Many unsaved people from different cultures, religions and nations can see usury for what it is: sin. Many non-western Christians can also see usury for what it is: sin. Yet, many in the modern western Church, that is, westerner Christians, cannot see usury for what it is - the so-called more 'enlightened' western Christians who think they are more enlightened, though they do not put it that way, because they embrace the values of "rights", "liberty" and "equality".
They are proud of themselves for believing in the "rights" of the oppressed, poor and needy, feeling carnal sympathy towards them, and not love, on the grounds that they have less earthly material things, which really have no value at all.
They are proud of believing in civil 'liberty', in the name of "tolerance". They are not only all to eager to show that they do not "impose their views on others". They compromise with sin, thinking they are doing so in the name of love, a perversion of what is God's agape love. No wonder the modern western Church is useless, irrelevant and so sick that it is almost dead. It trusts in the flesh, compromise with it, and also embraces doctrines of the flesh, influenced by demons. Perverting the doctrine of God's agape love by one's actions, though one have the right concept of it in one's mind, is such an example.
God's agape love seeks to be kind, and in doing so, hates all evil with a fierce, fiery, deep, zealous, red-hot hatred. It makes no compromise, nor can even tolerate the thought of compromise. These foolish western Christians even think that it is legitimate for government which is ordained by God (see Romans 13) to legalise or permit the most abominable things, such as homosexual "marriage" or "transgenderism", all blasphemous rebellion which does not "abuse" God's ordained order, but wars against it with all hostility and hatred against God.
They think governments have the 'right' to legalise homosexual "marriage" and "transgenderism" among other things that do not personally affect them, but at the same time want government to prevent paedophilia, family violence and theft, and other things that they fell strongly about personally. Why do they selectively choose the evils that they want government to prohibit and government to allow? Selfishness, plain and simply. This selection of sins to single out and target is a vile abomination.
It is because of this selection of sins to single out that the unsaved in the west thinks the Church is only cherry-picked what evils it wants to fight. It has become the unsaved in the west who only select certain sins, or to use their language, 'evils', to fight against. The unsaved in the west only choose to fight against domestic violence, because of their own selfishness, and fear of losing their lives, as well as, of course, they bias towards women. They choose to fight against Church sex abuse, of course, targeting the Church, but not sex abuse in general. The selectively fight sex abuse committed by men, and not by women, thinking that women could never ever sexually abuse children, men or other women. They unsaved in the west fight against human trafficking and slavery, because of a fear of the effect it has on them, and because it does not involve "consent", or "true consent", as if as long as something is done with consent, it can never be wrong.
Western Christians are also proud of "equality" between the sexes, different cultures, and worldviews, as it believing in "equality" makes one righteous. The doctrine of "equality" is a false doctrine, as it is a doctrine of envy. The spirit behind such as doctrine is the spirit of mammon who works through the unforgiveness, and fear of oppression, which drives one to seek material equality with others. It blinds people who fear oppression or a lack of liberty into thinking they have liberty by striving only for material equality. God created man to be head of the woman, and never the other way round (Ephesians 5:23). Anything that seeks to pervert that is of satan who seeks to destroy the family, and hence society.
These doctrines of "rights", "liberty" and "equality" are self-centred, fleshly, worldly doctrines which pander to the carnal flesh. Those who adhere, accept, or merely tolerate them, as many in the western Church do, will be influenced by them. Their behaviour will be a manifestation of such doctrines which will corrupt them, or stop them from being useful to God.
The Bible says: 'Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character" '(1 Corinthians 15:33). Likewise, bad doctrine corrupts good character. Both bad company and bad doctrine seduce the wicked human hear to seek after flesh. Such pandering to the flesh is very subtle, almost always starting with the slightest bit of compromise with sin which is less than enough to see, but more than enough to corrupt. Hence, "beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
The modern western Church has indeed allows its pure springs to be contaminated by the pollution of the world. Proverbs 25:26 gives the most precise description of the modern Church in the west: "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked". It thinks that compromise with the doctrine of "rights" not wrong, "as long as it does not purport the 'right' to abortion or homosexual marriage", and that the doctrine of "equality" is not wrong, "as long as it is not abused by people". These compromises, which comprise only a few examples, are far more serious and far more vile and wicked that the typical modern western Christian would think.
You may argue that it is not merely the modern western Church which thinks that. While there many by some individual local churches which is not western which think that rights is not an evil doctrine, it is not part of the culture which non-western Christians are influenced by or embrace. Thus, non-western Christians generally do not have the sense of (false) entitlement that the typical western Christian has owing to cultural influence, through which the spirit of mammon works through to seduce the flesh and blind the mind.
The modern western Church is so corrupted by the false, vile, abominable, blasphemous western garbage doctrines that even its pastors are influenced by them, not being able to discerning why believing in such doctrines is sin, because they are not sanctified in this area of making sacrifices, and giving rather than taking or even expecting anything in return. It pastors are influenced it and not able to discern such evil as evil because they themselves are under the spirit of mammon, manifested in anxiety to obtain basic earthly needs, as many Christians are under.
Why exactly do many people, especially in the modern western Church, truly know and perceive that usury for what it is - a sin? Why? It is because they are under the spirit of mammon, such that they think that a person has a "right" to "own" his money. This is an extremely vile, and arrogant attitude, thinking that a person has a "right" to "own" one's money.
You may say, that you give away money and share "your" wealth. This still does not mean you are not under the spirit of mammon. Even the most greedy businessman can give away some of his wealth. You may say that you give away money because you want to or because you are willing to. Whether you are willing to give away some of "your" money is not the question. The question is the spirit of manner in which you give away money or share what God has given to you, which many of you think is "your" wealth.
Firstly, what you have is not "yours", whether you are saved or unsaved. It is all from God, either by giving you what you have, or by allowing you to have what you have though you are an enemy of God, and under the righteous, and just Wrath against you. Secondly, giving away money or possessions is not generosity itself. What makes it generous is the motive and manner of spirit in which one gives away what he has. Mark 12:41-44 demonstrates this:
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
If you give away or share what you have with others, out of carnal sympathy for others, you are doing out of your pride. You are doing so out of your own wealth. You may argue, that you don't have much, and so you have given much away. As long as you give out of such carnal sympathy for others, you are giving out of your own wealth. That itself is what is meant to give out of your own wealth. To give all you have is to not give out of feel carnal sympathy for another, or out of obligation, because out of love for God and for others.
Feeling carnal sympathy for others is not love, but indeed, self-centred pride which only is concerned with the needs of others only of the basis of their material lack, which you love to compare yourself with. That is exactly what the problem is with those who think you give out of their wealth and they give so much. Such is the vile pride of many westerners, whether saved or unsaved, in giving away their wealth, volunteering or sharing what they have.
The modern western Church has been influenced by the vile doctrines of western culture far more than it thinks. It is even worse to think that such carnal doctrines tolerated by western Christians are consistent with the Bible, or can be consistent with the Bible. That is precisely what the problem is. The Bible is twisted by such people, without them even realising it, to justify the doctrine of "rights" on the basis of the need to seek justice (Isaiah 1:17), the doctrine of "liberty " on the basis that God sought to deliver us from bondage from sin (Romans 8:21; Hebrew 2:15), and the doctrine of "equality" that God no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11; Acts 10:34).
The doctrine of "rights" is a God-hating, self-centred, flesh-pandering doctrines which seeks not true justice, that is, justice in the eyes of God, rather than fleshly justice that a person seeks out of his desire for revenge, and out of his unforgiveness, pride and arrogance. It is against all that is just in the eyes of God. Seeking true justice, that is God's justice, is to hate all "rights" whatsoever, no matter to whom or what it applies to. It seeks justice on the basis of what one thinks oneself entitled to, that is, to see justice done against others from oneself, and not to see justice done for it pleases God, out of a righteous hatred of sin.
The doctrine of "liberty" is not only a rebellious blasphemous doctrine, but rebellious blasphemy itself. It is vile, arrogant, proud, and a lover of fleshly, earthly pleasure. It hates liberty from sin, but rather loves bondage to sin, not because it loves bondage, nor merely because it loves sin, but because it loves to seek its own way, and seeking one's one way, not only leads to sin, but is sin itself. That is loves liberty from the evil consequences of sin, but seeks to justify the sin itself, or not condemn the sin is the evidence of the perverted love of liberty, and the rebellious blasphemy of "liberty".
If one wants to sin, one would have integrity to at least accept the consequences of it and that one deserves to suffering from the consequences of it. It hates sin, only on the basis of the consequences, not because of what is truly is - vile and abominable in the eyes of God. Such is not only merely the great love of sin, that one seeks to justify it. No, it is vile double-mindedness which hates sin that hurt oneself, or hates it only conditionally out of one's self-interest. Yet, at the same time it does not hate the sin itself, but loves when it can be used for one's self-interest. Such is precisely the basis for the secular feminist anti-pornography movement which only hates pornography which 'degrade' women, but not pornography rampant in the typical western movies, which are full of fornication and adulteries, pornography themselves.
