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Big Mouthfuls Often Choke
"We may love money without
having it, just as we may have money without loving it."
- J.C. Ryle
The Lord Jesus admonished us in Luke 12:15 - "...Take heed and beware of
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth."
What is Covetousness?
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines it as "inordinate
desires for wealth or possessions or for another's possessions." It always
carries with it the implications of selfishness and generally suggests
unfair and ruthless means.
Matthew Henry, the renowned Bible Commentator, defined it as "spiritual
idolatry; it is the giving of that love and regard to worldly wealth which
are due to God only."
He also added - "Covetousness is commonly a master-sin and has the command
of other lusts."
Once again, Matthew Henry is
quoted as saying - "Poor people are as much in danger from an inordinate
desire towards the wealth of the world as rich people from an inordinate
delight in it." J.C. Ryle adds - "We may love money without having it,
just as we may have money without loving it."
Those who insatiably desired
wealth were seduced and deceived by their inordinate cravings and ended up
departing from their faith in Christ. They "pierced themselves through
with many sorrows." In other words, they were pierced through and through;
pierced all around; pierced everywhere.
"They that will be rich" -
These are the persons determined to get riches in life. They live to get
money - get all they can and can all they get. Consequently, they "fall
into temptation." They are tempted to do wicked, evil, and deceitful
things in order to accomplish their object and aim in life which is to be
rich.
They fall into "a snare." There is an allusion here to a hole dug in the
earth and filled with sharp stakes. It is slightly covered over with turf
so as not to be easily recognizable. When a person steps on it, he falls
into it and is "pierced through with many sorrows" by its sharp stakes.
It's a trap and a gin that he falls into and cannot get out of.
He falls "into many foolish and hurtful lusts." His entire conduct is
demoralized. His mind becomes debased. Charity, benevolence, and
generosity give way to selfishness, hardness of heart, and ruthless
behavior.
"Which drown men in destruction and perdition" - The Apostle Paul paints
the picture here of a ship that has been violently driven among the rocks
and is dashed to pieces in a moment's time. Resultantly, it sinks in the
deep. Likewise, "the love of money" results in the total devastation of a
life, family, business, ministry, community, or nation.
In Proverbs 10:2, Solomon instructs us - "Treasures of wickedness profit
nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death."
"Treasures of wickedness" - wealth or property gained unjustly or through
wicked means - never profit.
Oh! That men would give heed to the Scriptures today! God takes away that
which was ill-gotten.
Only "righteousness" - honesty and charity - can keep an individual from
oftentimes an untimely physical death resulting from the corruption of
covetousness as well as from an inevitable spiritual death and destruction
in Hell.
So many have spoken on the subject of covetousness, greed, and avarice.
The Apostle James is no exception. The fifth chapter of his book opens
with these lines -
James 5:1-6 - "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries
that shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness
against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped
treasure together for the last days.
Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which
is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have
reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished
your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you."
The "Love of Money" is indeed the root of all evil. In these six verses,
the Apostle James points out four distinct sins that the rich man falls
into as a result of his selfish ways.
#1 Covetousness - Hoarding Up Treasures
The Apostle James calls to all the rich men who have been unjust and
oppressive in their dealings with other men to "weep and howl" in
anticipation of God's vengeance that is coming their way. Instead of
sharing their wealth with others or using their treasures in a useful
manner to benefit others, they hoarded them until they became rotten and
spoiled.
A man in the East would lay up perishable items such as grains, wine, and
oil. After a period of time, these items would rot and become putrefied.
The garments laid aside for show or for future use became "moth-eaten."
The "gold and silver" laid aside became"cankered." Being stored for a long
time in a damp place caused them to contract a dark color resembling rust.
The effect of the rich man's laying up treasures for selfish purposes
would be comparable to the eating of his flesh with fire. God would surely
bring His judgment down upon the man who lives for himself and money.
Instead of the treasures of gold and silver; garments, grain, oil, and
wine; he will face the treasures of the fiery wrath of the Almighty.
#2 Oppression - Keeping Back Wages
These rich men were hiring laborers to cultivate their fields. However,
because of the corruption of their own hearts and the desire for gain,
they were defrauding and depriving the labourers of their fair wages.
Consequently, the workers cried out to the Lord of Sabaoth- the Lord of
Hosts - the Lord of armies.
Matthew Henry in His Commentary makes this note - "This is a crying sin,
an iniquity that cries so as to reach the ears of God; and, in this case,
God is to be considered as the Lord of Sabaoth, or the Lord of
hosts...when the people were defenseless and wanted protection, and when
their enemies were numerous and powerful. The Lord of hosts, Who has all
ranks of beings and creatures at His disposal, and Who sets all in their
several places, hears the oppressed when they cry by reason of the cruelty
or injustice of the oppressor, and He will give orders to some of those
hosts that are under Him(angels, devils, storms, distempers, or the like)
to avenge the wrongs done to those who are dealt with unrighteously and
unmercifully..."
The rich men failed to realize as the Rabbis often would say - "The vapour
arising from the sweat of the hard-worked laborer ascends up before God."
#3 Sensuality - Living A Life Of Indulgence
These rich men "lived in pleasure."
They lived -
...delicately and luxuriously
...for enjoyment.
...at ease while others were slaving away to bring in their wealth
...lasciviously while indulging in all kinds of sensual appetites and
lusts
They "nourished" themselves like fattened cattle ready for the slaughter.
#4 Persecution - Oppressing The Just Man
"Ye have condemned and killed the just man, and he does not resist you." -
These rich men would injure and oppress the honest and humble man who had
none to plead his cause or to vindicate his rights.
The rich man, because of his wealth, was very powerful and influential.
The oppressed man, on the other hand, because of his poor state, was too
feeble to offer any reasonable resistance against him.
As we can see from this message, God condemns Covetousness in any form.
He told us in His Word to "take heed and beware" of it.
May we avoid its evil tendencies at all costs.
It would behoove us to take the advice that someone once gave - "Seeking
empties a life; giving fills it."
May our outlook always be directed away from Self and unto others.
This is the safe and godly way to take.
Always remember - "Big Mouthfuls Often Choke."
May God Bless His Word.
Connie
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