Many in the modern Church in the west are smug behind their wealth. That includes not just those with large houses, high levels of disposable income, and high-paying jobs. No, includes the many who do not consider themselves rich, but have a house to live in with electricity with a job, or who receive government assistance for the basic needs. Many of such people are just as proud in their hearts as those with large houses, much disposable income and high-paying jobs.
Such people often do not realise that they are trusting in mammon, as opposed to God. A person trusts one or the other (Matthew 6:24).
They focus on long-term financial planning to ensuring that they and their families needs will be met, instead of simply trusting in God. They look forward to simply enjoying their "retirement", as opposed to working to advance in the Kingdom of God and do good works. They simply want to enjoy spending their life savings in old age, instead of giving their extra money or wealth to the needy, and impoverished.
Such aspirations are vile manifestations of the love of mammon. They are manifest examples of smugness that many in the west, including the professing Christians, have because of their needs being sufficiently met. They do not even bother to understand the hardship of those who are poor or impoverished, because of their smug comfort.
Indeed, many who are trying to enter the Kingdom of Heaven will not be able to (Luke 13:24). These people who Jesus was referring to are the religious people who not only claimed the Name of Jesus, but who ate and drank in His presence (Luke 13:25-27). They are people who assumed that they are true followers of Jesus and were familiar with Him:
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
(Luke 13:24-27).
The reason is that many who try to enter the narrow gate fail is because of a lack of true believing faith in Jesus Christ as Luke 13:18-24 demonstrates:
Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
It was not that these people who will not be saved in the end were necessarily those who practiced gross sin like fornication, adultery, sorcery and drunkness, while professing Christ. It is not necessarily even that they simply professed Christ but were not very zealous in their professed walk. No, they were people who fellowshiped with Jesus and listened to His teachings: We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets (Luke 13:26). They are people who others would reasonably think to be a serious Biblically-sound Christian, owing to their appearance of righteousness and knowledge of Jesus' teaching, except that they were not true followers of Christ.
A true follower of Christ is he or she who simply and absolutely trusts in Christ for all things, without fear. He or she is like a helpless child who simply trusts and obeys Jesus Christ without doubting or questioning His teaching or promises for even a moment. He or she does not seek his or her own way, or do anything independently of Christ. He or she is humble in realising that only by trusting in Jesus and Jesus alone can he or she truly be saved. Such is true saving faith which not only saves one from the just wrath of God, but enables on to do good works for Christ. Without works, one has dead faith (James 2:14-26).
In contrast, the mammonised professing Christians are those who are full of double-minded, wanting both the ways of the world , and the ways of Christ, seeking that the word offers, yet wanting to seeking that which Christ offers. They wholeheartedly claim that they must trust fully in Jesus, but yet think that they can also trust in mammon or money as well. They handle their money like the world does, focusing their minds of how they can earn more money for themselves and their immediate circles, as opposed to focusing on God and doing His Will, and then letting the finances come by simply trusting in God's provision. They love to do their own financial planning, and plan for 'retirement' where they can simply 'enjoy' their lives.
Tragically, many such mammonised professing Christians will not be saved in the end. Many of such people strongly denounce all manner of sin, especially the gross sins of others, but yet do not realise their own pride in not truly trusting in Jesus Christ with a pure and childlike faith. Such pride is a stench in God's nostrils, and sadly, many such professing Christians will only find out they were not truly saved unto the end.
To be saved from the wrath of Hell, know this: you have sinned against God by breaking His Law, be it be lying, stealing, taking his Name in vain, and failing to seek Him. The just penalty is eternity in Hell. But God being one who is Love, does not desire any should perish in Hell, a place of suffering and torment. So, He sent His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for your sins, on your behalf. This is so that on the Day of Judgment where God will judge the world, He can dismiss His case against you. Your broke God's Law, Jesus paid your fine. So, to be saved from the just wrath of God, you need to turn from your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone. No good work of yours can save you, because our works are as filthy rags to God, because of our unrighteousness (Isaiah 64:6).
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 18:1-4).
Such people often do not realise that they are trusting in mammon, as opposed to God. A person trusts one or the other (Matthew 6:24).
They focus on long-term financial planning to ensuring that they and their families needs will be met, instead of simply trusting in God. They look forward to simply enjoying their "retirement", as opposed to working to advance in the Kingdom of God and do good works. They simply want to enjoy spending their life savings in old age, instead of giving their extra money or wealth to the needy, and impoverished.
Such aspirations are vile manifestations of the love of mammon. They are manifest examples of smugness that many in the west, including the professing Christians, have because of their needs being sufficiently met. They do not even bother to understand the hardship of those who are poor or impoverished, because of their smug comfort.
Indeed, many who are trying to enter the Kingdom of Heaven will not be able to (Luke 13:24). These people who Jesus was referring to are the religious people who not only claimed the Name of Jesus, but who ate and drank in His presence (Luke 13:25-27). They are people who assumed that they are true followers of Jesus and were familiar with Him:
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
(Luke 13:24-27).
The reason is that many who try to enter the narrow gate fail is because of a lack of true believing faith in Jesus Christ as Luke 13:18-24 demonstrates:
Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.
And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
It was not that these people who will not be saved in the end were necessarily those who practiced gross sin like fornication, adultery, sorcery and drunkness, while professing Christ. It is not necessarily even that they simply professed Christ but were not very zealous in their professed walk. No, they were people who fellowshiped with Jesus and listened to His teachings: We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets (Luke 13:26). They are people who others would reasonably think to be a serious Biblically-sound Christian, owing to their appearance of righteousness and knowledge of Jesus' teaching, except that they were not true followers of Christ.
A true follower of Christ is he or she who simply and absolutely trusts in Christ for all things, without fear. He or she is like a helpless child who simply trusts and obeys Jesus Christ without doubting or questioning His teaching or promises for even a moment. He or she does not seek his or her own way, or do anything independently of Christ. He or she is humble in realising that only by trusting in Jesus and Jesus alone can he or she truly be saved. Such is true saving faith which not only saves one from the just wrath of God, but enables on to do good works for Christ. Without works, one has dead faith (James 2:14-26).
In contrast, the mammonised professing Christians are those who are full of double-minded, wanting both the ways of the world , and the ways of Christ, seeking that the word offers, yet wanting to seeking that which Christ offers. They wholeheartedly claim that they must trust fully in Jesus, but yet think that they can also trust in mammon or money as well. They handle their money like the world does, focusing their minds of how they can earn more money for themselves and their immediate circles, as opposed to focusing on God and doing His Will, and then letting the finances come by simply trusting in God's provision. They love to do their own financial planning, and plan for 'retirement' where they can simply 'enjoy' their lives.
Tragically, many such mammonised professing Christians will not be saved in the end. Many of such people strongly denounce all manner of sin, especially the gross sins of others, but yet do not realise their own pride in not truly trusting in Jesus Christ with a pure and childlike faith. Such pride is a stench in God's nostrils, and sadly, many such professing Christians will only find out they were not truly saved unto the end.
To be saved from the wrath of Hell, know this: you have sinned against God by breaking His Law, be it be lying, stealing, taking his Name in vain, and failing to seek Him. The just penalty is eternity in Hell. But God being one who is Love, does not desire any should perish in Hell, a place of suffering and torment. So, He sent His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for your sins, on your behalf. This is so that on the Day of Judgment where God will judge the world, He can dismiss His case against you. Your broke God's Law, Jesus paid your fine. So, to be saved from the just wrath of God, you need to turn from your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone. No good work of yours can save you, because our works are as filthy rags to God, because of our unrighteousness (Isaiah 64:6).
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 18:1-4).
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