The doctrine of "equality" is manifestation of envy, pride, arrogant, covetous and blasphemy. It claims that to seek equality is to seek justice. A person seeking for equality on the basis of justice may deny. That is exactly what the problem is - he cannot even that that is not justifying his quest for equality because of his envy and covetousness. As such, he thinks that he is just simply seeking justice, legitimising his vile envy and covetousness. That is the heart of those who seek "equality".
It is a very subtle doctrine as it mixes truth with error, as is the case with all other false doctrines. The truth it embraces is that all are equally accountable to God. However, the vile lie to embraces are all people are "equally" entitled to what they want, or to seek what they want, that is, to satisfy the flesh. It is not merely that people false perceive to that they are entitled to anything. No, it is that it is sin itself to even think one can be entitled to anything at all.
The western Church has accepted these false doctrines which mix truth with error and error with truth. It thinks without realising it, that people are entitled to what they seek, as long as it is 'legitimate'. As such, it thinks that where a person has laboured for something, such as "one's" money, one is entitled to use it however one chooses. It may add some conditions to it, such as, as long as one shares it or gives some away generously. However, this does not make a difference at all. The vile belief that one may use "one's" money in the way one chooses, and has the liberty to do so is a doctrine of demons.
No, what one has is all absolutely from God, and thus must be used in the way to honour God, and in the way He commands one to use what He is given to oneself. As such, because it thinks a person can use one's money as one chooses to, with some false caveats, such as long as one does not cheat anyone, or defraud others.
The western Church criticises postmodernism for seeking to eradicate all morality. Well, the western Church has a postmodern approach towards finances. It has done so by mixing some Biblical doctrines to it, to give it a "Christianised" guise. It thinks that a person can do what he wants with "his" money, with some "Christian" conditions attached to it, such as a long as one does not defraud or evade tax. Of course, one must be defraud others or evade tax. However, not doing these things does not make one righteous. It is just like saying that can do whatever one wants as long as one does not kill anyone. What difference is saying that one can do as one wants with "one's" money as long as one does not defraud anyone or steal from anyone? None.
Just as one must act in a righteous way towards other people, one must also act righteously towards finance to live a life worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Usury is vile sin, not because it hurts people or restrains their liberty. It is not a sin because it forces people to pay more money. No, it is a sin because it perverts God-ordained stewardship. It assumes that the money one has is one's "own" money. Thus, it is not a matter of whether usurious transactions are consensual. No, it is that it is a perversion, not merely abuse, but perversion of the God-given order of stewardship which is to regard the money one has are given by God, not gained by oneself, and to care for others in using money, not spend it for oneself.
They are proud of themselves for believing in the "rights" of the oppressed, poor and needy, feeling carnal sympathy towards them, and not love, on the grounds that they have less earthly material things, which really have no value at all.
They are proud of believing in civil 'liberty', in the name of "tolerance". They are not only all to eager to show that they do not "impose their views on others". They compromise with sin, thinking they are doing so in the name of love, a perversion of what is God's agape love. No wonder the modern western Church is useless, irrelevant and so sick that it is almost dead. It trusts in the flesh, compromise with it, and also embraces doctrines of the flesh, influenced by demons. Perverting the doctrine of God's agape love by one's actions, though one have the right concept of it in one's mind, is such an example.
God's agape love seeks to be kind, and in doing so, hates all evil with a fierce, fiery, deep, zealous, red-hot hatred. It makes no compromise, nor can even tolerate the thought of compromise. These foolish western Christians even think that it is legitimate for government which is ordained by God (see Romans 13) to legalise or permit the most abominable things, such as homosexual "marriage" or "transgenderism", all blasphemous rebellion which does not "abuse" God's ordained order, but wars against it with all hostility and hatred against God.
They think governments have the 'right' to legalise homosexual "marriage" and "transgenderism" among other things that do not personally affect them, but at the same time want government to prevent paedophilia, family violence and theft, and other things that they fell strongly about personally. Why do they selectively choose the evils that they want government to prohibit and government to allow? Selfishness, plain and simply. This selection of sins to single out and target is a vile abomination.
It is because of this selection of sins to single out that the unsaved in the west thinks the Church is only cherry-picked what evils it wants to fight. It has become the unsaved in the west who only select certain sins, or to use their language, 'evils', to fight against. The unsaved in the west only choose to fight against domestic violence, because of their own selfishness, and fear of losing their lives, as well as, of course, they bias towards women. They choose to fight against Church sex abuse, of course, targeting the Church, but not sex abuse in general. The selectively fight sex abuse committed by men, and not by women, thinking that women could never ever sexually abuse children, men or other women. They unsaved in the west fight against human trafficking and slavery, because of a fear of the effect it has on them, and because it does not involve "consent", or "true consent", as if as long as something is done with consent, it can never be wrong.
