35  

Chapter 3  God & Greed In a 1987 movie, “Wall Street,” the “ruthless stockbroker guru,” Gordon Gekko, in an address to Teldar Paper stockholders, says: The point, ladies and gentlemen, is that greed … is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms … has marked the upward surge of mankind. Greed is no game “Greed” was the name of an America TV game show. The players openly admitted to being greedy. At different points in the game, they were given opportunities to eliminate (“terminate”) each other from the team, in an effort to increase their own personal share of the winnings.

  36  

But you don’t have to be a contestant in a TV game show to display your greed. In the “game” of life, you have endless daily opportunities to show whether you are greedy or generous. Anatomy of greed Isn't it odd that I can be indwelled by the Spirit of Christ, be possessed by his thinking and feeling, and still be covetous? Shouldn't born-of-the-Spirit believers be the most charitable people in the world? It depends, of course, on which nature (the old or the new) is controlling my life. A Christian who is motivated by greed instead of by generosity is clearly out of character. Yet, in the lives of too many of God's children, covetousness is the main obstacle to liberated, joyful, generous living. This severely impedes God's great goal for our mortal bodies and for our immortal souls. A big part of the problem is that we see other people’s greed but not our own. The words greedy or covetous can mean the carnal or unjust pursuit of money and material assets. But covetousness can also be the unethical and immoral craving to possess a certain person, position, power or property. Covetousness is sinful self's shortsighted striving to fulfill its desires by any means. Basically, though, greed is a person's preoccupation with trying to please oneself rather than God. At heart, this is self-gratification, which does not put God first, nor does it care for others as much as for itself. Don’t covet: it’s The Law! God even has a explicit commandment for covetous people (See Exodus 20). It is the last (tenth) commandment but not necessarily the least, because the preceding nine may depend on it for their success or failure. After Jesus related the story of the unjust steward in the 16th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, the writer says in verse 14: "The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus." It‘s easy to spot a money-loving church member. The brother or sister criticizes the fund-raising efforts of the pastor ("he's always asking for money"), and finds fault with the financial needs of a mission or a missionary. The financial needs of the church are someone else’s responsibility and concern – not mine. And if this stingy saint does drop anything in the offering plate, it’s done grudgingly and only in token amounts. Or it’s done to impress others. Judas Iscariot criticized Mary (Martha’s sister) for “wasting” expensive perfume on Jesus, "... because he [Judas] was a thief; as keeper of the moneybag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:6). Today, there are endless ways to steal from Jesus.* Is it hard for you to love the Lord your God with all of your being, and your neighbor as yourself? Maybe unrecognized, unconfessed covetousness is the culprit.

  37  

Get past the thinking that says, “Well, after all, it is my money!” It isn’t your money. You and everything you have is the Lord’s. You are only the manager, not the owner. One day, you will give him an account for what you did with the life he entrusted to you. That includes all the abilities and resources you possess. Covetousness: in the beginning and in the end Covetousness is one of the things that first got Adam and Eve in trouble with God. They wanted something God said they couldn't have. Their latent egocentricity cost them their happy habitat but, more importantly, they forfeited their unique union with God. (Consequently, subsequent generations inherited that ruptured relationship with their Maker.) Not only did covetousness contribute to humanity's introductory sin (disobedience), it was behind Israel's first recorded sin in the Promised Land. Remember how Achan coveted and took the divinely cursed gold and silver of Jericho? It is interesting that God did not say to Joshua, "Achan has sinned" but "Israel has sinned." They were one big family, and all of them had to suffer because of the avarice and disobedience of one member of that "household." Apostle Paul says of the Body of Christ, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it..." (1 Corinthians 12:26). What affects one member affects all members. Joshua said to Achan, "Why have you troubled us? [brought trouble upon us; why have you become a troublemaker?] The Lord shall trouble you this day [shall make trouble for you today]." In that particular situation God, in his anger, saw to it that covetousness was punished without delay.

