Resist the Power of Mammon

There are 2,350 verses in the Bible related to money, and two-thirds of Jesus’ parables have to do with money. This shows that this subject is very important to God and also very important for us as disciples of Christ. Our budgets and our calendars are actually indicators of our true values and character. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:3–10 that godliness with contentment is great gain — this is the “profit” we are called to pursue. Paul says that as long as we have food and clothing, we should be content. These are our most basic necessities. But we often add many more things to that list. We expand it a great deal — we want a nice house, a good car, a television, entertainment, travel, and many other things. Our expectations keep rising, and we become less and less content. So in our culture and economy, we are constantly driven to buy and driven to borrow, and this has become a fundamental part of our society. Yet God promises that having Him is enough. So we must ask ourselves, “Is God truly enough for us?” Or do we need God plus a good job, plus a high salary, plus many other things?

One characteristic of the culture in the San Francisco Bay Area is greed. Ever since the 1849 Gold Rush, people have come here wanting to get rich. Today, there is no more gold mining, but people still flock here, hoping to succeed in high-tech fields, perhaps in AI or other areas. So we are surrounded by many temptations. But notice Paul’s warning: it is not about money itself, but the desire to get rich and the love of money. In fact, greed can affect everyone, whether you are rich or poor. It is fundamentally a condition of the heart, unrelated to your financial status. The Bible’s most famous verse about money says: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10) Because greed can lead to many deadly sins. It pulls us away from the truth and plunges us into sorrow.

Let me share several points on how we can apply this in our lives. The first is to decide who is the Master of our lives. Jesus says in Matthew 6:19–24: “Do not store up treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God and Mammon.” So what we prioritize reveals what we truly treasure. The word Mammon in verse 24 is actually an Aramaic proper noun — not just “money” as a concept, but a personal spiritual power. Mammon is the enemy of all that is good — what Jesus calls Satan or the devil. Mammon operates in a way that is opposite to God. Mammon treats people as objects, valuing profit over people. Christian writer Andy Crouch says, “You cannot serve a demon that seeks to destroy the relationship between people and creation, and at the same time serve God, who seeks to restore and unite humanity with creation and set people free from bondage.” We cannot serve both God and Mammon. We must choose. The second is to decide what our money is for. We are called by God to steward the resources He gives us. God can use our resources to support churches, global missions, and local ministry. One way to resist the power of money in our lives is to keep financial transparency. Often, when it comes to money, we don’t tell anyone our financial situation, perhaps except our spouse. Especially when you are unsure whether your financial decision is right, or when you sense temptation, I encourage you to find a trusted brother or sister in Christ to discuss it with. Temptation grows stronger when hidden in secrecy and darkness. The third is to give our money to the Lord. Giving breaks the power of money. When we offer our money to God, we dethrone its power in our hearts. When we give, we release its control — we use money, instead of letting money use us. When Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell all he had and follow Him, Jesus saw that money held power over him. Jesus did not lower the standard; He called him to give more. But Jesus does not ask every person to do that. Again, this has nothing to do with the actual amount of money we have — it is a matter of the heart. It is about how we see money, and how we see God.

Our struggle against the power of money is a lifelong battle, and we must continually examine our hearts. Sometimes, even after we have experienced victory, when we feel that we have taken money off the throne of our hearts and it is no longer an idol, it may quietly return. So brothers and sisters, when you realize that money has begun to take hold of your life again, I hope you will repent before God and take action to put money back in its proper place. For God will not tolerate any other gods or idols in our hearts. God desires our whole being, and may we offer all that we have to Him.

——Exerpted from message by Pastor David