Faith Is the Victory, Part Five Covetousness

“In North Africa the natives have a very easy way to capture monkeys. A gourd with a hole just sufficiently large so that a monkey can thrust his hand into it, is filled with nuts and fastened firmly to a branch of a tree at sunset. During the night a monkey will discover the scent of food . . . and will put his hand into the gourd and grasp a handful of nuts. But the hole is too small for the monkey to withdraw his clenched fist, and he has not sense enough to let go of his bounty so that he may escape. Thus he pulls and pulls without success, and when morning comes he is quickly and easily taken” (from The Pilgrim, cited in Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times by Paul Lee Tan [Rockville, Maryland: Assurance Publishers, 1979], 289).

This is analogous to the covetousness, or grasping for more, that kills many a Christian. The sine qua non of Christianity is faith in the triune God-saving faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. As the apostle John declared, “Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.” Yet we must daily and vigorously fight certain heart attitudes, such as covetousness, that attack the vitals of our persevering and obedient faith. In this study we want to speak about covetousness-its definition, what the Bible teaches about it, and the biblical solution to it.

The Definition of Covetousness

The Greek word for covetousness, or greed, is pleonexia, comes from two words: pleon, which means “more,” and echo, which means “to have” or “to possess.” Simply put, pleonexia means a desire to have more than we already have.

Covetousness is an attitude of discontentment with our possessions, position, person, place, or circumstances. Covetousness is the sinful attitude that if only we had more things, or lived somewhere else, or had a different job, or looked different, then all our problems would be solved and we would be truly happy. But such dissatisfaction only causes us to covet more money, greater power, increased excitement, newer gadgets, nicer houses, and larger salaries. It is the “chasing-after-one-more-dollar” syndrome.

The Bible is filled with examples of covetous people, beginning with Eve, who was miserable with her existence in the pre-fallen state in the garden of Eden. Such is the mystery of evil! So she coveted the forbidden fruit, took it and ate it. But Eve’s desires resulted, not in happiness, but eternal misery (Genesis 3).

King Ahab of Israel coveted Naboth’s vineyard, thinking that if only he could get it, he would be happy (1 Kings 21). Ahab was wrong, as was also the fool of Luke 12, who wanted to build a bigger barn to house his abundant crops and was looking forward to a long life enjoying his possessions (Luke 12:16-20). This fool subscribed to the philosophy held by the vast majority of people in the world today, that life and happiness consists in having many things. Jesus contradicted that idea, declaring, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).

Balaam sought happiness through ample reward and disobeyed God to pursue his goal (Numbers 22). Achan lusted and took the forbidden gold, silver and Babylonian garment, hoping that these things would make him content and happy (Joshua 7), but they only brought destruction. After Judas sought happiness by selling Christ for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15), he went and hanged himself. Demas, one of Paul’s fellow ministers, abandoned Paul, Christ, and the gospel, and went to Thessalonica because he “loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10). No doubt he reasoned that he had spent enough time preaching the gospel and it was now time to go make money and acquire things.

None of these found happiness by possessing more. Instead, they pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:10). Our hearts are restless until they find rest, not in things, but in God. So a covetous man may work hard to obtain more things, yet contentment eludes him. In fact, the more he works, the more miserable he becomes, for he ends up isolating himself from God, his family, and his friends. He erects a wall between himself and God, himself and his family and friends, not realizing that happiness is found, not in isolation, but in relationship with God and people.

A covetous man clings to himself and his material possessions. He is a greedy person who has an insatiable desire for more. Given to avarice, such a man will cheat and defraud others to make more money. A covetous man thinks he controls his wealth, but, in fact, he is controlled by his money. Jesus told us, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matthew 6:24). A covetous man hates God and is enslaved to money and all that money can buy.

Biblical Teaching on Covetousness

Covetousness-this desire to possess more in order to be happy-is greed. It is idolatry. It is a transgression of God’s law. It sets us against God, whose presence alone will bring happiness to his people.

The Scriptures speak frequently about this sin that attacks our authentic faith in Jesus Christ. The tenth commandment says, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17). Paul says in Romans 7:7, “I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘Do not covet.'”

In Proverbs 23:4 we read, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.” A man who pursues riches is a fool, for he thinks that money alone will bring true happiness. He thinks newer is nicer, bigger is better, and that having more will bring joy and security. So he works hard, but he does not worship God; work becomes his worship. Please note, however, that this verse is not promoting laziness. God commands us to work six days, that we may have something to give to the poor.

In Proverbs 30:7-9 we find the words of Agur, a pious Israelite: “Two things I ask of you, O Lord . . . give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?'” How dangerous is money in the hands of certain people! It causes them to declare their independence from God. That is why Pharaoh said: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?” (Exodus 5:2).

Psalm 119:36 says, “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward covetousness” (KJV). The psalmist understood how opposed covetousness is to God. It is the worship of money rather than the living God. It is forsaking the spring of living water and digging for ourselves broken cisterns that cannot hold water. Covetousness is like drinking salt water to quench our thirst. So the psalmist prayed, as we must do also, that God might lead him to the living waters of his word. We need God to turn our hearts away from the idols of materialism.