Western Christians are also proud of "equality" between the sexes, different cultures, and worldviews, as it believing in "equality" makes one righteous. The doctrine of "equality" is a false doctrine, as it is a doctrine of envy. The spirit behind such as doctrine is the spirit of mammon who works through the unforgiveness, and fear of oppression, which drives one to seek material equality with others. It blinds people who fear oppression or a lack of liberty into thinking they have liberty by striving only for material equality. God created man to be head of the woman, and never the other way round (Ephesians 5:23). Anything that seeks to pervert that is of satan who seeks to destroy the family, and hence society.
These doctrines of "rights", "liberty" and "equality" are self-centred, fleshly, worldly doctrines which pander to the carnal flesh. Those who adhere, accept, or merely tolerate them, as many in the western Church do, will be influenced by them. Their behaviour will be a manifestation of such doctrines which will corrupt them, or stop them from being useful to God.
The Bible says: 'Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character" '(1 Corinthians 15:33). Likewise, bad doctrine corrupts good character. Both bad company and bad doctrine seduce the wicked human hear to seek after flesh. Such pandering to the flesh is very subtle, almost always starting with the slightest bit of compromise with sin which is less than enough to see, but more than enough to corrupt. Hence, "beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8).
The modern western Church has indeed allows its pure springs to be contaminated by the pollution of the world. Proverbs 25:26 gives the most precise description of the modern Church in the west: "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked". It thinks that compromise with the doctrine of "rights" not wrong, "as long as it does not purport the 'right' to abortion or homosexual marriage", and that the doctrine of "equality" is not wrong, "as long as it is not abused by people". These compromises, which comprise only a few examples, are far more serious and far more vile and wicked that the typical modern western Christian would think.
You may argue that it is not merely the modern western Church which thinks that. While there many by some individual local churches which is not western which think that rights is not an evil doctrine, it is not part of the culture which non-western Christians are influenced by or embrace. Thus, non-western Christians generally do not have the sense of (false) entitlement that the typical western Christian has owing to cultural influence, through which the spirit of mammon works through to seduce the flesh and blind the mind.
The modern western Church is so corrupted by the false, vile, abominable, blasphemous western garbage doctrines that even its pastors are influenced by them, not being able to discerning why believing in such doctrines is sin, because they are not sanctified in this area of making sacrifices, and giving rather than taking or even expecting anything in return. It pastors are influenced it and not able to discern such evil as evil because they themselves are under the spirit of mammon, manifested in anxiety to obtain basic earthly needs, as many Christians are under.
Why exactly do many people, especially in the modern western Church, truly know and perceive that usury for what it is - a sin? Why? It is because they are under the spirit of mammon, such that they think that a person has a "right" to "own" his money. This is an extremely vile, and arrogant attitude, thinking that a person has a "right" to "own" one's money.
You may say, that you give away money and share "your" wealth. This still does not mean you are not under the spirit of mammon. Even the most greedy businessman can give away some of his wealth. You may say that you give away money because you want to or because you are willing to. Whether you are willing to give away some of "your" money is not the question. The question is the spirit of manner in which you give away money or share what God has given to you, which many of you think is "your" wealth.
Firstly, what you have is not "yours", whether you are saved or unsaved. It is all from God, either by giving you what you have, or by allowing you to have what you have though you are an enemy of God, and under the righteous, and just Wrath against you. Secondly, giving away money or possessions is not generosity itself. What makes it generous is the motive and manner of spirit in which one gives away what he has. Mark 12:41-44 demonstrates this:
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
If you give away or share what you have with others, out of carnal sympathy for others, you are doing out of your pride. You are doing so out of your own wealth. You may argue, that you don't have much, and so you have given much away. As long as you give out of such carnal sympathy for others, you are giving out of your own wealth. That itself is what is meant to give out of your own wealth. To give all you have is to not give out of feel carnal sympathy for another, or out of obligation, because out of love for God and for others.
Feeling carnal sympathy for others is not love, but indeed, self-centred pride which only is concerned with the needs of others only of the basis of their material lack, which you love to compare yourself with. That is exactly what the problem is with those who think you give out of their wealth and they give so much. Such is the vile pride of many westerners, whether saved or unsaved, in giving away their wealth, volunteering or sharing what they have.
The modern western Church has been influenced by the vile doctrines of western culture far more than it thinks. It is even worse to think that such carnal doctrines tolerated by western Christians are consistent with the Bible, or can be consistent with the Bible. That is precisely what the problem is. The Bible is twisted by such people, without them even realising it, to justify the doctrine of "rights" on the basis of the need to seek justice (Isaiah 1:17), the doctrine of "liberty " on the basis that God sought to deliver us from bondage from sin (Romans 8:21; Hebrew 2:15), and the doctrine of "equality" that God no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11; Acts 10:34).
The doctrine of "rights" is a God-hating, self-centred, flesh-pandering doctrines which seeks not true justice, that is, justice in the eyes of God, rather than fleshly justice that a person seeks out of his desire for revenge, and out of his unforgiveness, pride and arrogance. It is against all that is just in the eyes of God. Seeking true justice, that is God's justice, is to hate all "rights" whatsoever, no matter to whom or what it applies to. It seeks justice on the basis of what one thinks oneself entitled to, that is, to see justice done against others from oneself, and not to see justice done for it pleases God, out of a righteous hatred of sin.
The doctrine of "liberty" is not only a rebellious blasphemous doctrine, but rebellious blasphemy itself. It is vile, arrogant, proud, and a lover of fleshly, earthly pleasure. It hates liberty from sin, but rather loves bondage to sin, not because it loves bondage, nor merely because it loves sin, but because it loves to seek its own way, and seeking one's one way, not only leads to sin, but is sin itself. That is loves liberty from the evil consequences of sin, but seeks to justify the sin itself, or not condemn the sin is the evidence of the perverted love of liberty, and the rebellious blasphemy of "liberty".
If one wants to sin, one would have integrity to at least accept the consequences of it and that one deserves to suffering from the consequences of it. It hates sin, only on the basis of the consequences, not because of what is truly is - vile and abominable in the eyes of God. Such is not only merely the great love of sin, that one seeks to justify it. No, it is vile double-mindedness which hates sin that hurt oneself, or hates it only conditionally out of one's self-interest. Yet, at the same time it does not hate the sin itself, but loves when it can be used for one's self-interest. Such is precisely the basis for the secular feminist anti-pornography movement which only hates pornography which 'degrade' women, but not pornography rampant in the typical western movies, which are full of fornication and adulteries, pornography themselves.
The doctrine of "equality" is manifestation of envy, pride, arrogant, covetous and blasphemy. It claims that to seek equality is to seek justice. A person seeking for equality on the basis of justice may deny. That is exactly what the problem is - he cannot even that that is not justifying his quest for equality because of his envy and covetousness. As such, he thinks that he is just simply seeking justice, legitimising his vile envy and covetousness. That is the heart of those who seek "equality".
It is a very subtle doctrine as it mixes truth with error, as is the case with all other false doctrines. The truth it embraces is that all are equally accountable to God. However, the vile lie to embraces are all people are "equally" entitled to what they want, or to seek what they want, that is, to satisfy the flesh. It is not merely that people false perceive to that they are entitled to anything. No, it is that it is sin itself to even think one can be entitled to anything at all.
The western Church has accepted these false doctrines which mix truth with error and error with truth. It thinks without realising it, that people are entitled to what they seek, as long as it is 'legitimate'. As such, it thinks that where a person has laboured for something, such as "one's" money, one is entitled to use it however one chooses. It may add some conditions to it, such as, as long as one shares it or gives some away generously. However, this does not make a difference at all. The vile belief that one may use "one's" money in the way one chooses, and has the liberty to do so is a doctrine of demons.
No, what one has is all absolutely from God, and thus must be used in the way to honour God, and in the way He commands one to use what He is given to oneself. As such, because it thinks a person can use one's money as one chooses to, with some false caveats, such as long as one does not cheat anyone, or defraud others.
The western Church criticises postmodernism for seeking to eradicate all morality. Well, the western Church has a postmodern approach towards finances. It has done so by mixing some Biblical doctrines to it, to give it a "Christianised" guise. It thinks that a person can do what he wants with "his" money, with some "Christian" conditions attached to it, such as a long as one does not defraud or evade tax. Of course, one must be defraud others or evade tax. However, not doing these things does not make one righteous. It is just like saying that can do whatever one wants as long as one does not kill anyone. What difference is saying that one can do as one wants with "one's" money as long as one does not defraud anyone or steal from anyone? None.
Just as one must act in a righteous way towards other people, one must also act righteously towards finance to live a life worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Usury is vile sin, not because it hurts people or restrains their liberty. It is not a sin because it forces people to pay more money. No, it is a sin because it perverts God-ordained stewardship. It assumes that the money one has is one's "own" money. Thus, it is not a matter of whether usurious transactions are consensual. No, it is that it is a perversion, not merely abuse, but perversion of the God-given order of stewardship which is to regard the money one has are given by God, not gained by oneself, and to care for others in using money, not spend it for oneself.
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