Achan For his own good reasons, God does not act as drastically today as he did with and his family in the Old Testament (See Joshua, chapter 7) and with Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament (See Acts, chapter 5). Instead, he suffers, lets us suffer, lets his work suffer, because of the Ananiases and Sapphiras among us. But, he will deal with all of us individually at the Judgment Seat of Christ, according to our attitude toward money and our financial input into his church and his worldwide mission. Who are the Ananiases and Sapphiras of our day? They are the avaricious Christians who lie to the church - explicitly or implicitly - about what they did or are doing for God. When we lie to the church about what we do for God, we are really lying to the Holy Spirit. We lie to the Holy Spirit when we say we have little or nothing to give to God's work but have money stored in a bottle, a bag, a bank or in something more sophisticated and remote. If we know we are dishonest about our finances before the church, we can be sure the Holy Spirit, too, knows it. God sees through people today as he did in the days of Ezekiel (33:31): "With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain." "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money [greedy], boastful, proud...ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control...not lovers of the good...conceited,

  38  

lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). God's grief with greed "Then all Israel stoned him (Achan); and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them...Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger" (Joshua 7:25,26). "I was enraged by his [Israel's] sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger..." (Isaiah 57:17). There are few sins that God hates as much as avarice, not only because it does not reflect his gracious, generous character but also because it has eternal consequences, in terms of a person's destination (heaven or hell), position, responsibility, inheritance, investment (treasure) and reward in heaven. "For because of such things [greed] God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 5:6). God is very angry with you if you are not generous with the money he has entrusted to you. And he will punish you accordingly. Covetous Christians and other sordid sinners "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity" (Romans 1:29). Have you ever heard of a church expelling and isolating a member because s/he was greedy? "I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat…Expel the wicked man from among you" (I Corinthians 5:11,13). Sounds like harsh treatment, until you realize what a deterrent and detriment greedy members are to the rest of the body and the cause of Christ. Unless they change, the Body of Christ is much better off without them. Covetousness is completely opposite to God's generous, giving personality. It was Satan who brought out the inert covetousness in Adam and Eve. To this day, he continues to use this approach, because it works. The devil wants people to reflect his character. When he was still Lucifer (“shining one”), he got into serious trouble with his creator because he coveted something that was not lawful: to exalt his throne above the stars of El (God), to be like Elyon (the most High). (See Isaiah 14:12-14.) I believe the Lord is unhappy and even angry about the widespread deficiency of discipline in his churches. This stems from lack of conviction, good example, teaching and appropriate action on the part of spiritual leadership. The Lord will hold church leaders responsible for such detrimental negligence. But, whether or not you have been told about the perils of avarice, I feel obligated to tell you. It is my duty to draw your attention to the perpetual blessings of benevolence and the eternal curse of covetousness. You have been redeemed (bought) by God for a great price and, as I’ve already quoted Scripture -- you are not your own. The property, possessions and money

  39  

you think are yours are actually his. Everything you are and have belongs entirely to the Lord. God gives and maintains all physical life. Your brain, your hands, would not work without God. All your abilities and skills are God-given – for his use and for his glory. Only eternal life is a gift; earthly life is a trust (an assignment). If you are a good and faithful manager for your Lord, he will certainly commend and reward you. If you are an irresponsible servant, you will definitely be censured and punished. Fortunately, it’s not too late for you to turn your life around. But you have no time to lose. Take action today! It’s in your Lord’s main interests, but it’s also in your own best interests. The curse of covetousness There will be no greedy people in heaven. “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..." (Ephesians 5:5). On the contrary, greedy people will experience the wrath of God. (v. 6) "They know God's righteous decree that those who do such things [depravity and greed] deserve death..." (Romans 1:32). The consequences of covetousness "A greedy man brings trouble to his family..." (Proverbs 15:27). There is something very deceptive, dangerous and destructive about love of money and wealth. “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep” (verse 12). (My wife’s parents didn’t lose any money in the Great (Wall Street) Crash of 1929 because they had no money to lose.) “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1Timothy 6:9 -10). Because of these things [the idolatry of greed], the wrath of God is coming" (Colossians 3:6). Covetousness: caution and counsel "Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain" (Psalm 119:36).

  40  

"But among you [children of light] there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people" (Ephesians. 5:3. Emphasis added). Not even a hint of greed! "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;* a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). Be on guard against greed! My concern should not be about having money but about what I do with the money I have. God is concerned about the proper use of the money you have, not what you would give him if you were rich. You get absolutely no credit for good intentions. God isn’t the least bit impressed by your good intentions for tomorrow; he wants to see your good deeds today. The cure for covetousness "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). In reality, to be "in Christ" is "Christ in you." And that means having his caring and serving new nature. "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28). He who works only for himself is cheating God and society. Conscientious Christians live for others as well as for themselves; otherwise, what practical meaning would the second part of the Great Commandment have? "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). The old, covetous self has to be crucified with Christ. “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). He who is greedy worships Mammon; and he who worships Mammon does not worship God. You cannot have two masters. Covetousness or contentment? Yes, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can control covetousness. But, I need to ask for his assistance - seriously and sincerely. I have to consider, reckon, myself to be dead to this sin. Greedy Self needs to be rejected and neglected; the giving Spirit of Christ needs to be recognized and released. What, in God's estimation, is great gain? "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For [materially] we brought nothing into the world, and [materially] we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1Timothy 6:6-8). The original Greek says: “But reverence with self-contentment is mega gain." External things just don’t provide lasting satisfaction. We get used to and soon get tired of things. Inner contentment is the secret. This comes from an active, satisfying relationship with the Lord. Notice that “great gain” is made up of two parts: spiritual and material. The spiritual is our godliness - our God-orientation. The material is contentment with material and physical necessities. Necessities, not wants. If we try to please our wants, we will never be content.

