The Bible makes it very clear that those who serve mammon will "pierce themselves with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 6:10). It is not that sorrow is a wicked ungodly thing. It is ungodly sorrow that is wicked. Such is the case of an Australian model Charlotte Dawson who was found to have suicided. Her autobiography reveals that she became depressed after having an abortion. It seemed that she tried to justify her decision for her abortion, by implying that if she did not have the abortion, she would not be able to enjoy her life, but yet felt the guilt. She then turned to alcohol to literally attempt to drink away her sorrows.
This is not written to ridicule, mock or scorn her in anyway. Rather, it is written to demonstrate how serving mammon will pierce people with many sorrows. Her story is just one of many sad stories of people who experience sorrow because of their choice to serve mammon.
Mammon is the spirit behind all evil. Humanity sins ultimately by failing to love God and others because the Law of God hinges on the Law of Love because GOD IS LOVE. The root of all evil is the failure to love God and to love other humans. God is indeed such amazing love that no human could possibly comprehend. Mammon is the spirit behind serving one's OWN needs, interests, aspirations, dreams, visions and freedoms. As such, mammon is absolutely diametrically opposed to love. Since "love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8), the opposite is mammon.
Mammon is impatient, mammon is unkind. It envies, boasts and is proud. It dishonours others, is self-seeking, easily angered and keeps records of wrongs. Mammon delights in evil, and scorns at the truth. Mammon never protects, trusts, hopes or perserveres. Instead, it attacks, mistrusts and is fickle. Mammon always fails. Mammon cares not whether there are prophecies, tongues or spiritual gifts; it hates love because mammon is the root of all evil.
When one serves mammon, one cannot serve God. Since only God is love, one needs to love God is have love. So, whoever serves mammon will not love others and therefore, cannot have any of the Fruits of the Spirit. Whoever serves mammon cannot have "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Mammon works in people through deception by telling people that they have everything - love, joy and peace, but such are false. Mammon seduces people by providing people false love, false joy and false peace, and deceives the human heart into thinking that serving mammon will give people love, joy and peace - the Fruits of the Spirit which the world searches but cannot find because they do not have the Spirit in them.
The promises of mammon are false and deceive many. As a result, when people serve mammon in pursuit of earthly love, joy and peace, they are serving an idol, ultimately to feed their flesh, eyes and pride of life. This idol they serve will bait them into seeking those which are earthly, and harden their heart against God because they will be filled with more hate in their hearts. Hate is against God's nature, so when one hates, one's heart is hardened against God because "whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:8).
God does not merely love, God IS love. God is great love. Only the power of God's love can redeem one from sin and free a person from the bondage of mammon. Mammon enslaves people to their sinful, wicked, perverse, evil desires, their lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life. Only love can conqueror mammon and defeat the power of mammon over the person, just as Jesus has conquered death and defeated satan.
This is not written to ridicule, mock or scorn her in anyway. Rather, it is written to demonstrate how serving mammon will pierce people with many sorrows. Her story is just one of many sad stories of people who experience sorrow because of their choice to serve mammon.
Mammon is the spirit behind all evil. Humanity sins ultimately by failing to love God and others because the Law of God hinges on the Law of Love because GOD IS LOVE. The root of all evil is the failure to love God and to love other humans. God is indeed such amazing love that no human could possibly comprehend. Mammon is the spirit behind serving one's OWN needs, interests, aspirations, dreams, visions and freedoms. As such, mammon is absolutely diametrically opposed to love. Since "love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8), the opposite is mammon.
Mammon is impatient, mammon is unkind. It envies, boasts and is proud. It dishonours others, is self-seeking, easily angered and keeps records of wrongs. Mammon delights in evil, and scorns at the truth. Mammon never protects, trusts, hopes or perserveres. Instead, it attacks, mistrusts and is fickle. Mammon always fails. Mammon cares not whether there are prophecies, tongues or spiritual gifts; it hates love because mammon is the root of all evil.
When one serves mammon, one cannot serve God. Since only God is love, one needs to love God is have love. So, whoever serves mammon will not love others and therefore, cannot have any of the Fruits of the Spirit. Whoever serves mammon cannot have "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).
Mammon works in people through deception by telling people that they have everything - love, joy and peace, but such are false. Mammon seduces people by providing people false love, false joy and false peace, and deceives the human heart into thinking that serving mammon will give people love, joy and peace - the Fruits of the Spirit which the world searches but cannot find because they do not have the Spirit in them.
The promises of mammon are false and deceive many. As a result, when people serve mammon in pursuit of earthly love, joy and peace, they are serving an idol, ultimately to feed their flesh, eyes and pride of life. This idol they serve will bait them into seeking those which are earthly, and harden their heart against God because they will be filled with more hate in their hearts. Hate is against God's nature, so when one hates, one's heart is hardened against God because "whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:8).
God does not merely love, God IS love. God is great love. Only the power of God's love can redeem one from sin and free a person from the bondage of mammon. Mammon enslaves people to their sinful, wicked, perverse, evil desires, their lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life. Only love can conqueror mammon and defeat the power of mammon over the person, just as Jesus has conquered death and defeated satan.
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