What is Serving Two Masters? How do people do this in life? (doctrine, women)
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Luke 16:13
No servant 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.
What is an example of one attempting to serve God and mammon?
I can think of several. Someone who is a prominent member of a church who likes to be in the limelight...maybe volunteers to serve in the soup kitchen, gives a generous amount to various projects in it, serves on the board making decisions about how to get more people to services, etc, while at the same time running a business that shaves a little here and there on quality and maybe uses substandard materials or doesn't quite deliver the service promised in order to increase the business profit margin.
I don't mean to say that one trying to walk in the path of righteousness never fails, we are all human, but those trying to be successful in both righteousness and business SELDOM make the right decision EVERY time. We justify the subterfuge by thinking EVERYONE does it, my family needs this or that....it's difficult for sure. If you are determined to be a Godly man or woman, you will experience losses, financially, socially, and sometimes even physically........Jesus said the world hated him and if you are his follower they will hate you too. I don't think that means that if you live your life quietly, and try to be the best person you can be that your family, neighbors, community, will despise you, but if you try to be important and noticed in both worlds, sooner or later that which is more important in your heart will become obvious and if you fail in the 'spiritual' aspect, the media will bring it to light in a very negative way.
Eventually, one 'master' is going to ask you to do something that the other one told you not to do and it will become obvious which master has more control over you. It is a choice we all make much more than we care to think about.
I think worshipping money is an example. My husband treats money like water, it flows through him and he doesn't stress over it, there will always be more coming because he has faith the Lord will provide. He hands money to the homeless, overtips, and buys the most expensive things. It drives me crazy because I hold onto it tightly.
I need to hold onto God tightly because if I do that, the stressors over money would go away. As it says, "keep your eyes on the Lord." Your problems will get smaller and he will get bigger. I'm becoming more God focused about money; it's hard but at the same time, healthier.
If I'm serving money, finances, bills, I'm not serving the Lord. You can only serve one at a time. If I give it away loosely but wisely, I will loosen my attachment to it. If I focus on the Lord, prayer, verse, I will strengthen my attachment to God and faith in him to provide. That's one example of not being able to serve two masters.
Luke 16:13
No servant 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.
What is an example of one attempting to serve God and mammon?
The more discussion the better...
Putting anything ahead of God in your life. Money is at the heart of it, but also what money can buy, prominence, influence, power, even desires of the flesh, etc.
Every decision should be based on the famous WWJD, understanding we are not Jesus and are not called to 3 1/2 years of daily ministry and then death.
As an example do we go on vacation and give no thought at all to our behavior before others, just have a good time doing what our money allows, as the World views having a good time?
Jesus usually has to share the believers with the spirit of the world in some part of understanding with the Lord ............ I example , Even leaders in the churches which Jesus has Ministries can give rise to divisions against people for some doctrines which invites the Spirit of antichrist which would be alien to Jesus , and Jesus would have no honor to redeem His minister unless they repent , and take up the authority of the believers and rip the devil authority out................ Still Jesus will not leave His Children sin or no sin , but would encourage His children to let go of sin
When I think of this Scripture, I think of the importance of choosing the right career choice.
We are told to be "in" but not "of" the world. I think the concept of being in but not of the world and not serving God and mammon are concepts that are connected.
We are clearly to work. As if a man doesn't work he isn't to eat. With that being said, we aren't to compromise in the faith to make money I don't think.
This scripture has been on my heart for a number of reasons. As a food service director at a local nursing home, I've been wondering if I am trying to serve both God and Mammon in my attempts to establish a career to be a provider for a family. I wonder sometimes if I am truly serving these residents at this facility or if I am really serving this multimillion dollar corporate conglomerate to just help them make money. Sometimes I feel its actually the latter.
More discussion of this topic from others would be nice.
Mammon is not merely money. It is the personified and spiritual entity that fuels one's avarice, that insatiable greed for it. God and Mammon are in direct opposition to one another. Money is but one of Mammon's many tools of enslavement.
Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
There your heart will be also.
Money in and of itself is not evil, but neutral. Having boatloads of money is not evil. It's the force behind what is done with and for it that is either good or evil. The financial crises was a Mammon driven outcome.
Ever notice the company greed keeps in the Bible? Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, depravity, wickedness, unrighteousness, malice, deceit, lewdness, sin and more are all used in the same breath.
Over the years I've seen many men and women for Mammon isn't sexist, squirm and sweat when I preach about money. It isn't only those Scrooge's out there controlled by Mammon. Those with little to no money can find themselves imprisoned by Mammon's other tools-loans and credit. For a while you couldn't turn on the nightly news without story after story of the burgeoning student loan crisis being aired. We live in a society where indebtedness is expected, encouraged and nearly impossible to avoid and escape.
Do you ever watch Shark Tank? I admit watching and enjoying it for the most part. However, when I hear shark and self proclaimed, "Mr. Wonderful," Kevin O'Leary's favorite line to those who turn down his offer to invest and make them rich, "You're dead to me," I get a pang in the pit of my stomach.
For I'd much rather be dead to Kevin O'Leary than to God Almighty.
Breaking free the bonds of Mammon can be a difficult challenge. Christian financial advisor, author, speaker, and radio talk show host Dave Ramsey offers real life help in a folksy, easy to grasp, manner. http://www.daveramsey.com/home/
Last edited by Cephas40; 05-18-2014 at 07:55 AM..
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