He said take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
A close look
at the story preceding this warning
shows that it was given as a result of the request of a man for Jesus
to compel his senior brother to share the portion of his inheritance (apparently
left by their deceased father) with him because the senior brother (by birth-right) got more.
In those days and in their culture, the older son received twice as much inheritance as the younger brother. This had happened in the case of these two brothers and the younger one being unhappy (not because he did not have but because he wanted to have “more”) had made this request to the Lord Jesus, which the Lord turned down and warned about.
As it was then, so and even more is it in our days, when the more you have of material things, the more you are seen as “blessed” because of the erroneous belief that a man’s life consists in the abundance of that which he possesses.
Everyone (and believers too) is therefore chasing after the “blessings” of God at whatever costs and whoever’s cost, not only for want or lack, but also just to have more, more or the same as “my brother”, more or the same as “my neighbor".....covetousness. The position of God’s word has not changed on this matter.
In those days and in their culture, the older son received twice as much inheritance as the younger brother. This had happened in the case of these two brothers and the younger one being unhappy (not because he did not have but because he wanted to have “more”) had made this request to the Lord Jesus, which the Lord turned down and warned about.
As it was then, so and even more is it in our days, when the more you have of material things, the more you are seen as “blessed” because of the erroneous belief that a man’s life consists in the abundance of that which he possesses.
Everyone (and believers too) is therefore chasing after the “blessings” of God at whatever costs and whoever’s cost, not only for want or lack, but also just to have more, more or the same as “my brother”, more or the same as “my neighbor".....covetousness. The position of God’s word has not changed on this matter.
What we are to
legitimately long for and seek after as children of God, citizens of His
kingdom, is the abundance of that for which Christ came to die, the purpose of
God, the will of God (John 10:10b, Matthew 6:33). All the necessities of life
(and in abundance also) is what God will add to us as we do His will, as fringe
benefits, so we do not have to serve the enemy or succumb to
unrighteousness to get them.
We should keep in mind that unbelievers that do not have God’s life also get these things and some of them in abundance too, when they do whatever it takes. We on the other hand are not allowed/permitted to do whatever it takes because doing it takes us away from God, right outside His plans and purposes, to the place where Satan will have us be, so He can inflict the most injury and possibly rob us of eternal life and/or the fulfillment of our destinies for which Jesus came to die.
Jesus warns in Matthew 6:24b that ye cannot serve God and mammon. The blessing of God is beyond what mammon can offer. If mammon offers it, then it cannot be a yardstick of measuring God’s blessing or approval.
As a believer therefore, the end never justifies the means, rather the means justifies the end. Chase not after these things, do not succumb to unrighteousness to get them, follow after doing God’s word, God’s will, for therein rests God’s blessing in righteousness, the fullness of the expression of His life and power by which you have access to all things without compromise or unrighteousness.
We should keep in mind that unbelievers that do not have God’s life also get these things and some of them in abundance too, when they do whatever it takes. We on the other hand are not allowed/permitted to do whatever it takes because doing it takes us away from God, right outside His plans and purposes, to the place where Satan will have us be, so He can inflict the most injury and possibly rob us of eternal life and/or the fulfillment of our destinies for which Jesus came to die.
Jesus warns in Matthew 6:24b that ye cannot serve God and mammon. The blessing of God is beyond what mammon can offer. If mammon offers it, then it cannot be a yardstick of measuring God’s blessing or approval.
As a believer therefore, the end never justifies the means, rather the means justifies the end. Chase not after these things, do not succumb to unrighteousness to get them, follow after doing God’s word, God’s will, for therein rests God’s blessing in righteousness, the fullness of the expression of His life and power by which you have access to all things without compromise or unrighteousness.
The Lord Jesus
had said
but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and
all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33). “These things” are those corruptible necessities
of life, and the Lord says not to seek after them but rather to seek after the
kingdom of God and His righteousness and these things will be added to you, without you having to serve mammon by doing unrighteousness to get them.
Rather than follow covetousness and unrighteousness, follow God’s will, His word.
Rather than follow covetousness and unrighteousness, follow God’s will, His word.
The wisdom of
God is foolishness to man (as we have seen clearly on this matter) as it says
in 1 Corinthians 1:21. But we must remember that the foolishness of God is
wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men as the bible says
in the
twenty fifth verse of the same chapter.
God’s life and
power cannot be obtained by fleshly covetousness, therefore where you see it,
then God is at work. This is His blessing, His handiwork.
Any power that is at work where there is covetousness and evil work is not God’s power (no matter in what cloak of justification it is wrapped for people’s deception). Wherever things work, not because the believer has compromised by doing what has to be done (unrighteousness), but because he/she has acted on God’s word and God’s life and power is compelling things to work in their favor and advantage without compromise, that is the place of God’s blessing, the blessing that comes by doing the word, by doing righteousness. That is the place of God’s power, where the believer keeps himself and that wicked one (Satan) is unable to touch him (1 John 5:18).
Any power that is at work where there is covetousness and evil work is not God’s power (no matter in what cloak of justification it is wrapped for people’s deception). Wherever things work, not because the believer has compromised by doing what has to be done (unrighteousness), but because he/she has acted on God’s word and God’s life and power is compelling things to work in their favor and advantage without compromise, that is the place of God’s blessing, the blessing that comes by doing the word, by doing righteousness. That is the place of God’s power, where the believer keeps himself and that wicked one (Satan) is unable to touch him (1 John 5:18).
Satan knows
that as humans, we are ruled by our five physical/natural senses until and
unless our spirits are re-created (given the life of God when we get born again)
and we through it train our minds to know and follow God’s way as shown in His
word by the Holy Spirit.
Then we live by faith in God’s word, not the prodding of our physical/natural senses. The physical/natural senses long for necessities of life whichever way they have been taught by the world to do so.
To the senses, as taught by the world, getting the most of these corruptible things is the reason why man exists. The more he gets, the greater he is thought to be in this life. Then these necessities have been reduced to monetary terms (by the world system which is controlled by Satan) and decent money made easy to come by only through unrighteousness or the path that leads away from God.
The necessities have also been cunningly re-branded as God’s “blessings” and this destructive path to them sold to man (believers and unbelievers alike) as the way to God’s “blessings”. The question remains whether God will put His “blessings” inside unrighteousness or on a path that leads away from Him and His word?!! The rational answer is no, He has not and will not. Whatever teaches otherwise is Satan’s deception.
Then we live by faith in God’s word, not the prodding of our physical/natural senses. The physical/natural senses long for necessities of life whichever way they have been taught by the world to do so.
To the senses, as taught by the world, getting the most of these corruptible things is the reason why man exists. The more he gets, the greater he is thought to be in this life. Then these necessities have been reduced to monetary terms (by the world system which is controlled by Satan) and decent money made easy to come by only through unrighteousness or the path that leads away from God.
The necessities have also been cunningly re-branded as God’s “blessings” and this destructive path to them sold to man (believers and unbelievers alike) as the way to God’s “blessings”. The question remains whether God will put His “blessings” inside unrighteousness or on a path that leads away from Him and His word?!! The rational answer is no, He has not and will not. Whatever teaches otherwise is Satan’s deception.
You can only
begin to imagine how far and deep this deception of the enemy has gone and also
understand why there is so much wanting of God’s righteousness even among
believers, the Church of God, the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy
3:15).
Jesus warned about this, that things will be so bad in the last days to the extent that if it was possible, even the very elect will be deceived (Matthew 24:24). The saving of ourselves from this deception necessitates the expediency of our contending earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to us (Jude 1:3). There are no two ways to it.
Jesus warned about this, that things will be so bad in the last days to the extent that if it was possible, even the very elect will be deceived (Matthew 24:24). The saving of ourselves from this deception necessitates the expediency of our contending earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to us (Jude 1:3). There are no two ways to it.
As believers and most especially in this dispensation that we live
in, we cannot but continually examine
ourselves whether we be in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Meditate on these things, give yourself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all (1 Timothy 4:15).
Meditate on these things, give yourself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all (1 Timothy 4:15).
Pastor Gboye Omolayo is the Resident Pastor of Church@Allen, Allen TX, USA. He is a prolific writer and preacher who believes the efficacy of the word of God and the potency of the works of the Holy Spirit are still available to the Church today, as were at the Church’s infancy. He is the publisher of this blog.
Deep and insightful as usual. Thanks for sharing.
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