  41  

When (1) your body is covered and (2) your stomach has food, be satisfied with that! There is no mention of a roof over your head. Shelter, evidently, is not considered to be a necessity in God's earthly economy. Come to think of it, Jesus doesn't mention housing either, when he talks about our physical and material needs. (See Matthew 6:25-31.) Neither does James. (See James 2:15-16.) I don’t think God is against shelter; he just doesn’t classify it as essential. So, if I'm not content when I have clothes on my back and food in my stomach, does that mean I might be catering to covetousness? Literally, 1 Timothy 6:8 says: “And having sustenance and covering, let us be satisfied with that..” "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Your God will never leave you, even if your money does. Let Apostle Paul’s words to the Philippian Christians (4:11) encourage you: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” This doesn’t happen instantly or even overnight. It is learned. Learning may include unlearning some things. Learning means training. Training means experience. Sooner or later, we learn to be content, no matter what the conditions. And that is mega gain! Conclusion Early on, decide on objectives that determine how you will spend less on yourself and more on other people and on the Lord’s work. At first, you may find this hard to do but, as time goes on, it will become increasingly easier, more enjoyable and definitely more rewarding. If you can break the financial barrier, the total stewardship project (including everything you are and have) will be easier to implement. We normally don’t think of John the Baptist as someone who taught stewardship, but he did – basic and practical. Above all, he addressed selfishness and greed. He exhorted everyone to “Produce fruit in keeping with repentence” (Luke 3:80. And what was that fruit? To the crowd he said: “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same” (verse 11). He is teaching us to be generous, not stingy. To the tax collectors he said: “Don’t collect any more than you are required to” (verse13). He is teaching us not to be mercenary, but to be merciful. To the soldiers he said: “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay” (verse 14). He is teaching us to be honest and fair, not to be greedy but to be content with what we have. And all this is part of “…the good news…” that he – John the baptizer - preached (verse 18).

  42  

If you think you have a problem with greed, I urge you to read the fifth chapter of 2 Kings. There you will see the ugly consequences of covetousness. It is the happy story of how generous Naaman (a high-ranking Syrian) was healed of his leprosy and the sad story of how greedy Gehazi (Ilisha’s servant) became a leper.

• what are some of the ways we can steal from Jesus? How many different kinds of greed are there?•

In a 1987 movie, “Wall Street,” the “ruthless stockbroker guru,” Gordon Gekko, in an address to Teldar Paper stockholders, says: The point, ladies and gentlemen, is that greed … is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms … has marked the upward surge of mankind. Greed is no game “Greed” was the name of an America TV game show. The players openly admitted to being greedy. At different points in the game, they were given opportunities to eliminate (“terminate”) each other from the team, in an effort to increase their own personal share of the winnings. But you don’t have to be a contestant in a TV game show to display your greed. In the “game” of life, you have endless daily opportunities to show whether you are greedy or generous. Anatomy of greed Isn't it odd that I can be indwelled by the Spirit of Christ, be possessed by his thinking and feeling, and still be covetous? Shouldn't born-of-the-Spirit believers be the most charitable people in the world? It depends, of course, on which nature (the old or the new) is controlling my life. A Christian who is motivated by greed instead of by generosity is clearly out of character. Yet, in the lives of too many of God's children, covetousness is the main obstacle to liberated, joyful, generous living. This severely impedes God's great goal for our mortal bodies and for our immortal souls. A big part of the problem is that we see other people’s greed but not our own. The words greedy or covetous can mean the carnal or unjust pursuit of money and material assets. But covetousness can also be the unethical and immoral craving to possess a certain person, position, power or property. Covetousness is sinful self's shortsighted striving to fulfill its desires by any means. Basically, though, greed is a person's preoccupation with trying to please oneself rather than God. At heart, this is self-gratification, which does not put God first, nor does it care for others as much as for itself.

