The Love of Money

A major hindrance to prosperity is the love of money. The love of money and covetousness are related to one another, but Mark 4:19 makes a distinction between the two:

and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires (lusts) for other things entering in choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Covetousness is the heart lusting after material things, while the love of money is a result of the heart tolerating and accepting the deceitfulness of riches as truth. If you and I allow riches to determine our peace and security, we are deceived. Our bank statement can never become a measure of our spiritual condition (I Timothy 6:5,6). Many wealthy people allow their riches to give them a false sense of security and therefore feel no need for God. That is the goal of the “deceitfulness of riches.”

In Rev. 3:16,17 it says:

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.

 There is a danger if we allow our relationship with money to become perverted. The love of money (deceitfulness of riches) will choke off the fruitfulness of the Word in our hearts (Mark 4:19).  Proverbs 1:32 confirms this. It says, “…the prosperity of fools shall destroy them” because they have allowed their wealth to make them spiritually complacent.

A description of the wrong kind of relationship with money is revealed in I Timothy 6:9-10:

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The love of money results in deception, destruction, straying from the faith, and great sorrow, and it is the root of all kinds of evil. Psalms 97:10 reminds us, “You who love the Lord, hate evil” and Proverbs 8:13 says, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.”

Since we are called to hate evil, and the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, we must learn to develop a hatred for the love of money. That means it is imperative that we make the love of money our enemy, not our friend. Again, John says, “Follow not that which is evil…” (III John 11). Don’t follow the love of money. Rather hate it and follow the love of God.

The right attitude to develop that will counteract the love of money is choosing relationships over money. Left alone, the love of money will destroy relationships.

Jesus cleansed the temple of those who placed financial gain over relationship with God and others (John 2:13-17). We are the temple of God today. He is still zealous for cleansing His present-day temples from the love of money. Love for God and love for people drives out the love of money from the heart.

The Macedonian church first gave themselves to the Lord and then to the apostles (II Corinthians 8:1-7). That heart attitude released them to abound in the grace of giving. Their love for God and for Paul and his team kept them from being controlled by the love of money in their giving.

But [instead of seeking after money and your needs first] seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

You know you are relating with an individual around the love of money when you look at them as a liability or what they cost you. You are constantly thinking about what they owe you. Your giving will not be effective until you get your relationships right. God places a priority on relationships above money, and so should we who are made in His image (Matthew 5:23,24).

In some cases it is better to take a financial loss to salvage the relationship than to lose a relationship by taking a brother or sister to court. We must be willing to let these things go and forgive everyone (I Corinthians 6:1-8)! Life is too short and unforgiveness and bitterness are too costly emotionally, spiritually, and physically to hold on to.

The first example of relationship verses the love of money is Abram and Lot in Genesis 13. The land could not sustain both Abram and Lot’s livestock, so there was strife between the herdsmen (5-7).

Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left (8-9).

Abram gave up the best land for the sake of the relationship. Abram chose his relationship with Lot over material gain.  In verses 12-13, Lot chose material gain over his relationship with Abram. This choice led him to pitch his tent toward Sodom (evil) and eventually cost him everything. The love of money or material gain over relationships is a root of all kinds of evil.

In Genesis 13:14-18, God rewarded Abram’s decision to choose relationships over financial gain with His presence, a vision, promised legacy and inheritance.

A second example of relationship verses the love of money is from the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. The younger brother thought money could do more for him than his relationships. He discovered the hard way that was a lie. He found that relationships built around the love of money were not real or lasting. As soon as his money was gone so were they!

The elder brother’s focus on money kept him from developing a close relationship with either his father or his brother. Everything he was doing and working for was for himself. His focus was on how the younger brother wasted his father’s money, not on his relationship with his brother or on the welfare of his brother.

The Father’s focus was on relationship – “my son is restored” (Luke 15:24), “Son, you are always with me” (Luke 15:31). He made no mention of wasted resources.

A third and final example of relationship verses the love of money is the rich, young ruler in Matthew 19:16-30.

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions (Matthew 19:21-22).

The ultimate goal of mammon or the love of money is to convince you to choose material gain over relationship with Jesus. What would it profit a man if he gained everything the world offered and lost his soul? He has lost it all (Mark 8:36-37).