Let us beware of the love of money. It is possible to use it well, and do good with it. But for each one who makes a right use of money, there are thousands who make a wrong use of it, and do harm both to themselves and others. Let the worldly man, if he will, make an idol of money, and count him happiest who has most of it. But let the Christian, who professes to have “treasure in heaven,” set his face like a flint against the spirit of the world in this matter. Let him not worship gold. He is not the best man in God’s eyes who has most money, but he who has most grace.
~ J.C. Ryle
Daily Readings From All Four Gospels: For Morning and Evening, [Darlington, England: Evangelical Press, 1998], September 14th, Morning.
Ah, grace. “My grace is sufficient for thee.”
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Outstanding quote, and — coupled with the fact that one can barely turn on the T.V. to a religious program today without being bombarded with ceaseless requests for money — more applicable in our day than might at first be apparent.
I imagine we would all heartily agree with Paul when he decries “unrighteousness, evil, murder, haters of God, ruthless” in Rom. 1:29, or “sexual immorality and all impurity” in Eph. 5:3.
Amen, Paul. Preach it!
But how often do we read these passages and subconsciously overlook “covetousness” as being included in the same lists?
What’s more, Paul goes so far as to say that: 1) not only should “covetousness” not be mentioned even so little as “once” among the saints, but also, 2) it is equal to idolatry — the worshiping of another god, and finally that, 3) those who are covetous “have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (See Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5)
Strong words, indeed.
Lord, deliver us from covetousness in all its forms.
John,
Well said, well said. Strong (and sobering) words indeed from the Apostle Paul.
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