  43  

Don’t covet: it’s The Law! God even has a explicit commandment for covetous people (See Exodus 20). It is the last (tenth) commandment but not necessarily the least, because the preceding nine may depend on it for their success or failure. After Jesus related the story of the unjust steward in the 16th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, the writer says in verse 14: "The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus." It‘s easy to spot a money-loving church member. The brother or sister criticizes the fund-raising efforts of the pastor ("he's always asking for money"), and finds fault with the financial needs of a mission or a missionary. The financial needs of the church are someone else’s responsibility and concern – not mine. And if this stingy saint does drop anything in the offering plate, it’s done grudgingly and only in token amounts. Or it’s done to impress others. Judas Iscariot criticized Mary (Martha’s sister) for “wasting” expensive perfume on Jesus, "... because he [Judas] was a thief; as keeper of the moneybag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:6). Today, there are endless ways to steal from Jesus.* Is it hard for you to love the Lord your God with all of your being, and your neighbor as yourself? Maybe unrecognized, unconfessed covetousness is the culprit. Get past the thinking that says, “Well, after all, it is my money!” It isn’t your money. You and everything you have is the Lord’s. You are only the manager, not the owner. One day, you will give him an account for what you did with the life he entrusted to you. That includes all the abilities and resources you possess. Covetousness: in the beginning and in the end Covetousness is one of the things that first got Adam and Eve in trouble with God. They wanted something God said they couldn't have. Their latent egocentricity cost them their happy habitat but, more importantly, they forfeited their unique union with God. (Consequently, subsequent generations inherited that ruptured relationship with their Maker.) Not only did covetousness contribute to humanity's introductory sin (disobedience), it was behind Israel's first recorded sin in the Promised Land. Remember how Achan coveted and took the divinely cursed gold and silver of Jericho? It is interesting that God did not say to Joshua, "Achan has sinned" but "Israel has sinned." They were one big family, and all of them had to suffer because of the avarice and disobedience of one member of that "household." Apostle Paul says of the Body of Christ, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it..." (1 Corinthians 12:26). What affects one member affects all members. Joshua said to Achan, "Why have you troubled us? [brought trouble upon us; why have you become a troublemaker?] The Lord shall trouble you this day [shall

  44  

make trouble for you today]." In that particular situation God, in his anger, saw to it that covetousness was punished without delay.

Achan For his own good reasons, God does not act as drastically today as he did with and his family in the Old Testament (See Joshua, chapter 7) and with Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament (See Acts, chapter 5). Instead, he suffers, lets us suffer, lets his work suffer, because of the Ananiases and Sapphiras among us. But, he will deal with all of us individually at the Judgment Seat of Christ, according to our attitude toward money and our financial input into his church and his worldwide mission. Who are the Ananiases and Sapphiras of our day? They are the avaricious Christians who lie to the church - explicitly or implicitly - about what they did or are doing for God. When we lie to the church about what we do for God, we are really lying to the Holy Spirit. We lie to the Holy Spirit when we say we have little or nothing to give to God's work but have money stored in a bottle, a bag, a bank or in something more sophisticated and remote. If we know we are dishonest about our finances before the church, we can be sure the Holy Spirit, too, knows it. God sees through people today as he did in the days of Ezekiel (33:31): "With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain." "There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money [greedy], boastful, proud...ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control...not lovers of the good...conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). God's grief with greed "Then all Israel stoned him (Achan); and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them...Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger" (Joshua 7:25,26). "I was enraged by his [Israel's] sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger..." (Isaiah 57:17). There are few sins that God hates as much as avarice, not only because it does not reflect his gracious, generous character but also because it has eternal consequences, in terms of a person's destination (heaven or hell), position, responsibility, inheritance, investment (treasure) and reward in heaven. "For because of such things [greed] God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 5:6). God is very angry with you if you are not generous with the money he has entrusted to you. And he will punish you accordingly. Covetous Christians and other sordid sinners "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity" (Romans 1:29).

