What other scriptures emphasize the dangers of covetousness and materialism? Setting the Scene in Luke 12:13–15 Someone calls out to Jesus about an inheritance, and He replies, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). Scripture never soft-pedals covetousness; it treats it as a soul-threatening sin from Genesis to Revelation. The Commandment that Starts the Conversation • Exodus 20:17 — “You shall not covet … anything that belongs to your neighbor.” • Deuteronomy 5:21 echoes the same prohibition. From the very beginning, God draws a clear line: desiring what isn’t ours is forbidden, not merely discouraged. Old-Testament Warnings and “Woes” • Proverbs 15:27 — “He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household.” • Proverbs 28:22 — “A stingy man hurries after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him.” • Psalm 10:3 — “The wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.” • Isaiah 5:8 — “Woe to you who add house to house … till no space is left.” • Micah 2:2 — “They covet fields and seize them, houses, and take them away.” These passages show greed as a community-destroyer that invites divine judgment. Jesus’ Straight Talk on Wealth • Matthew 6:19-21 — “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” • Matthew 6:24 — “No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money.” • Mark 8:36 — “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?” • Mark 4:19 — “The worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth … choke the word.” • Luke 16:13-15 — Jesus follows “You cannot serve God and money” by telling the Pharisees, “You justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.” • Luke 16:19-31 — The rich man who ignored Lazarus discovers his wealth could not buy relief in eternity. Jesus repeatedly ties covetousness to idolatry and eternal loss. Apostolic Warnings That Pull No Punches • Romans 1:29 — Greed appears in the list of sins that accompany rejecting God. • Ephesians 5:3, 5 — “Among you… not even a hint of … greed … For of this you can be sure: No… greedy person—that is, an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom.” • Colossians 3:5 — “Put to death… greed, which is idolatry.” • 1 Timothy 6:6-10 — “Those who want to be rich fall into temptation… For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” • 1 Timothy 6:17-19 — The rich must not “set their hope on the uncertainty of riches but on God… be rich in good works, generous.” • Hebrews 13:5 — “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.” • James 4:1-3 — “You covet but cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.” • James 5:1-6 — A fiery indictment of wealthy oppressors: “You have stored up treasure in the last days.” • 1 Peter 5:2; 2 Peter 2:3 — Leaders and false teachers warned against greed. • 1 John 2:15-17 — “Do not love the world or anything in the world… The world is passing away with its desires.” Every New-Testament writer echoes Jesus: unchecked desire for more is spiritual poison. What Covetousness Really Does • Replaces worship of God with worship of stuff (Colossians 3:5). • Strangles the Word’s fruitfulness (Mark 4:19). • Breeds conflict and oppression (James 4:1-3; Micah 2:2). • Produces a false sense of security that disappears at death (Luke 12:16-21; 16:19-31). • Cuts a person off from God’s kingdom (Ephesians 5:5). Cultivating the Antidote: Contentment and Generosity Scripture never leaves us with a mere “don’t.” It continually points to better desires: • Contentment: “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). • Confidence in God’s provision: “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5-6). • Generous living: “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7); “Be rich in good works” (1 Timothy 6:18). From Sinai’s thunder to Jesus’ parables to the apostolic letters, Scripture sounds a single, urgent note: covetousness and materialism are deadly distractions from loving God and neighbor. Heed the warning, embrace contentment, and lay up treasure where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. |
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