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HOUSMAIL HM026 23
October 1999 COVETOUSNESS BY EMAIL A
couple of days ago I received yet another of those Email "chain mail
letters", which offered me $55,000, in return for sending only $5-00 to
the name at the top of the enclosed list. And of course, it included a couple
of small "legal subterfuges", which claimed to find a way past the
laws which some countries have in place, to outlaw these "letters". Wow!
55,000 dollars! All I have to do is send off a couple of Emails, spend $5-00,
plus the price of a postage stamp, and wait for the money to roll in!
According to the sales pitch, I can even do it several times a year, and it
should work every time!! And to bait the trap a bit further, a couple of
"testimonies" were included from "satisfied users", who
reported enormous results. COUNT ME OUT! I WILL DEFINITELY NOT BE
PARTICIPATING! Of course, some people will be quick to ask what could
possibly be wrong with a little easy money, especially if the scheme really
is "legal"? Well,
for Jesus, mere legal conformity isn't the end of the story! Of course, Jesus
NEVER breaks God's law. But neither does He condone the clever
"legal" subterfuges by which the hard-hearted Pharisees were so
adept at "bending" God's words to give the appearance of
"legality" to things which God never intended. In
the Sermon on the Mount Jesus challenges us to set far higher standards and
walk the Narrow Way which goes FAR BEYOND what the law requires! (Matthew 7:13-14) We will never be
able to learn what those standards are, if we spend our time looking for
questionable subterfuge methods that just manage to get past the law! Of
course, the Bible had this subject covered long before these Email chain
letters were invented. It didn't take God by surprise! All we need to do is
apply His ancient words to a modern form of the same TEMPTATION. COVETOUSNESS Firstly,
the real name for it is "COVETOUSNESS"! COVET
- "to long to possess, especially what belongs to another"
(Webster's English Dictionary) Think
about it. The scheme invites me to try to fulfil my "financial want to
haves", by looking at money in the possession of others, and then
attempting to ENTICE them to give ME some of it, by appealing to THEIR
covetousness! i.e., Give me 5 of YOUR dollars and I will tell you how to
extract more from other suckers! (Wow! $55000 dollars! and all I have to
spend to get it is $5-00?) The
Bible says that covetousness is no different to idolatry. And it is listed
right alongside some other BIG sins which God hates. "Put to death therefore what is earthly in
you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is
idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming." (Colossians 3:5) THE
SECRET PLACE Secondly,
it is NOT even close to what Jesus taught about asking God alone, in the
secret place. (Matthew 6:5-6) With
a promise like that one, who would be stupid enough to bypass God in the
secret place, and go public with our covetousness, to ask MEN to do better
than God? However,
there is a little "codicil" which we have to accept, to make it
work. We will have to adapt OUR GOALS to match God's provision ...... not ask
God to shift His GOALPOSTS to match our AMBITION! If we ask in the secret
place for $1,000,000, and God responds by providing only 10 cents, THAT IS
HIS ASSESSMENT OF OUR CURRENT NEED! But
..... if we really believe ..... it will ALWAYS be enough for what God thinks
we need! And we will NEVER go hungry or be without adequate clothing. SEEK
YE FIRST Thirdly,
by going public before men, instead of asking ONLY in the secret place, it
denies Jesus the opportunity to fulfil one of his great promises. (Matthew 6:24-34) That
promise does work! But of course, there is a condition attached, isn't there? "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God ..... AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS". CONTENTMENT Fourthly,
it goes beyond contentment with God's provision. (1 Timothy 6:6-10) "Those who desire to be rich, fall into temptation” .....And in this case the particular temptation is covetousness. Luke
12:15 "Beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not
consist in the abundance of his possessions." Ephesians
5:3 "Covetousness must not even be named among you, as is
fitting among saints." Allon For
further reading see Bible Digest No 56: "THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS
OF FUND RAISING" |