  45  

Have you ever heard of a church expelling and isolating a member because s/he was greedy? "I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat…Expel the wicked man from among you" (I Corinthians 5:11,13). Sounds like harsh treatment, until you realize what a deterrent and detriment greedy members are to the rest of the body and the cause of Christ. Unless they change, the Body of Christ is much better off without them. Covetousness is completely opposite to God's generous, giving personality. It was Satan who brought out the inert covetousness in Adam and Eve. To this day, he continues to use this approach, because it works. The devil wants people to reflect his character. When he was still Lucifer (“shining one”), he got into serious trouble with his creator because he coveted something that was not lawful: to exalt his throne above the stars of El (God), to be like Elyon (the most High). (See Isaiah 14:12-14.) I believe the Lord is unhappy and even angry about the widespread deficiency of discipline in his churches. This stems from lack of conviction, good example, teaching and appropriate action on the part of spiritual leadership. The Lord will hold church leaders responsible for such detrimental negligence. But, whether or not you have been told about the perils of avarice, I feel obligated to tell you. It is my duty to draw your attention to the perpetual blessings of benevolence and the eternal curse of covetousness. You have been redeemed (bought) by God for a great price and, as I’ve already quoted Scripture -- you are not your own. The property, possessions and money you think are yours are actually his. Everything you are and have belongs entirely to the Lord. God gives and maintains all physical life. Your brain, your hands, would not work without God. All your abilities and skills are God-given – for his use and for his glory. Only eternal life is a gift; earthly life is a trust (an assignment). If you are a good and faithful manager for your Lord, he will certainly commend and reward you. If you are an irresponsible servant, you will definitely be censured and punished. Fortunately, it’s not too late for you to turn your life around. But you have no time to lose. Take action today! It’s in your Lord’s main interests, but it’s also in your own best interests. The curse of covetousness There will be no greedy people in heaven. “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..." (Ephesians 5:5). On the contrary, greedy people will experience the wrath of God. (v. 6) "They know God's righteous decree that those who do such things [depravity and greed] deserve death..." (Romans 1:32). The consequences of covetousness

  46  

"A greedy man brings trouble to his family..." (Proverbs 15:27). There is something very deceptive, dangerous and destructive about love of money and wealth. “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep” (verse 12). (My wife’s parents didn’t lose any money in the Great (Wall Street) Crash of 1929 because they had no money to lose.) “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1Timothy 6:9 -10). Because of these things [the idolatry of greed], the wrath of God is coming" (Colossians 3:6). Covetousness: caution and counsel "Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain" (Psalm 119:36). "But among you [children of light] there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people" (Ephesians. 5:3. Emphasis added). Not even a hint of greed! "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;* a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). Be on guard against greed! My concern should not be about having money but about what I do with the money I have. God is concerned about the proper use of the money you have, not what you would give him if you were rich. You get absolutely no credit for good intentions. God isn’t the least bit impressed by your good intentions for tomorrow; he wants to see your good deeds today. The cure for covetousness "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). In reality, to be "in Christ" is "Christ in you." And that means having his caring and serving new nature. "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28). He who works only for himself is cheating God and society. Conscientious Christians live for others as well as for themselves; otherwise, what practical meaning would the second part of the Great Commandment have? "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). The old, covetous self has to be crucified with Christ. “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,

  47  

which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). He who is greedy worships Mammon; and he who worships Mammon does not worship God. You cannot have two masters. Covetousness or contentment? Yes, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can control covetousness. But, I need to ask for his assistance - seriously and sincerely. I have to consider, reckon, myself to be dead to this sin. Greedy Self needs to be rejected and neglected; the giving Spirit of Christ needs to be recognized and released. What, in God's estimation, is great gain? "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For [materially] we brought nothing into the world, and [materially] we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1Timothy 6:6-8). The original Greek says: “But reverence with self-contentment is mega gain." External things just don’t provide lasting satisfaction. We get used to and soon get tired of things. Inner contentment is the secret. This comes from an active, satisfying relationship with the Lord. Notice that “great gain” is made up of two parts: spiritual and material. The spiritual is our godliness - our God-orientation. The material is contentment with material and physical necessities. Necessities, not wants. If we try to please our wants, we will never be content. When (1) your body is covered and (2) your stomach has food, be satisfied with that! There is no mention of a roof over your head. Shelter, evidently, is not considered to be a necessity in God's earthly economy. Come to think of it, Jesus doesn't mention housing either, when he talks about our physical and material needs. (See Matthew 6:25-31.) Neither does James. (See James 2:15-16.) I don’t think God is against shelter; he just doesn’t classify it as essential. So, if I'm not content when I have clothes on my back and food in my stomach, does that mean I might be catering to covetousness? Literally, 1 Timothy 6:8 says: “And having sustenance and covering, let us be satisfied with that..” "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Your God will never leave you, even if your money does. Let Apostle Paul’s words to the Philippian Christians (4:11) encourage you: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” This doesn’t happen instantly or even overnight. It is learned. Learning may include unlearning some things. Learning means training. Training means experience. Sooner or later, we learn to be content, no matter what the conditions. And that is mega gain! Conclusion

