the church thought.
In the eyes of people, the church was wealthy, prosperous, and considered blessed by God. 그렇지만,, in God’s eyes, the church was not blessed, wealthy, and prosperous at all, but lukewarm, whereby Jesus spewed the church out of His mouth, and wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Jesus counseled the church to buy of Him gold refined in the fire, so that they would become rich, and white raiment, so that they would be clothed and cover the shame of their nakedness, and anoint their eyes with eyesalve, so that they would see (시현 3:14-22).
Everyone, who trusts in money and the riches of this world shall be deceived.
돈이 신이 될 때, you shall leave the straight ways of God
When money becomes your god and your love for money is greater than your love for God, you shall be tempted to leave the straight ways of God and enter the corrupt ways of the world.
Because the way the world operates is often tempting and promising
If the love for money controls your life, you shall lie, cheat, and withhold things to earn more. Maybe you shall do undeclared work, creative accounting, steal, commit fraud, evade taxes and regulations, and compromise with evil to fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
Because of that you shall leave the straight way of God and enter the crooked way of the world and exchange good for evil.
And to ease your conscious that silently accuses you in the background (and maybe even the people, who are witnesses of your evil works), you shall come up with all kinds of excuses, arguments, and lies and play the victim to approve your evil behavior and wicked works and to exonerate yourself from evil.
But it doesn’t matter how many arguments you use, you shall never succeed in making evil good. Because to God everything is settled forever. And what is settled with God forever is settled in everyone’s conscious.
Because since the fall of man, every person has knowledge of good and evil. Therefore no one can provide a valid excuse for evil behavior and the justification of wickedness (또한 읽어보세요: Can you use the broken world as an excuse?).
God sees everything. He sees the heart and the evil that derives from an evil heart. He sees how people reject the Word of God by doing evil and putting Jesus to an open shame (또한 읽어보세요: 당신은 예수를 다시 십자가에 못 박고 공개적으로 수치를 줄 수 있습니까??).
People can say they are Christians and believe and testify of Jesus, but the testimony of their works proves whether they belong to God and are born of Him and whether they love Jesus and follow Him or not.
돈이 신이 될 때, the words of God shall choke in your life
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful (표시 4:18-19)
In the parable of the sower Jesus revealed again the danger and the consequences of the love for money and the deceitfulness of riches.
Jesus said, that the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the words of God.
Believers can hear and receive the words of God, but if the cares (the distractions) of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of all other things, control their lives, the words of God shall choke and become unfruitful in the lives of believers (또한 읽어보세요: The four kinds of believers)
돈이 신이 될 때, the words of God shall be used for gain and the believers as merchandise
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest (Micah 3:11-12)
When Christians have a love for money, they shall use the gospel and the words of God and prayer solemnly as a tool to become wealthy.
Preachers, who have a love for money are led by a spirit of greed and focus on gain. They misuse the gospel for the enrichment of themselves.
They consider the faith as a business, and the church as a company, and the believers as merchandise.
Their mission is not the saving and the keeping of souls, though most of them say they do, but their mission is profit maximization (오. 스 겔 22:27, 2 베드로 2:1-4 (또한 읽어보세요: Are souls saved, fed and tended in church?).
To accomplish their mission, they rely on their own human wisdom, insight, and ability and use the knowledge and wisdom of the world.
They don’t focus on Jesus and His will, but on the will, needs, and desires of people and respond to it.
And so they give the church a modern makeover, so that the interior of the church becomes more appealing to the senses of the (carnal) man. They adjust the church service and sermons to the will and desires of man and what people want to hear. And they organize pleasant activities and trips, to attract and keep as many people as possible. Because more people means more money and therefore more gain.
By using begging techniques, they pull on the emotions of church visitors to collect as much money as possible. Because these (carnal) preachers don’t rely on God that He will provide, but they rely on people, who must provide money for them (또한 읽어보세요: Money, 돈, 돈).
Prophets prophesy for money
There are many carnal apostles, 선지자, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, who are always looking for an angle and only preach, pray, prophecy, and teach for money. They don’t take action before they see money. But such apostles, 선지자, evangelists, pastors, and teachers don’t know God and are not standing in His service.
If prophets prophecy for money, then they are not prophets but fortunetellers, who also only predict the future for money.
The sad thing is, that many Christians believe this insanity and spend (much) money on these false prophets to receive a prophecy for their lives.
Many Christians pay for prayer, prophecy, anointing oil, holy water, 등. (또한 읽어보세요: Are God’s people destroyed for a lack of knowledge?)
돈이 신이 될 때, you shall not tithe and give offerings
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in ine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts (Malachi 3:8-11)
돈이 신이 될 때, you shall no longer give. You shall no longer pay tithes and offerings and remember the poor. But because you are led by greed, you shall keep your income for yourself and enrich yourself.
Many times the argument is used that Christians don’t live under the law in the Old Covenant anymore. Therefore Christians are not required to tithe and give offerings. But this argument is contrary to their other confessions. Since people like Abraham and Solomon and Scriptures from the Old Testament are constantly used and cited to condone their greed and love for money and their focus on wealth. This may be used and cited to receive money from God, but the words of God may not be used for giving to God.
