GREED AND ITS EFFECTS ON CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN LIVING

INTRODUCTION

Definition

Webster defines it as excessive or reprehensible acquisitiveness. It defines the

synonym, covetous, as, marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for anothers

possessions. The problem is, those terms are subjective. Most of us would say, I dont have

excessive, reprehensible, inordinate desires! I would just like a little bit more (and more, and

more!) The Bible uses several words for greed. One means, literally, the love of silver. Paul uses

it when he states (1 Tim. 6:10), the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil. Another word,

used to translate the tenth commandment, You shall not covet (Rom. 7:7), means desire. It

often refers to lust. With regard to things, it means wanting what belongs to someone else. The

main New Testament word for greed comes from two words meaning literally, to have more.

Its often used in the sense of taking advantage of another person. But the main sense is the

desire to have more and more things in an attempt to satisfy myself.

In Mark 7:21-22, Jesus mentions a long list of sins, including deeds of coveting, which He

says come from our hearts. So, greed is not primarily concerned with amount, but rather with

attitude and motives. The poor can be just as greedy as the rich. Greed is the attitude thats never

quite satisfied, that says, All I want is a little bit more. We see this in the parable Jesus told in

Luke 12:13-21. A man in the crowd said to Jesus, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family

inheritance with me. Being fair, I would have expected Jesus to say, Bring that scoundrel

here! And He would have confronted him about his greediness. But instead, Jesus tells the man
with the complaint, Who made Me a judge or arbiter over you? Then He told the whole crowd

(Luke 12:15), Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed;

Statement/background of the Problem

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, man became corrupted in thinking and his

dependence shifts from God to self, hence today, the church is occupied with people who are

preoccupied with mindset of acquiring wealth as the only means of survival and healthy living.

Some have spiritualized greed in form of the pursuit of prosperity, cases of bribery and

corruption has infiltrated the church leadership structures, members involvement in fraudulent

financial schemes are indications that greed eaten into the church and society we live today.

Approach to the problem

This paper will critically look into the subject of greed, its origin, examples from biblical

perspective, and its effect on the contemporary Christian living and biblical solutions on how

greed will be overcome in our daily living as Christians.

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES GREED AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

ACHAN (Joshua 7:1-26). Achans greed was shown by coveting and taking spoils from

Jericho that were to be devoted to the Lord and were to go into His treasury (Jos. 6:17-21,24).

The consequence of coveting the things of the world brought defeat to Israel, death to himself

and his family. The effect does not only consume the perpetrator by also his immediate

environment and society.

AHAB (1 Kings 21:1-17)

Greed is often expressed as the desire to have more than what ones needs. Ahab and

Jezebel had a summer palace at Jezebel, but the king couldn't enjoy it fully with-out a vegetable

garden. Powerful people acquire one thing after another, but in all their acquiring, there's never

any real satisfaction. Ahab coveted Naboths vineyard by violating the commandment of God in

Exo. 20:17 "Thou shalt not covet". He rather disguise his greed in desiring to purchase Naboths

vineyard, but his refusal not to disobey God by selling his family inheritance to the King resulted

to wicked plan of false witness against an innocent man, which led to his killing and later the

king took over the land forcefully. Greed opens door to more atrocities such as seen by Ahab,

from false witness, to murder and finally theft.

GEHAZI (2Kings 5:20-27).

Gehazi lost his position in ministry with a great prophet Elisha just because he coveted

the gifts that his master refused to collect from Naaman. He lied in the name of God, lied to

Naaman and to Elisha his master. He desired the glory in earthly riches than been faithfully

contented in serving God and his master. He ended up been leprosy which affected his

generation. The sin of greed can remove us out from Gods purpose for our lives.

JUDAS (Mathew 26-27)

A typical example of greed was that of Judas who for the love of money allowed himself

to be used by the devil to betray Jesus. After the discovery of his folly, he could not enjoy the

proceed of his greed but committed suicide. Greed does not satisfy but rather brings regrets,

shame and death.