  48  

Early on, decide on objectives that determine how you will spend less on yourself and more on other people and on the Lord’s work. At first, you may find this hard to do but, as time goes on, it will become increasingly easier, more enjoyable and definitely more rewarding. If you can break the financial barrier, the total stewardship project (including everything you are and have) will be easier to implement. We normally don’t think of John the Baptist as someone who taught stewardship, but he did – basic and practical. Above all, he addressed selfishness and greed. He exhorted everyone to “Produce fruit in keeping with repentence” (Luke 3:80. And what was that fruit? To the crowd he said: “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same” (verse 11). He is teaching us to be generous, not stingy. To the tax collectors he said: “Don’t collect any more than you are required to” (verse13). He is teaching us not to be mercenary, but to be merciful. To the soldiers he said: “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay” (verse 14). He is teaching us to be honest and fair, not to be greedy but to be content with what we have. And all this is part of “…the good news…” that he – John the baptizer - preached (verse 18). If you think you have a problem with greed, I urge you to read the fifth chapter of 2 Kings. There you will see the ugly consequences of covetousness. It is the happy story of how generous Naaman (a high-ranking Syrian) was healed of his leprosy and the sad story of how greedy Gehazi (Ilisha’s servant) became a leper.

• what are some of the ways we can steal from Jesus? How many different kinds of greed are there?•

In a 1987 movie, “Wall Street,” the “ruthless stockbroker guru,” Gordon Gekko, in an address to Teldar Paper stockholders, says: The point, ladies and gentlemen, is that greed … is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms … has marked the upward surge of mankind. Greed is no game “Greed” was the name of an America TV game show. The players openly admitted to being greedy. At different points in the game, they were given opportunities to eliminate (“terminate”) each other from the team, in an effort to increase their own personal share of the winnings.

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But you don’t have to be a contestant in a TV game show to display your greed. In the “game” of life, you have endless daily opportunities to show whether you are greedy or generous. Anatomy of greed Isn't it odd that I can be indwelled by the Spirit of Christ, be possessed by his thinking and feeling, and still be covetous? Shouldn't born-of-the-Spirit believers be the most charitable people in the world? It depends, of course, on which nature (the old or the new) is controlling my life. A Christian who is motivated by greed instead of by generosity is clearly out of character. Yet, in the lives of too many of God's children, covetousness is the main obstacle to liberated, joyful, generous living. This severely impedes God's great goal for our mortal bodies and for our immortal souls. A big part of the problem is that we see other people’s greed but not our own. The words greedy or covetous can mean the carnal or unjust pursuit of money and material assets. But covetousness can also be the unethical and immoral craving to possess a certain person, position, power or property. Covetousness is sinful self's shortsighted striving to fulfill its desires by any means. Basically, though, greed is a person's preoccupation with trying to please oneself rather than God. At heart, this is self-gratification, which does not put God first, nor does it care for others as much as for itself. Don’t covet: it’s The Law! God even has a explicit commandment for covetous people (See Exodus 20). It is the last (tenth) commandment but not necessarily the least, because the preceding nine may depend on it for their success or failure. After Jesus related the story of the unjust steward in the 16th chapter of Luke’s Gospel, the writer says in verse 14: "The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus." It‘s easy to spot a money-loving church member. The brother or sister criticizes the fund-raising efforts of the pastor ("he's always asking for money"), and finds fault with the financial needs of a mission or a missionary. The financial needs of the church are someone else’s responsibility and concern – not mine. And if this stingy saint does drop anything in the offering plate, it’s done grudgingly and only in token amounts. Or it’s done to impress others. Judas Iscariot criticized Mary (Martha’s sister) for “wasting” expensive perfume on Jesus, "... because he [Judas] was a thief; as keeper of the moneybag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" (John 12:6). Today, there are endless ways to steal from Jesus.* Is it hard for you to love the Lord your God

