DON'T LET GREED DESTROY YOUR FAITH! ~ CULTIVATE the FRUITAGE of GOD'S SPIRIT ~ ???????

[Bible Speaks]

DON'T LET GREED DESTROY YOUR FAITH! ~ CULTIVATE the FRUITAGE of GOD'S SPIRIT ~ ???????

Greed can manifest itself in love of money, desire for power or gain, or voraciousness for food and drink, sex, or other material things. The Scriptures warn Christians against this degrading trait and command that they should avoid association with anyone calling himself a Christian “brother” who practices greediness. (1Co 5:9,11) 

Greedy persons are classed with fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, men kept for unnatural purposes, thieves, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners, and indeed, greedy persons generally practice some of these things. If an individual does not turn away from his greediness, he will not inherit the Kingdom of God.—1Co 6:9, 10.

In condemnation of foolish talking and obscene jesting, the apostle Paul commands that fornication and uncleanness or greediness “not even be mentioned among you.” This may mean that not only should such practices not exist among Christians but also that they should not even be a topic of their conversation for the purpose of gratifying the flesh.—Eph 5:3.

Becomes Manifest in Actions. Greediness will manifest itself in some overt act that will reveal the individualÂ’s wrong and inordinate desire. The Bible writer James tells us that wrong desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin. (Jas 1:14, 15).

The greedy person can therefore be detected by his actions. The apostle Paul states that being a greedy person means being an idolater. (Eph 5:5) In his greedy desire such a one makes the thing desired his god, putting it above the service and worship of the Creator.—Ro 1:24, 25.

(Ephesians 5:5)
5 For YOU know this, recognizing it for yourselves, that no fornicator or unclean person or greedy person—which means being an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and of God."

(1 Corinthians 6:9,10)
9 What! Do YOU not know that unrighteous persons will not inherit GodÂ’s kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, 10 nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit GodÂ’s kingdom. 11 And yet that is what some of YOU were. But YOU have been washed clean, but YOU have been sanctified, but YOU have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.

(1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
9 In my letter I wrote YOU to quit mixing in company with fornicators, 10 not [meaning] entirely with the fornicators of this world or the greedy persons and extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, YOU would actually have to get out of the world. 11 But now I am writing YOU to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. 12 For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do YOU not judge those inside, 13 while God judges those outside? “Remove the wicked [man] from among yourselves.”

jw.org

[Bible Speaks]

"The one trusting in his riches—he himself will fall."—Prov. 11:28.

2014/12/18