DEMAS (1 Timothy 4:10)

Apostle Pauls companion deserted the ministry and the brethren for the love of this

world. Demas love the world and it became a setback to him in ministry. The church and the

brethren lost his companionship. Greed has taken many away from the faith.

EFFECTS ON THE CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN LIVING

Individuals

As it has been carefully studied from scriptural passages, greed is in itself sin. Sin destroys a

mans soul, for the bible says the soul that sinned shall die. It leaves the perpetrator with guilt,

shame and disgrace. Rather than promoting one, it demotes. Shields Norman observes that those

who engage in various form greed are degraded by it they become addicted to and dominated by

this method of getting gain and as happens with any addiction, their personalities are degraded,

because they become less and less able to resist the temptation.1 Many have lost relevance in

doing the work of God; some have lost their lives on the account of their greed.

Church

Greed in the church has caused disunity, personal pursuit rather the collective pursuit of the great

commission. Today the church has focused on material gains rather than spiritual gains. Being

wealthy is been misinterpreted as an evidence of spiritual growth and these has led to the love of

money, which the bible cautions as the root of all evil. The church has lost its place of being an

example of true riches and wealth to a supporter of deceit.

Society

1
Shields Norman, Christian Ethics (Bukuru: Jos Plateu State, 2004) p, 190.
The practice of greed has created an imbalance in the society; the gap between the rich and the

poor has kept on widening. The rich kept getting richer and the poor become poorer. Greed had

claimed so many lives due to financial misappropriation and corrupt practices in governance.

Leaders think of themselves not their subjects. Failure of the society to develop, lack of trust in

one another and so many others has been the consequence of greed in the society. Furthermore

the following are the consequence of greed in the society.

1. Loss of moral Values

Greed perverts the nations sense of right and wrong. In a greedy society the right

becomes the wrong and the wrong becomes the right.

2. It promotes other social evils

Greed becomes a driving force for dishonesty and selfishness, murder, nepotism and

frauds of various kinds.

3.

BIBLICAL SOLUTIONS TO OVERCOMING GREED

Our money and possessions belongs to God

We are stewards of God to the possessions that we have. The Bible recognizes personal

property rights (the commandments against stealing presume that I own some things and

you own other things), there must be the fundamental sense that God owns all that I have. I

manage it for Him, and at the judgment, I will give an account to Him (Matt. 25:14-30; Rom.

14:10, 12). This understanding will guide against any form of covetousness.
Changing our values from earthly things to heavenly things.

when we think of our Saviors commission, to preach the gospel to every creature, we all

need to ask ourselves, In light of the brevity of life and eternity ahead, could I do more?

Am I valuing souls above earthly things? If I rejoice when I win a raffle or door prize, but I

yawn when I hear about a soul being saved, Ive lost the eternal perspective, which is a sign

of greed.

Having the right attitude to money and possession

What is our motives for making wealth or more money? Do I want more to provide more

adequately for my family? That may be legitimate. But if I want more just to buy bigger and

better stuff that I really dont need, I may be drifting into greed.

Am I more concerned about making money than I am about my eternal destiny?

This is the question Jesus raised in the parable of the man who wanted to build bigger

barns. He was laying up treasure for himself on earth, but he wasnt rich toward God. I

realize that it takes a lot of time and energy to earn a living. And theres nothing wrong with

working hard to succeed in your career. But if my every waking moment is consumed with

how to succeed financially and I seldom think about how I can succeed at seeking first

Gods kingdom and righteousness, Im probably tainted by greed.

Avoid get-rich-quick schemes

There are many invitations to some easy, instant way to making a fortune which are

motivated by greed; this includes gambling, playing the lottery, betting, and money

doubling schemes. Christians need to abstain from these practices as they discourage hard

work and promote greed, laziness and poverty. We must find something legitimate to do

with our own hands in order to help ourselves and those who are in need. Eph 4:28

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with

his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. NIV

Avoid been bondage to debt

I realize that some are in debt because of being out of work or because of unavoidable

hardship. Im not talking about that. But most people who are in debt have a problem with

overspending. Theyre buying into the advertising pitch that you need more junk to be

happy. Thats a sign of greed!

CONCLUSION