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with all of your being, and your neighbor as yourself? Maybe unrecognized, unconfessed covetousness is the culprit. Get past the thinking that says, “Well, after all, it is my money!” It isn’t your money. You and everything you have is the Lord’s. You are only the manager, not the owner. One day, you will give him an account for what you did with the life he entrusted to you. That includes all the abilities and resources you possess. Covetousness: in the beginning and in the end Covetousness is one of the things that first got Adam and Eve in trouble with God. They wanted something God said they couldn't have. Their latent egocentricity cost them their happy habitat but, more importantly, they forfeited their unique union with God. (Consequently, subsequent generations inherited that ruptured relationship with their Maker.) Not only did covetousness contribute to humanity's introductory sin (disobedience), it was behind Israel's first recorded sin in the Promised Land. Remember how Achan coveted and took the divinely cursed gold and silver of Jericho? It is interesting that God did not say to Joshua, "Achan has sinned" but "Israel has sinned." They were one big family, and all of them had to suffer because of the avarice and disobedience of one member of that "household." Apostle Paul says of the Body of Christ, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it..." (1 Corinthians 12:26). What affects one member affects all members. Joshua said to Achan, "Why have you troubled us? [brought trouble upon us; why have you become a troublemaker?] The Lord shall trouble you this day [shall make trouble for you today]." In that particular situation God, in his anger, saw to it that covetousness was punished without delay.

Achan For his own good reasons, God does not act as drastically today as he did with and his family in the Old Testament (See Joshua, chapter 7) and with Ananias and Sapphira in the New Testament (See Acts, chapter 5). Instead, he suffers, lets us suffer, lets his work suffer, because of the Ananiases and Sapphiras among us. But, he will deal with all of us individually at the Judgment Seat of Christ, according to our attitude toward money and our financial input into his church and his worldwide mission. Who are the Ananiases and Sapphiras of our day? They are the avaricious Christians who lie to the church - explicitly or implicitly - about what they did or are doing for God. When we lie to the church about what we do for God, we are really lying to the Holy Spirit. We lie to the Holy Spirit when we say we have little or nothing to give to God's work but have money stored in a bottle, a bag, a bank or in something more sophisticated and remote. If we know we are dishonest about our finances before the church, we can be sure the Holy Spirit, too, knows it. God sees through people today as he did in the days of Ezekiel (33:31): "With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain."

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"There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money [greedy], boastful, proud...ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control...not lovers of the good...conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). God's grief with greed "Then all Israel stoned him (Achan); and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them...Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger" (Joshua 7:25,26). "I was enraged by his [Israel's] sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger..." (Isaiah 57:17). There are few sins that God hates as much as avarice, not only because it does not reflect his gracious, generous character but also because it has eternal consequences, in terms of a person's destination (heaven or hell), position, responsibility, inheritance, investment (treasure) and reward in heaven. "For because of such things [greed] God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 5:6). God is very angry with you if you are not generous with the money he has entrusted to you. And he will punish you accordingly. Covetous Christians and other sordid sinners "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity" (Romans 1:29). Have you ever heard of a church expelling and isolating a member because s/he was greedy? "I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat…Expel the wicked man from among you" (I Corinthians 5:11,13). Sounds like harsh treatment, until you realize what a deterrent and detriment greedy members are to the rest of the body and the cause of Christ. Unless they change, the Body of Christ is much better off without them. Covetousness is completely opposite to God's generous, giving personality. It was Satan who brought out the inert covetousness in Adam and Eve. To this day, he continues to use this approach, because it works. The devil wants people to reflect his character. When he was still Lucifer (“shining one”), he got into serious trouble with his creator because he coveted something that was not lawful: to exalt his throne above the stars of El (God), to be like Elyon (the most High). (See Isaiah 14:12-14.) I believe the Lord is unhappy and even angry about the widespread deficiency of discipline in his churches. This stems from lack of conviction, good example, teaching and appropriate action on the part of spiritual leadership. The Lord will hold church leaders responsible for such detrimental negligence.

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But, whether or not you have been told about the perils of avarice, I feel obligated to tell you. It is my duty to draw your attention to the perpetual blessings of benevolence and the eternal curse of covetousness. You have been redeemed (bought) by God for a great price and, as I’ve already quoted Scripture -- you are not your own. The property, possessions and money you think are yours are actually his. Everything you are and have belongs entirely to the Lord. God gives and maintains all physical life. Your brain, your hands, would not work without God. All your abilities and skills are God-given – for his use and for his glory. Only eternal life is a gift; earthly life is a trust (an assignment). If you are a good and faithful manager for your Lord, he will certainly commend and reward you. If you are an irresponsible servant, you will definitely be censured and punished. Fortunately, it’s not too late for you to turn your life around. But you have no time to lose. Take action today! It’s in your Lord’s main interests, but it’s also in your own best interests. The curse of covetousness There will be no greedy people in heaven. “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..." (Ephesians 5:5). On the contrary, greedy people will experience the wrath of God. (v. 6) "They know God's righteous decree that those who do such things [depravity and greed] deserve death..." (Romans 1:32). The consequences of covetousness "A greedy man brings trouble to his family..." (Proverbs 15:27). There is something very deceptive, dangerous and destructive about love of money and wealth. “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep” (verse 12). (My wife’s parents didn’t lose any money in the Great (Wall Street) Crash of 1929 because they had no money to lose.) “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1Timothy 6:9 -10). Because of these things [the idolatry of greed], the wrath of God is coming" (Colossians 3:6).

