The Name Of The Game Series

SPIRITUAL GROWTH ENHANCERS

REF NO: 021

COLUMNIST: Rudolf Nii Yemoh Mensah

PRELATE: Oasis Potterlight Chapel International (OPCI)

OPENING PASSAGE: Hebrews 13:5, NIV: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"

TOPIC: THE NAME OF THE GAME

BACKGROUND: This passage gives specific instructions on good Christian conduct and portrays how a Christian should behave when it comes to money. It also affirms support from the God we serve in times of crisis, difficulties or hardships.

THE MAIN MESSAGE

This text is one of the scriptural quotations that has mightily suffered the abuse of hermeneutics in terms of transliteration and translation. This is where the lot has the view that the Christian life is a call to poverty and mediocre. This is where the subject of prosperity or the prosperous Christian becomes a grotesque subject.

But is this verse true that Christians should not seek prosperity or become rich by accumulating wealth and properties? Does this call for a low life living or living in poverty and lack for Christ name's sake?

Certainly not! This Scripture is not saying Christians should not make money. The Bible never mentioned that Christians should not make money or make only a little. The Bible never said that money is not good. He said the"LOVE" of it.

There is no subject the Bible does not cover. The Bible holds the answer to all the questions of humanity. The Bible as the authoritative Word of God covers all the subjects of humanity and when it comes to money, this is what it has to say:

1. Money Answers All Things

Ecclesiastes 10:19, KJV: "A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things."

According to Ecclesiastes, Money is the name of the game! Money talks! Yes, of course, it is and it does! But the question is, "does money hold the answer to everything"? I put it to you! Question to answer! Is money everything the way you read it?

Of course, money answers all things, but not everything. In that context money answers "ALL THINGS", but in the same context money does not answer "EVERYTHING"!

Sounds confusing right? I understand that Ecclesiastes 10:19 is widely misunderstood, misquoted and taken out of context with prosperity preachers in the lead.

But let me explain further. Rather than being cynical or critical about wealth or the rich, this comment is to be taken in the context of the dissolute nobles (v. 16) and banqueters (v. 17). Wealth for them is only pleasure and a means of having fun. A critical example is the silly rich man Jesus spoke about in in the Lukan Gospel. What did the rich man say to his soul?

"And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." Luke 12:19

The parable reflects the foolishness of attaching too much importance to wealth and the Lukan account is a direct reflection from Ecclesiastes 10:19.

Furthermore, this is a contextual statement. What Solomon means is that a feast will make you laugh, the wine will make you happy but money can do both - it can make you laugh and also make you happy. So it answers everything within the context of the statement.

For example, money can buy you a house, but cannot buy you a home. Money can buy you a bed, but it cannot buy you sleep. It can buy you a wedding, but not a marriage and medicine but not health. If it could buy health, millionaires and billionaires would not die of illnesses. Money cannot buy you eternal life, deliverance, or peace of mind. Money cannot guarantee the salvation of anyone, neither does it guarantee a reserved space in heaven.

Otherwise, our business tycoons, the big men and politicians would make heaven ahead of us. The rich man would have made heaven in place of poor Lazarus if money buys God's salvation. That is why God has made it free for everyone who believes in the name of His dear Son, Jesus Christ!

In the light of this context, you can come into concord with me that money is not everything, but is the answer to all that pertains to a feast. It can buy the wine and food that is necessary for feasting, but not everything about life. It answers all things about luxuries, organizing big parties, enjoyment or making fun but it has limitations because it does not answer everything in general!

Money can buy you all the luxury cars, mansions, fame, popularity and political power. But it cannot give you peace of mind. Money can buy you all the fresh ladies in the town. Money can buy you all the slay queens and world-class girls in their ages, colours, shapes and country of origin by birth or by migration but not a wife. Money can buy any woman but not the one said of in Proverbs 31:10-12, NLV: