Money itself is the Hindrance to Salvation, For the Love of Mammon Feeds on Pride, Covetousness and Idolatry
Jesus
said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and
give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and
follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And
again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of
a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:21-26)
Many in the modern western Church think that a person can serve both God and mammon, all without realising that that is what they believe. Just as the Israelites in the Old Testament offered God the best sacrifices to Him, and yet at the same time offer sacrifices to Baal (See 1 Samuel and 1 Kings), in seeking to serve both God and Baal, who is really a demon of the spirit of mammon, the modern Church in the west thinks the same way.
The rich young ruler was a very 'moral' person, one who kept the Commandments of God since he was a youth. He would not be one of those sexually immoral, psychopathic, deluded modern secular liberals, who think they know everything, but really know nothing, except for foolish rubbish. However, of course, he loved mammon, which itself is a vile sin. It is the manifestation of all pride, and the hatred of God because it is to believe that one does not need God.
Anyone who even thinks for a moment, even for the slightest that all is well with him because he has all he need, including the basic living essentials, is a vile, despicable sinner in the eyes of God. That you even have a single breath is by the very grace of God which if taken from you would mean you would be justly burning in Hell. So, you have no rights to anything at all, not even a single breath. It is very easy for one who is a true Christian to think that he is not like the rich young ruler or could not be like him in way way because one has been saved, as so many in the modern Church think.
Having money itself makes a person smug and proud, except by the grace of God that one humbles oneself in the true sense of humility. It makes one think that because one is successful, one can be self-reliant because one has what one needs. Money has that real spiritual effect on all people , whether saved or unsaved because money itself satisfied what the flesh seeks, that which it can use for itself to satisfy its own desires. As 1 Timothy 6:9-11 says:
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.
The spirit who is always behind money itself, the spirit of mammon seduces people to be covetous when they have money, irrespective of how much money they have. Whether it be a rich businessman who has all the luxuries of the world can offer, or the beggar, both are covetous for their money, manifesting in their attitude that any money they have is "theirs", instead of God's, for all things belong to God (Psalm 24:1). Their coveting of money is itself the love of money. Whether rich or poor, the human heart loves to covet, and to find anything which gives it an reason to justify its covetousness.
To even think that one can be self-reliant because one has money, irrespective of how much money one may have, is itself is a vile sin which itself is a manifestation of the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride of life (1 John 2:16). That many in the modern Church even think that they could not be like the rich young ruler, or like the Israelites who tried to serve both God and mammon, is itself a manifestation of being under the spirit of mammon. For only those who are truly seeking God and serving Him whole-heartedly, without any double-mindedness in seeking to serve both God and mammon, or any doubt, can see the spirit of mammon in others.
The issue about whether one is serving mammon, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is a salvation issue, for it it is a matter of life or death. If the rich young ruler choose to not leave all things to serve Christ, He would be in Hell. The same applies to us today. If we fail to leave all things and give up our whole self for Christ, we will likewise perish in eternal Hellfire. This means to kill all desires to enjoy our own pursuits, visions, dream and aspirations, and to desire only to serve Him. Any other desire will kill. He who serves Christ will have eternal life. He who serves mammon will not have eternal life. Serving Christ is not negotiation of many in the modern Church would like to think. It is either Christ, or mammon, and no compromise or negotiation with Christ.
Money makes one smug because it puffs up the flesh, making one covetous, and living to serve the flesh, and not only willing to be a slave to mammon, but begging to be a slave to mammon because of one's covetousness. A slave of mammon loves his own covetousness because his covetousness increases his appetite for covetousness. Such a person cannot serve God, or submit to Him, but will find the very thought of submitting to God abominable because he takes pleasure in his covetousness, which the spirit of mammon feeds on. As such, he cannot be saved, unless God, by His grace, breaks him into pieces to humble him, so that he will be broken from the chains of covetousness.
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 (Matthew 6:24).
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:21-26)
Many in the modern western Church think that a person can serve both God and mammon, all without realising that that is what they believe. Just as the Israelites in the Old Testament offered God the best sacrifices to Him, and yet at the same time offer sacrifices to Baal (See 1 Samuel and 1 Kings), in seeking to serve both God and Baal, who is really a demon of the spirit of mammon, the modern Church in the west thinks the same way.
The rich young ruler was a very 'moral' person, one who kept the Commandments of God since he was a youth. He would not be one of those sexually immoral, psychopathic, deluded modern secular liberals, who think they know everything, but really know nothing, except for foolish rubbish. However, of course, he loved mammon, which itself is a vile sin. It is the manifestation of all pride, and the hatred of God because it is to believe that one does not need God.
Anyone who even thinks for a moment, even for the slightest that all is well with him because he has all he need, including the basic living essentials, is a vile, despicable sinner in the eyes of God. That you even have a single breath is by the very grace of God which if taken from you would mean you would be justly burning in Hell. So, you have no rights to anything at all, not even a single breath. It is very easy for one who is a true Christian to think that he is not like the rich young ruler or could not be like him in way way because one has been saved, as so many in the modern Church think.
Having money itself makes a person smug and proud, except by the grace of God that one humbles oneself in the true sense of humility. It makes one think that because one is successful, one can be self-reliant because one has what one needs. Money has that real spiritual effect on all people , whether saved or unsaved because money itself satisfied what the flesh seeks, that which it can use for itself to satisfy its own desires. As 1 Timothy 6:9-11 says:
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.
The spirit who is always behind money itself, the spirit of mammon seduces people to be covetous when they have money, irrespective of how much money they have. Whether it be a rich businessman who has all the luxuries of the world can offer, or the beggar, both are covetous for their money, manifesting in their attitude that any money they have is "theirs", instead of God's, for all things belong to God (Psalm 24:1). Their coveting of money is itself the love of money. Whether rich or poor, the human heart loves to covet, and to find anything which gives it an reason to justify its covetousness.
To even think that one can be self-reliant because one has money, irrespective of how much money one may have, is itself is a vile sin which itself is a manifestation of the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride of life (1 John 2:16). That many in the modern Church even think that they could not be like the rich young ruler, or like the Israelites who tried to serve both God and mammon, is itself a manifestation of being under the spirit of mammon. For only those who are truly seeking God and serving Him whole-heartedly, without any double-mindedness in seeking to serve both God and mammon, or any doubt, can see the spirit of mammon in others.
The issue about whether one is serving mammon, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is a salvation issue, for it it is a matter of life or death. If the rich young ruler choose to not leave all things to serve Christ, He would be in Hell. The same applies to us today. If we fail to leave all things and give up our whole self for Christ, we will likewise perish in eternal Hellfire. This means to kill all desires to enjoy our own pursuits, visions, dream and aspirations, and to desire only to serve Him. Any other desire will kill. He who serves Christ will have eternal life. He who serves mammon will not have eternal life. Serving Christ is not negotiation of many in the modern Church would like to think. It is either Christ, or mammon, and no compromise or negotiation with Christ.
Money makes one smug because it puffs up the flesh, making one covetous, and living to serve the flesh, and not only willing to be a slave to mammon, but begging to be a slave to mammon because of one's covetousness. A slave of mammon loves his own covetousness because his covetousness increases his appetite for covetousness. Such a person cannot serve God, or submit to Him, but will find the very thought of submitting to God abominable because he takes pleasure in his covetousness, which the spirit of mammon feeds on. As such, he cannot be saved, unless God, by His grace, breaks him into pieces to humble him, so that he will be broken from the chains of covetousness.
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 (Matthew 6:24).
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