The receiving part still applies, but the giving part is outdated and no longer applicable to the new man, who lives in the New Covenant?
We indeed don’t live under the law of Moses. But before the law of Moses, Abraham and many others gave a tenth of their income and the firstlings of their profit out of gratitude to God. They didn’t have to tithe but they wanted to tithe and did tithe.
By giving they yielded themselves to God and acknowledged God as the God and Lord of their lives and their Provider.
Money was not important, but God was important to them, which they showed by their works
Should Christians tithe to the church?
Christians don’t have to tithe to the church, because everything is of God. This is another argument that is based on the first church and cited by many Christians to not have to tithe and give offerings. But the people, who say these pious words often give less than 1 percent (행위 4:32-37).
It’s remarkable, how many Scriptures are taken out of context and how many excuses and arguments are used and cited by Christians to back out of their obligations and responsibilities.
When someone refuses to tithe and give offerings, it says more about the person than the words of the person.
If Christians weren’t led by the love for money and greed, but by the Holy Spirit, they would tithe and give offerings, and many churches would not have financial problems and lay waste and are leased or sold to worldly bodies (agencies, organizations).
Everyone, both poor and rich, should at least give a tenth of their income out of love and gratitude towards God, not because they have to but because they want to.
예, even someone, who doesn’t receive much and maybe struggles to make ends meet. That person should definitely give, so that by his or her deed the person shows, that he or she is thankful and trusts in God and not in his or her money. God shall see it and provides, because God is a Provider to those who love Him and fear Him and therefore obey His words and apply His words in their lives.
The poor widow in the temple, who gave everything she had, showed by her deed how much she loved God and how much God was worth to her, namely everything (표시 12:43-44, 루크 21:1-4).
돈이 신이 될 때, you shall deny Jesus
Unlike Jude, one of Jesus’ disciples. Jude had a love for money and this love controlled his life. His love for money was greater than his love for Jesus.
Because his love for money was greater than his love for Jesus, Jude betrayed Jesus and sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver to the religious leaders of the House of Israel.
Jude thought his deed would make him rich and happy, but Jude was deceived.
His love for money and his resulting deed brought Jude no gain at all. But his corrupt deed, which derived from his corrupt heart, led Jude to death.
돈이 신이 될 때, you shall deceive the Holy Spirit
This was also the case with Ananias and Saffira, who were members of the first church. They had repented (for the eyes of people) and baptized and apparently, the apostles had laid their hands on them for the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
But the love for money reigned in their hearts and controlled the lives of Ananias and Saphira, whereby satan had power over their lives.
Ananias and Saphira were led by greed and thought they could deceive the Holy Spirit and therefore they lied to the Holy Spirit. Because they didn’t know God and didn’t fear the Lord, they thought they could get away with their lie and enrich themselves. But their deed didn’t profit them anything, but let them to death (행위 5:1-11)
돈이 신이 될 때, you shall not be able to resist the mark
And just like Jude, Ananias, and Saphira, there are many Christians whose love for money is bigger than their love for Jesus, whereby satan rules in their hearts and has power over their lives.
And because they have a love for money and their love for money is greater than their love for God the Father, Jesus the Son, 그리고 성령, they shall not be able to resist the mark that will come (시현 13:16-17).
They shall not be able to stay faithful to Jesus and keep standing in the faith in obedience to the words of God, Who has warned through the Word and revealed the consequences, but they shall succumb under the pressure of the world and the antichrist.
There are Christians, who think they can get the mark and repent afterward, so that they won’t be rejected by the world and excluded from society, but neither be rejected by God on the Day of Judgment and excluded from the new heaven and the new earth and cast into the eternal lake of fire.
They want to be a friend of the world and a friend of God. But that’s impossible!
Whosoever wants to be a friend of the world and belong to the world shall take the mark of the beast and remain part of society and live prosperous without persecution.
But those, who are a friend of God and belong to Jesus and are led by the Holy Spirit, they shall refuse the mark with all its consequences.
The choice you make depends upon the love that rules in your heart and reigns in your life.
Let not money become your god, but let Jesus be your God
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.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (히브리서 13:5 ESV)
그러므로 (if applicable), repent and let money no longer be your god. Don’t be led by covetousness (greed) and the deceitfulness of riches, but let Jesus be the God of your life and be led by the Holy Spirit and be satisfied. Because godliness with contentment is great gain.
Let Jesus be the love of your life instead of money
Put your trust in Jesus and follow Him and build yourself up in your most holy faith, so that you spiritually mature and become spiritually strong, so that you will be able to see the deceptions of the world and be able to resist the temptations, oppression, and persecution of the world and the mark of the beast. And just like Jesus, you shall not bow to the ruler of this world, satan, and he shall have nothing in you, but you shall keep standing on the Word and stay faithful to Jesus until the end.
'세상의 소금이 되어라’
