The doctrine of 'rights' is one of self-centredness, self-love and selfishness, not one of sacrifice, respect and submission of people to each other. Since human beings are by nature haters of God and cannot submit to God's Law (Romans 8:7), they cannot, without the love of God, refrain from being "filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy" (Romans 1:29-31).
In no way can humans, without the submission to the Law of Love which only comes from God, love others because the human heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). Such is a heart of no love, and therefore one that can only see things to be good based on how good one is treated by another.
Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). To follow Jesus is be for Jesus, and to be for Jesus is to love Jesus. He also said in Matthew 12:30: "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." This means that to not follow Jesus is to be against Jesus, and therefore hating Him. Everyone will serve a master. That master will either be God, who is manifested in the flesh as Jesus, or mammon. 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 (Matthew 6:24).
Mammon tempts people to feel as though they need more earthly things. He makes people
feel that they do not have enough, and that they are entitled to what they have. He
manifests himself through the doctrine of rights. He tells people that they are entitled to what
they have seen they 'can' have it, and want it, they should seek it.
In no way can humans, without the submission to the Law of Love which only comes from God, love others because the human heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). Such is a heart of no love, and therefore one that can only see things to be good based on how good one is treated by another.
Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). To follow Jesus is be for Jesus, and to be for Jesus is to love Jesus. He also said in Matthew 12:30: "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." This means that to not follow Jesus is to be against Jesus, and therefore hating Him. Everyone will serve a master. That master will either be God, who is manifested in the flesh as Jesus, or mammon. 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 (Matthew 6:24).
Mammon is not money per se. It is a spirit that operates through the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life (1 John 2:16). A person will either serve these earthly things, or God. A person cannot be neutral; as long as person does not serve God, one is and can only serve earthly things. Mammon is the spirit behind enslavement to earthly things. Many people think they are not serving mammon because they are spiritual or because they are not chasing after material things.
Do not be deceived. Earthly things are not necessary physical possessions. They can be intangible things the world offers such as earthly satisfaction, happiness, social power and self-actualisation. The sign that literally indicates that one is under the spirit of mammon is anxiety, lack of peace in a person who is searching for satisfaction in earthly things like King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1).
Mammon tempts people to feel as though they need more earthly things. He makes people
feel that they do not have enough, and that they are entitled to what they have. He
manifests himself through the doctrine of rights. He tells people that they are entitled to what
they have seen they 'can' have it, and want it, they should seek it.
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