The Bible has a lot to say about money. Money is mentioned in the Bible more that 800 times. In fact, 70% of what Jesus taught about was money. Because there are so many verses in the scriptures about money, I will do several blog posts about what the Bible says about money.
You cannot serve two masters
Mastering the temptation of serving money is the key to abundant life that Jesus died for us to have. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Most Christians would definitively say that they do not serve money (mammon). They are sure, without question that they serve God wholeheartedly because they are saved, maybe they tithe, they give in the offering, and they volunteer at the church. Christians would certainly never consciously choose to serve money over God. But the fact is that many Christians are doing just that.
Jesus goes on in verses 25-34 to tell the real test of who you are serving:
“25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
The gauge for whether you’re serving money, is whether you are spending your energy and time seeking the Kingdom of God or whether you’re spending your energy and time seeking things. If you find yourself spending more and more time toiling and chasing money you may have just crossed over to serving mammon. Judge yourself on this matter and if you have starting money make a decision to change today.
