Fighting the Four Evils

Work is indeed part of God's design for Creation (Genesis 2:1-15). So, work is good because God created it. However, since the rise of the Protestant movement which taught that hard work is for the purpose of accumulating wealth, the entire Church has been blinded by the idea that work may be done for mammon. This idea is an extremely subtle one, in perverting the purpose of work which is for the glory of God, in serving Him, as one which can be done to serve not only God but mammon as well. Jesus made it extremely clear that no one can serve both God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). Yet, so many in the modern Church do not realise that that is exactly what they are doing, and that is is precisely the stronghold that satan has over the modern western Church. Claiming that hard work is for accumulating riches, or even ultimately for one's family to 'enjoy' such riches, is itself to deny that work is for God. Many use 1 Timothy 5:8 to justify serving mammon: But if any pr...

  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil (Luke 6:32-35). The world expects to receive what it lends to people in return. It thinks it is legitimate to so expect, not because it truly upholds the righteous principle of honouring one's debts as per Psalm 37:21: The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.   The world has such an expectation out of its own self-centredness, thinking that it is entitled to what it has, and that what it h...

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain . For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness ( 1 Timothy 6:5:11). Many in the modern Church think that they material things they have, are blessings from God. This is based on a false understanding on what is a blessing according to the Bible, and also of course, the belief in r...

Luther's theology was one of legalism, placing an emphasis on faith and doing good works, rather than love. Legalism is of the carnal flesh which cannot please God in any way. Therefore, because it is of the flesh, it can only serve the flesh and is hostile towards God. Jesus made it clear that no one can serve both God and mammon. A person will serve one and hate the other. Since to serve the flesh is to serve mammon, legalism is that which serves mammon through serving the flesh. Legalism is that which sets up a set of values or standards that one should live by according to what one sees fit for oneself. The root of legalism is self-righteousness and pride, believing in one's own "goodness". Setting up one's own standards need not be "religious" to amount to legalism. Indeed, legalism can manifest in the "secular" context. It do so through the spirit of individualism that is rampant in secular societies.  Before general acceptance of...

There is much confusion within modern Christendom as to what is legalism and what does it means to not be legalistic. Whenever one sheds light on the sin of another, such rebuke is immediately treated to be "abuse" or "hatred". Anyone who dares rebuke another, or use the Law of God in evangelism is labelled a "legalist" or a "pharisee". I have experienced this myself whether I wrote articles to expose mammon, abortion or the homosexual agenda, I have been deemed to be a "legalistic" pharisee.  So, what is legalism? Legalism is the doctrine that one is good or justified by one's works in obeying a set of rules . How well one observes a set of rules is what determines one's moral worth. The Bible makes it very clear that no one is justified in any way by works of the Law of God: " Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law , but by the faith of Jesus Christ , even we have believed in Jesus Christ , that we ...

The leader of the Protestant Reform is none other than Martin Luther, who is most famous for his 95 Theses. As true as some of his criticisms may be, he has been criticised for his emphasis on faith rather than love.  His 44th theses is that ''b ecause love grows by works of love', man thereby 'becomes better'. This is to claim that it is love that is the fruit of good works, rather than good works being the fruit of love. Such a statement assumes that a person is capable of loving other in their own human strength, and therefore capable of truly loving others and God in their own flesh. This is far from the truth.  1 John 4:8 says that:  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love . This means that because God is love, a person can only truly love others when the love of God is in him. It does not mean that those who have no love do not know God in spite of God being love.A person who does not know God cannot love others because it is impossible for ...