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Covetousness: caution and counsel "Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain" (Psalm 119:36). "But among you [children of light] there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people" (Ephesians. 5:3. Emphasis added). Not even a hint of greed! "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;* a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). Be on guard against greed! My concern should not be about having money but about what I do with the money I have. God is concerned about the proper use of the money you have, not what you would give him if you were rich. You get absolutely no credit for good intentions. God isn’t the least bit impressed by your good intentions for tomorrow; he wants to see your good deeds today. The cure for covetousness "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). In reality, to be "in Christ" is "Christ in you." And that means having his caring and serving new nature. "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need" (Ephesians 4:28). He who works only for himself is cheating God and society. Conscientious Christians live for others as well as for themselves; otherwise, what practical meaning would the second part of the Great Commandment have? "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). The old, covetous self has to be crucified with Christ. “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). He who is greedy worships Mammon; and he who worships Mammon does not worship God. You cannot have two masters. Covetousness or contentment? Yes, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can control covetousness. But, I need to ask for his assistance - seriously and sincerely. I have to consider, reckon, myself to be dead to this sin. Greedy Self needs to be rejected and neglected; the giving Spirit of Christ needs to be recognized and released. What, in God's estimation, is great gain? "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For [materially] we brought nothing into the world, and [materially] we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1Timothy 6:6-8). The original Greek says: “But reverence with self-contentment is mega gain." External things just don’t provide lasting satisfaction. We get used to and soon get tired of things. Inner contentment is the secret. This comes from an active, satisfying relationship with the Lord.

  54  

Notice that “great gain” is made up of two parts: spiritual and material. The spiritual is our godliness - our God-orientation. The material is contentment with material and physical necessities. Necessities, not wants. If we try to please our wants, we will never be content. When (1) your body is covered and (2) your stomach has food, be satisfied with that! There is no mention of a roof over your head. Shelter, evidently, is not considered to be a necessity in God's earthly economy. Come to think of it, Jesus doesn't mention housing either, when he talks about our physical and material needs. (See Matthew 6:25-31.) Neither does James. (See James 2:15-16.) I don’t think God is against shelter; he just doesn’t classify it as essential. So, if I'm not content when I have clothes on my back and food in my stomach, does that mean I might be catering to covetousness? Literally, 1 Timothy 6:8 says: “And having sustenance and covering, let us be satisfied with that..” "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Your God will never leave you, even if your money does. Let Apostle Paul’s words to the Philippian Christians (4:11) encourage you: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” This doesn’t happen instantly or even overnight. It is learned. Learning may include unlearning some things. Learning means training. Training means experience. Sooner or later, we learn to be content, no matter what the conditions. And that is mega gain! Conclusion Early on, decide on objectives that determine how you will spend less on yourself and more on other people and on the Lord’s work. At first, you may find this hard to do but, as time goes on, it will become increasingly easier, more enjoyable and definitely more rewarding. If you can break the financial barrier, the total stewardship project (including everything you are and have) will be easier to implement. We normally don’t think of John the Baptist as someone who taught stewardship, but he did – basic and practical. Above all, he addressed selfishness and greed. He exhorted everyone to “Produce fruit in keeping with repentence” (Luke 3:80. And what was that fruit? To the crowd he said: “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same” (verse 11). He is teaching us to be generous, not stingy. To the tax collectors he said: “Don’t collect any more than you are required to” (verse13). He is teaching us not to be mercenary, but to be merciful. To the soldiers he said: “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay” (verse 14). He is teaching us to be honest and fair, not to be greedy but to be content with what we have.

  55  

And all this is part of “…the good news…” that he – John the baptizer - preached (verse 18). If you think you have a problem with greed, I urge you to read the fifth chapter of 2 Kings. There you will see the ugly consequences of covetousness. It is the happy story of how generous Naaman (a high-ranking Syrian) was healed of his leprosy and the sad story of how greedy Gehazi (Ilisha’s servant) became a leper.

• what are some of the ways we can steal from Jesus? • How many different kinds of greed are there?