Beware Of Mammon

Our Lord said, “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). When God and mammon become rivals, one or other will inevitably be rejected. In spiritual matters, there are two kingdoms: earth or heaven; two realms: darkness or light; two masters: God or Satan. When the heart of a man is set on money; the accumulation of worldly wealth and an obsession with temporal things - then God is excluded from that life, for no one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. Many have tried to serve both, but all fail in the end. When materialism and a love of money takes hold of a life, that person's desire for money will eventually take precedence over ones love for God.

When we choose God over mammon we die to self and our selfish desires so that the Spirit of Christ may dwell in us richly and lead and guide us into all truth - which enables us to mature in our Christian Walk and to grow in grace and in a knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Jesus is personifying money as a rival god. Jesus is making unmistakably clear that money is not some impersonal medium of exchange. Money is not something morally neutral, a resource to be used in good or bad ways depending solely upon our attitude toward it. Money is a power that seeks to dominate us. Money is godlike. Money in modern society is godlike. It is a substitute God. That is why it’s called mammon. And, if we aren’t careful, it will rule and ruin our lives.

Money has influenced every area of the world. Kings have money, leaders and politicians have money, businesspersons have money, terrorists have money. In Christendom today, many preachers and pastors have millions and leading a luxurious lifestyle. When it comes to money all are alike with same nature and same tendency. It has been said, money is the most important nerve in the human body as it runs from our brain down to the wallet. It runs through our system day and night, it runs through our relationships, it runs through our moods, it makes us sad or happy. If we get more of it we get excited, if we lose a little of it that makes us sad.

Our Lord said, none can serve two masters. Your true master is the one who you love and serve. God cannot coexist with a second master. Who you listen to in your day today life is your master. Does money rule you? Do you act on what mammon says? If he asks you to leave a job, just to have a little more money, what would you do? If you get a good money fortune, would you consider migrating to another country though you have to leave the commitments that God entrusted to you in the place where you are. Does money influence your relationships, whether it’s family, relatives or even friends?

Money is a good servant but a terrible master. Remember that. Just like fire, fire is a good servant but a terrible master. You use fire and you keep the fire under control in the kitchen, on the gas stove. That is okay. But if you let that fire go out of control, what happens? Your whole house will be burnt down. And if you can treat money like that, as a servant, and keep it under control like you keep the fire on the gas stove under control, then it is a wonderful servant; very, very useful.

The danger of serving both the Lord and money is seen clearly in an illustration given by Martyn-Lloyd-Jones in his Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. He tells the story of a farmer who had a prized cow who gave birth to two calves. One calf was red, and one was white. He came in the house rejoicing and told his wife the great news. He added, “I have decided to sell one of the calves and give the proceeds to the Lord.” When his wife asked him which calf he would sell, he said it did not matter because he would raise them both the same. One day the farmer came in with a sad face. “The Lord’s calf died.” His wife responded with confusion, “I thought you had not decided which calf would be the Lord’s calf.” He responded confidently, “No, I had always decided that the white one was the Lord’s calf and now it is dead.” Though this story is amusing, the message is humbling. Somehow when trying times come in our financial lives, it is always the time, money, and passion for the Lord that suffers first. The Lord’s calf always dies when we serve money.