Romans 1:28-29 teaches that a covetous man rejects God, trading his knowledge of God for a mirage. Because he falsely believes that more money, more power, and more things will fulfill him, God punishes him by giving him over to a depraved mind that cannot function correctly. One manifestation of this punishment is that the person practices greed. So when we see a person always grasping for more, we must understand that he is under divine judgment. He is seeking happiness in things; but he will die, never having found true happiness.

In 1 Corinthians 5:11 Paul declares, “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man, do not even eat.” Such people are contagious; they will corrupt us, causing us also to become immoral, greedy swindlers and drunkards. Bad company corrupts good people.

In Ephesians 5:5 we find this divine certainty: “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” No matter what he claims, a greedy person is outside of God’s kingdom-he is outside of life and outside of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (PGM) He belongs to the kingdom of the evil one, who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.

First Corinthians 6:10 tells us no greedy person will inherit the kingdom of God, for such a person is not washed; he is unclean and filthy; he is neither justified nor sanctified. Colossians 3:5-6 says, “Put to death, therefore,”-in the Greek it is “Put to death once for all”-“whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.” A greedy man worships creation, not God. He has all the time in the world to make money and acquire things, but no time to read the word or to pray and commune with God. Therefore God is angry, and his wrath will fall upon such a man.

Covetousness is not a Christian character quality! It is sheer worldliness. It is a cancer in our spiritual life, and it must be cut out. Otherwise, it will certainly kill us by separating us from God, who is our life. Jesus said, “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out.” We must take drastic action to rid ourselves of greed!

But mere self-determination cannot kill our covetousness. We need supernatural help. Romans 8:13 tells us, “If by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” We must destroy covetousness by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit; then we shall surely live in the presence of God.

In Philippians 4:11-13 we see Paul in prison for preaching the gospel. He is deprived of all things, yet he is rejoicing. He says, “I have learned, I know, I have been instructed, in the secret of happiness.” And what is that secret? It is the sufficiency of Christ who is with him. So Paul says, “I can do all things-abound or abase; be in prison or be set free; I can live or I can die.” He is content in whatever conditions God places him in. “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who continually strengthens me.” Happiness is to possess and be possessed by God.

First Timothy 6:6-12 teaches us many things about contentment. It teaches that the possession of more things is not what brings happiness. It teaches us that godliness characterized with contentment is great gain in this life as well as in the life to come. It teaches us that we came into this world with nothing and will go out of this world with nothing. It teaches us that what is necessary for our physical life is food and coverings, and that if we have these things we are to be content. Jesus Christ guarantees these basic necessities to every person who will work. He himself told us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

This passage also teaches us that people who crave to be rich will fall into temptation, fall into the trap of the devil, fall into many immoral and injurious desires that will utterly destroy them. It teaches us that people who strive for happiness will instead meet with utter destruction.

This text tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil. Covetousness first takes place deep within our hearts. But in due time, this hidden evil root will produce bitter fruit that is evident to all. We are enticed, sin is conceived, and soon it manifests in death (James 1:14-15).

We are told also in this text that lovers of money become apostates. They wander away from the faith and away from God. And then we are told they pierce themselves-it is their own activity-with many griefs. The classic examples are Judas and Achan.

The covetous crucify themselves and will not be resurrected to life. Thus, we must heed the admonition of Hebrews 13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'”

The Biblical Solution to Covetousness

Finally, what is the solution to this problem of covetousness? God is the solution. A covetous man looks to the wrong source for contentment. He is deceived into thinking that more things will make him happy. The Bible calls it “the deceitfulness of riches.” He subscribes to the idea that happiness consists in the abundance of his possessions (Luke 12:15). But the source of true happiness is God; therefore, a covetous man will remain restless until he finds rest in God.

The solution to covetousness is to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus said of earthly things, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him shall never thirst” (John 4:13-14). God is the source of eternal and everlasting contentment. We do not need more things; we need more of God!

In John 6:35 Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” And King David declared in Psalm 16:8, “I have set the Lord always before me”; in other words, “I worship the Lord, not money or power.” Have you set the Lord always before you? “Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” This is total security. “Therefore my heart is glad.”

In Psalm 27:4-5 David said, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.” That is the grand purpose, that is what blessing is all about-to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). This is eternal happiness, eternal contentment, and everlasting joy.

In Psalm 73 the psalmist was unhappy when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. But when he came to the temple, he became sober and declared, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (v. 25). He was a realist, saying, “My flesh and my heart may fail,” meaning he would die, “but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” In other words, “I live because of God.”

What about us? Are we content with what we have-with our possessions, our position, our person, our place, and our circumstances? If not, it is because we are covetous, and we are looking for happiness in the stuff of creation. But let us learn that the true source of our happiness is God. And, thank God, he has revealed himself to us in the Scriptures and in the person of Christ.

May we learn to desire God and nothing else! Jesus told Martha, “Only one thing is needful” (Luke 10:42). Only one thing is needful for our happiness. Listen to Paul: “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Therefore choose Christ-Christ crucified, Christ risen, Christ who is with us always, even unto the end of the ages.