“MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL”
Many people say this popular quote wrong. It actually says: the LOVE of money is the root of all evil.
“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.”
We can’t love money and love God because as soon as we love money, we are living as servants — nay, slaves — to money. Even Jesus warns us of this, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (wealth)” (Matthew 6:24, parenthesis added).
The love of money can plunge people into ruin and destruction, for they will do the wildest things to get more of it, because those who love money are never satisfied with their income (Ecclesiastes 5:10). This greed leads people into some dark, dangerous, and nasty places — both mentally and physically.
Some people are so obsessed with being rich in their short lifetimes, that they are blinded by the shiny coins. They idolize and worship this imaginary future of themselves being rich.
The simplest way to explain this would be through the eyes of gamblers. They gamble their money away as they imagine this future of winning the jackpot.
“Oh what I would do if I won the lottery.”
Have you ever listened closely to all of the things these people would do if they won the lottery? They are mostly all selfish things. What they would buy, where they would go, what they would do… All selfish. Rarely have I heard anyone say they would donate to the homeless shelter, or the church, or the food bank. Rarely have I heard anyone say they would help people in abusive households, or help spread the gospel of Jesus.
The love of money brings about idolatry, pride, selfishness, and greediness. It brings people to value the things of this world over the things of Christ.
This kind of evil will stay for as long as the person loves money; and as long as the person loves money, they will lead themselves (and Satan will help guide them) into not only destruction in this lifetime, but also destruction for eternity.
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