WEALTH/MAMMON
Wealth in the Bible is typically interpreted as material wealth. In the natural world, this makes sense because most people tend to place a high value on material wealth. Truths found in the Bible, however, do not pertain to the natural world. They pertain to the spiritual world of the heart.
There are two kinds of wealth in the Bible: Spiritual pride and God’s words.
Religious people are full (i.e. rich) of spiritual pride. This is the wealth (i.e. money, riches, treasures) that God tells us to avoid. This contrasts with the treasures that people who hear God’s voice store up in their hearts.
Religious leaders are more wealthy because they have greater pride. But, while they are rich in pride, they are spiritually poor because they do not listen to God’s spoken voice which is a spiritual commodity of great spiritual value. God’s words spoken to the heart are spiritual treasures contained in the storehouse of a clean pure heart that make New Covenant disciples spiritually wealthy.
While religious people are rich in terms of their spiritual pride, they are at the same time spiritually poor in terms of a new spiritual life. This life is the abundant life that is available only to New Covenant disciples who can hear God’s spoken voice.
STUD TIP: See PRIDE HAS IT REWARDS:
Perhaps the best scriptures that makes the point about spiritual pride are these:
Luke 18:18-27 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother. 21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.
COMMENTARY: The reference to “ruler” is to a religious ruler (i.e. pharisee.) He is so confident about his righteousness that he says he has kept all of God’s commands since he was a child. He does not allow that there is even on command that he has not followed. Such an attitude is evidence of both pride and arrogance.
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
COMMENTARY: Jesus’ challenge to sell everything is not about selling material possessions. He is actually challenging the man to humble himself by sacrificing his religion. If he would sacrifice his religion, he would cease being a religious ruler and become a true prophet, angel, messiah, high priest, witnesses, and warrior on a mission to set people free from their own religious captivity. When he does this he will speak for God to people who are spiritually poor and hungry because they have not yet heard God’s spoken voice.
23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
COMMENTARY: People who are prideful about their religion have a very difficult time giving up their religion because the tangible rewards of being religious appeal more to them than the intangible rewards of faith that they cannot see. They become sad at the thought of giving up all the rewards that they enjoy by being religious.
In order to enter the kingdom of God, it is necessary for give up all their wealth (i.e. pride.) In other words, they must become poor (i.e. have no pride.) When they do that, they become spiritually rich with all the gifts (e.g. words) that God invests in their hearts.
26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
COMMENTARY: It is impossible for religious people to willfully change their hearts so that they would be willing to sacrifice the wealth they enjoy by being religious. Only God can change hearts. It is a miracle when it happens.
See Death, Resurrection, New Life, Salvation, Forgiveness, Heaven and Hell for what it means to be saved and how it is accomplished. See THE MIRACLE OF CREATION: BORN AGAIN for how God accomplishes salvation.