#10 in Proverbs / Danger of Capitalism (Greed)

David Morgan

Way of Wisdom • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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English Standard Version Chapter 1

19 vSuch are the ways of everyone who is wgreedy for unjust gain;

xit takes away the life of its possessors.

Proverbs 15:27 CSB

27 The one who profits dishonestly troubles his household, but the one who hates bribes will live.

Intro

Greed is a problem in every economic & political system - socialist, fascist, communist, capitalist, democratic, republic -- because greed is a product of the sinful fallen condition of man.

Greed is always a sin, but it is not always illegal.

Unlawful

Stealing from the church offering plate.

Bernie Madoff pyramid scheme stealing from investors.

Lawful.

Dishonest banks who approve mortgages they know people cannot afford.

“Too big to fail” bailouts

Signing up for food stamps when you don’t need it.

Some have said that greed is a positive aspect of capitalism. In this view, greed pushes each person to do what’s in their own best interest. If everyone did what is in their own best interest, then everyone’s life gets better.

While there is an element of truth to that, greed seeks what is in one’s own best interest even at the expense of others. That is sin.

Biblical examples

Saul after the slaughter of the Amalekites.

Judas

Ananias and Sapphira

Transition: Sinfulness > Substance > Source > Senselessness > Solution

Greed’s Sinfulness (Is Greed a Sin?)

2 Peter 2:3, 14 “14 They have eyes full of adultery that never stop looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse!” False teachers deceive the church because they are greedy.

Matthew 23:25 “25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” (Luke 11:39) The Pharisees pretended to be godly but were actually greedy.

1 Thessalonians 2:5 “5 For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives—God is our witness—” Paul and his companions did not exercise their authority or influence for personal gain.

1 Corinthians 5:11 “11 But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.” Greed is a sin on par with sexual immorality, idolatry, abusive speech, drunkenness, and theft.

1 Corinthians 6:10 “10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.” The greedy will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Timothy 3:8 “8 Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money,” Deacons cannot be greedy.

Titus 1:7 “7 As an overseer of God’s household, he must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not an excessive drinker, not a bully, not greedy for money,” Pastors cannot be greedy.

Greed’s Substance (What is Greed?)

Covetousness Exodus 20:17 “17 Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Wanting what you don’t have and what you don’t need.

Discontent Philippians 4:11-13 “11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”

“Greed is the logical result of the belief that there is no life after death. We grab what we can while we can however we can and then hold on to it hard” (Sir Fred Catherwood, 1994).

Greed’s Source (Where does Greed come from?)

Greed proceeds from your heart.

Mark 7:20-22 “20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, 22 adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.”

Marketing (commercials, ads, etc.), often seen as an evil of capitalism, does not actually place the desire in your heart. The desire was already there. The marketing merely awakened the desire.

James 1:14-15 “14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.”

Greed’s Senselessness

Testimony of Men

John D. Rockefeller

“I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness.”

“The poorest man I know is the man who has nothing but money.”

Cornelius Vanderbilt: “The care of millions is too great a load . . . there is no pleasure in it.”

Testimony of Scripture

Proverbs 23:4-5 “4 Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; because you know better, stop! 5 As soon as your eyes fly to it, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10 “10 The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile.”

Greed’s Solution

Only faith in Jesus Christ will solve our Greed problem.

Matthew 6:24 “24 “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

1 Timothy 6:10 “10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Christ transforms greed into giving.

Matthew 25:31-46 “31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, …”

Sober warning