Love of Money

Jacob Chen ZheJune 1, 2025

Greed and the love of money are deeply woven into the fabric of modern society. The best-selling books, the most-watched videos, and the most-followed blogs often revolve around one theme: how to make more money. But as Christians, are we also quietly chasing the same dream? Are we living as if our purpose on earth is to gather wealth, build bigger barns, and believe that the more we possess, the more joy we’ll find—as if that’s all life is about?

In God's eyes, greed is no small sin—it is as serious as idolatry. To put our trust in money is to turn our hearts away from God. Instead, we are called to cultivate a spirit of contentment, knowing that our Heavenly Father will never leave us nor forsake us. We do not need to strive like the world, living self-reliant lives driven by fear of lack.

May these Scriptures help us examine our hearts: have we, perhaps unknowingly, lived in a way that serves money rather than God? May the Lord free us from the grip of greed, and lead us to live a life of contentment—like sheep resting in His ever-green and abundant pastures.

Warning

Luke 12:13-15

13One of the multitude said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.”

Matthew 6:19-21

19“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:24

24“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. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.

Ephesians 5:5

5Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.

Proverbs 15:27

27He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live.

Proverbs 28:25

25One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in the LORD will prosper.

Ephesians 5:3

3But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;

Mark 7:20-23

20He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. 21For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, 22covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”

Luke 11:39-41

39The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. 40You foolish ones, didn’t he who made the outside make the inside also? 41But give for gifts to the needy those things which are within, and behold, all things will be clean to you.

2 Peter 2:3

3In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.

Colossians 3:5

5Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Ecclesiastes 5:10-16

10He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. 11When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes? 12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep. 13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. 14Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand. 15As he came out of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. 16This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

Declaration

Psalms 16:5-6

5The LORD assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure. 6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.

Proverbs 11:28

28He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.

Proverbs 15:16

16Better is little, with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure with trouble.

Psalm 23:1

1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing.

Psalm 37:16

16Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.

Lamentations 3:24

24“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul. “Therefore I will hope in him.”

Exhortation

1 Timothy 6:6-10

6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we certainly can’t carry anything out. 8But having food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation, a snare, and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Hebrews 13:5

5Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”

Acts 20:33-35

33I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands served my necessities, and those who were with me. 35In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Philippians 4:11-13

11Not that I speak because of lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. 12I know how to be humbled, and I also know how to abound. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need. 13I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Luke 3:14

14Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”

Illustrations

The Rich Fool (Luke 12:16–21)

16He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man produced abundantly.

17He reasoned within himself, saying, ‘What will I do, because I don’t have room to store my crops?’

18He said, ‘This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

19I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.”’

20“But God said to him, ‘You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?’

21So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Judas and the Thirty Silver Coins (Matthew 26:14–16)

14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” So they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.

16From that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–10)

1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, then brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

3But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the price of the land?

4While you kept it, didn’t it remain your own? After it was sold, wasn’t it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You haven’t lied to men, but to God.”

5Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard these things.

6The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.

7About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

8Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” She said, “Yes, for so much.”

9But Peter asked her, “How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

10She fell down immediately at his feet and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

Achan’s greed brought destruction (Joshua 7:20-26)

20Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done.

21When I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”

22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.

23They took them from the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel. They laid them down before the LORD.

24Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.

25Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.

26They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. The LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day.

Gehazi lied to take gift from Naaman (2 Kings 5:19-27)

19He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a little way.

20But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”

21So Gehazi followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”

22He said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’”

23Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” He urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants; and they carried them before him.

24When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and stored them in the house. Then he let the men go, and they departed.

25But he went in, and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you come from, Gehazi?” He said, “Your servant went nowhere.”

26He said to him, “Didn’t my heart go with you when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive groves and vineyards, and sheep and cattle, and male servants and female servants?

27Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your offspring forever.” He went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for warning us against the dangers of greed and the love of money. We confess that we often fall short in this area. The subtle sin of greed is like yeast—it quietly spreads and unconsciously influences our decisions.

Lord, we repent. We turn away from greed, from the restless striving and the endless gathering. Instead, we turn toward contentment in You.

Help us to be deeply satisfied with what You have already provided—both our daily bread and the eternal salvation found in Christ. Remind us that we already possess the greatest treasure in the world: Jesus Christ Himself.

In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen!