“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve GOD AND MAMMON.” (Luke 16:13)
Mammon is an Aramaic word, which means riches. It comes from the Syrian god of riches. Jesus wasn’t simply referring to riches; He was referring to A FALSE GOD THAT THEY KNEW. The Syrians had a god called Mammon, and it was the god of riches.
Mammon has its roots in Babylonian history and essentially means “sown in confusion.” Babylon came from the tower of Babel. The tower of Babel was a system where they believed THEY DIDN’T NEED GOD. They believed their OWN ABILITY TO ACCHIVE BY THEIR WORKS (false doctrine, “saved by works”) could get them high enough to get to heaven. When the spirit of mammon influences us, we believe we don’t need God if we have money. The spirit of mammon is a spirit that CONTRASTS ITSELF WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD. It is an ARROGANT, PRIDEFUL SPIRIT that tries to REPLACE GOD. One of man’s basic desires is to BE IN CONTROL OF HIS OWN DESTINY, and that includes his eternal destiny. Salvation by works APPEALS TO MAN’S PRIDE and his desire to be in control. “Put on humility. For God RESISTS (antitassomai: to stand in battle against) the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. Therefore, be humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time…” (1 Peter 5:5-6) This is a very serious problem, if we act in a proud manner we GO TO BATTLE AGAINST THE LORD and we do not have ANY CHANCE of success in that kind of battle!
“There is a way that SEEMS RIGHT to a man, but its end is THE WAY OF DEATH.” (Proverbs 14:12) Paul clearly tells us how we are saved, “For BY GRACE you have been saved THROUGH FAITH, and that not of yourselves; it is THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, but ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY HE SAVED US, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit…” (Titus 3:4-5)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham