The spirit of mammon seduces people by making them feel as though they do not have enough. It makes people of slave of their perceived poverty, inadequateness or weakness. It is not that material things themselves make people puffed up with pride, but the spirit behind it which makes people feel as though they are independent, self-sufficient and strong. This is indeed the attitude of many today in our increasingly materialistic, individualistic world. Jesus has a strong rebuke against such an attitude (Revelation 3:17): Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
The spirit underlying the attitude that one is self-sufficient, independent and rich with the earthly things one has is that of pride. Such is foolishness as earthly riches will rot.
While it is easy to say that only the rich and arrogant are proud of their earthly things, a poor person can be just as rich in their own carnal spirit and arrogant, proud of what they have, despite their material things compared to those who are richer. The world which is under the spirit of mammon sees the rich to be the enemy because they have more, and the poor to be their friends because they have less, and are deserving of more material things. This is a materialistic doctrine, a doctrine of demons. Indeed, this spirit underlies socialism, which is the original communism corrupted with the evil capitalistic desire to seek riches for oneself and accumulate riches. Satan twisted the original intention of communism to one that, in making people feel inadequate materially, tempts them to act on their jealousy of others.
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy (Proverbs 27:4)? The spirit of jealousy or envy is that which drives people to strife which is the English traslation of the Greek word 'eris'. 'Eris' means contention, so strife refers to contention or affection for dispute. 1 Corinthians 3:3 states that: For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men (1 Corinthians 3:3).
Envy is powerful as it not only seeks to "punish" others because of one's own pride, but it seeks to dominate others. It drives nations to war against one another, people to fight over trivial earthly things and people to complain about mere personal offences because of their own pride, while being blind to their wickedness and perversion. Domination between human beings is not approved by God as God gives all people are freewill. Therefore, any domination over others which is that involving manipulation and control of others is from satan. The desire to dominate over others is from the carnal flesh, and satan tempts people to dominate others, and seeks for people to be dominated by others so that he can manipulate them for his evil destructive purposes.
The spirit underlying the attitude that one is self-sufficient, independent and rich with the earthly things one has is that of pride. Such is foolishness as earthly riches will rot.
While it is easy to say that only the rich and arrogant are proud of their earthly things, a poor person can be just as rich in their own carnal spirit and arrogant, proud of what they have, despite their material things compared to those who are richer. The world which is under the spirit of mammon sees the rich to be the enemy because they have more, and the poor to be their friends because they have less, and are deserving of more material things. This is a materialistic doctrine, a doctrine of demons. Indeed, this spirit underlies socialism, which is the original communism corrupted with the evil capitalistic desire to seek riches for oneself and accumulate riches. Satan twisted the original intention of communism to one that, in making people feel inadequate materially, tempts them to act on their jealousy of others.
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy (Proverbs 27:4)? The spirit of jealousy or envy is that which drives people to strife which is the English traslation of the Greek word 'eris'. 'Eris' means contention, so strife refers to contention or affection for dispute. 1 Corinthians 3:3 states that: For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men (1 Corinthians 3:3).
Envy is powerful as it not only seeks to "punish" others because of one's own pride, but it seeks to dominate others. It drives nations to war against one another, people to fight over trivial earthly things and people to complain about mere personal offences because of their own pride, while being blind to their wickedness and perversion. Domination between human beings is not approved by God as God gives all people are freewill. Therefore, any domination over others which is that involving manipulation and control of others is from satan. The desire to dominate over others is from the carnal flesh, and satan tempts people to dominate others, and seeks for people to be dominated by others so that he can manipulate them for his evil destructive purposes.
Since the world only sees the material things, material things are not only a means of achieving things, they are the only thing. The ability to gain earthly material things for oneself are the absolute standards of determining right and wrong. Fairness, equality and justice are all seen in terms of one's ability to gain possessions, money, relationships or anything else that is earthly and will rot away. Though the world may deny it, and there is no doubt it would, it is under the spirit of mammon, not by the evil things its does, but by the "good" things its tries to do in glorifying oneself. It is those good works of the world that are wicked, perverse and filthy rags in the eyes of God, because it is these works that reveals their hatred of God, and hence their faith in earthly things, that which will pass away.
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