If I were asked to identify the greatest danger to the Church in the modern United States, I would have to say materialism. To be sure, there are many theological errors that threaten her foundation, but materialism goes beyond these to the issue of idolatry. It is a question of the heart. More specifically, it is a matter of who owns the heart. Such heinous crimes as disdaining the Word of God and compromising with the world often find their ultimate cause in materialism. As the Scriptures say, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil."
Jesus was not silent in regards to how the citizens of His Kingdom should spend their money. If you read through the Gospels, you will find that our Lord spoke about money/possessions as often as almost anything else. He knew how powerful the lure of lucre can be. In His Kingdom Manifesto, that homily we commonly call The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus deals with foundational life issues. It is no surprise, then, that He discusses our attitude towards earthly wealth at this time (and gives modern pastors an example to follow). He warns against giving alms for personal glory in Matthew 6:1-2. In Verses 19-24 of the same chapter He calls His auditors to prioritize heavenly treasures above the earthly alternative, even going so far as to dichotomize God and Mammon (money or material wealth). He ends the chapter by calling them to seek the Kingdom first and foremost, preferring reliance upon God over anxiety about earthly provision. This is just one example of the many teachings of Christ on this issue.
Unfortunately, as we often do, we have found reasons why what He said doesn't apply to us. We gloss over His words, repeating them as little more than moral platitudes and utterly failing to subject our lives to the demands of His way of life. We adopt the world's values and financial assumptions, both as individuals and as a corporate body. We earn what people in other countries would consider a small fortune, but we find ourselves dissatisfied. We have more junk than our garages can handle. We bemoan our financial distress as we eat out, drive cars, and watch TV. We can't give offerings on Sunday because our vacations are coming up at the end of the month. Every main road seems to feature a church building that cost millions of dollars to build, not to mention the maintenance, while the church budget allots a mere 2% for charitable causes. We have pastors wearing suits that cost more than my car (okay, that's not saying much) while congregants hunger. Our attitude towards money often seems to be aligned more closely to the rich young ruler than to our Lord and Savior.
Materialism is so dangerous because it is so hard to identify. Where is the line between working hard to provide for your family and living for money? Negligence in the former is tantamount to abandoning the faith, but how do we avoid the latter? The human heart so rarely finds balance. How do we overcome this tendency and strike a balance between indolence and greed? Ultimately this is a heart issue. There is no black-and-white answer. You cannot say that making X amount of money makes you a bad person (after all, generosity is actually a spiritual gift, and that requires having money to give). You cannot say that X is a luxury that is too extravagant for a Christian to enjoy or that money spent on non-necessities is necessarily ill-spent. We must each examine our own hearts and discover our true motivations and desires. Are we lovers of Christ or are we lovers of this world? Do we work to provide for our families and to share with those in need or do we work to build our own wealth? Is money a means or an end? Is it a part of life or is it life itself? Is it a tool or is it security? No one can answer these questions for us and no one is exempt from this need for self-examination. Do not think that this is exclusively a rich man's sin. All men battle this disease. Whether you're a rich business owner or a destitute pauper, you must spurn greed and prioritize the Kingdom of Christ on a daily basis.
Materialism has become one of the acceptable sins in the American Church. We're blind to it. We rationalize it. We redefine it and contaminate the name of Christ with it. We must heed our Savior's call to store up treasures in Heaven, placing value on that which is eternal instead of that which is carnal. Whether you're a Fortune 500 CEO or the guy who made my burger and fries the other night, you must flee from materialism and seek first the Kingdom of Christ.
Jesus was not silent in regards to how the citizens of His Kingdom should spend their money. If you read through the Gospels, you will find that our Lord spoke about money/possessions as often as almost anything else. He knew how powerful the lure of lucre can be. In His Kingdom Manifesto, that homily we commonly call The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus deals with foundational life issues. It is no surprise, then, that He discusses our attitude towards earthly wealth at this time (and gives modern pastors an example to follow). He warns against giving alms for personal glory in Matthew 6:1-2. In Verses 19-24 of the same chapter He calls His auditors to prioritize heavenly treasures above the earthly alternative, even going so far as to dichotomize God and Mammon (money or material wealth). He ends the chapter by calling them to seek the Kingdom first and foremost, preferring reliance upon God over anxiety about earthly provision. This is just one example of the many teachings of Christ on this issue.
Unfortunately, as we often do, we have found reasons why what He said doesn't apply to us. We gloss over His words, repeating them as little more than moral platitudes and utterly failing to subject our lives to the demands of His way of life. We adopt the world's values and financial assumptions, both as individuals and as a corporate body. We earn what people in other countries would consider a small fortune, but we find ourselves dissatisfied. We have more junk than our garages can handle. We bemoan our financial distress as we eat out, drive cars, and watch TV. We can't give offerings on Sunday because our vacations are coming up at the end of the month. Every main road seems to feature a church building that cost millions of dollars to build, not to mention the maintenance, while the church budget allots a mere 2% for charitable causes. We have pastors wearing suits that cost more than my car (okay, that's not saying much) while congregants hunger. Our attitude towards money often seems to be aligned more closely to the rich young ruler than to our Lord and Savior.
Materialism is so dangerous because it is so hard to identify. Where is the line between working hard to provide for your family and living for money? Negligence in the former is tantamount to abandoning the faith, but how do we avoid the latter? The human heart so rarely finds balance. How do we overcome this tendency and strike a balance between indolence and greed? Ultimately this is a heart issue. There is no black-and-white answer. You cannot say that making X amount of money makes you a bad person (after all, generosity is actually a spiritual gift, and that requires having money to give). You cannot say that X is a luxury that is too extravagant for a Christian to enjoy or that money spent on non-necessities is necessarily ill-spent. We must each examine our own hearts and discover our true motivations and desires. Are we lovers of Christ or are we lovers of this world? Do we work to provide for our families and to share with those in need or do we work to build our own wealth? Is money a means or an end? Is it a part of life or is it life itself? Is it a tool or is it security? No one can answer these questions for us and no one is exempt from this need for self-examination. Do not think that this is exclusively a rich man's sin. All men battle this disease. Whether you're a rich business owner or a destitute pauper, you must spurn greed and prioritize the Kingdom of Christ on a daily basis.
Materialism has become one of the acceptable sins in the American Church. We're blind to it. We rationalize it. We redefine it and contaminate the name of Christ with it. We must heed our Savior's call to store up treasures in Heaven, placing value on that which is eternal instead of that which is carnal. Whether you're a Fortune 500 CEO or the guy who made my burger and fries the other night, you must flee from materialism and seek first the Kingdom of Christ.
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