Seven Sins That Will Destroy Your LifeSample

- What God is saying about greed (1)

For greed is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5).

Then he said to them: "Take care and be on your guard against every form of greed, for a man's life does not depend on the abundance of his possessions (Luke 12:15).

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).

Where does greed come from?

It begins with fear and unbelief, followed by distrust. Greed thrives in the company of jealousy, envy, self-obsession, and a sense of superiority.

People are always trying to hide greed. No one wants to be accused of greed. Therefore, we call it something else:

1."We must act responsibly and not irresponsibly ask God to care for everything." It is true.

2."We need to save for tough times and be careful." It is true.

3."There could be an economic collapse, and then one has to have reserves." It is true.

The problem with these arguments is not the principle(s) but the inner motivation for your actions. Greed has very little to do with stewardship. Greed is not a financial problem. You can never argue with a greedy person and think you will win the argument.

Greed is unbelief. Many do not believe that God can and will take care of them – it is a form of distrust in God, who promised to provide. There is a basic fear that God will not care for them and their future. Therefore, they try to create some security for themselves. "God helps the people who help themselves. It's in the Bible." Right? No. It is not written in the Bible.

Greed never gets enough. On occasion, someone asked a person who was the fourth richest man in the USA at the time: When will you have enough money? He answered: When I have a little more than I have now.