What Does Matthew 6:24 Mean?

Verse Thoughts

Too often a demarcation line is laid between the material things in life and the spiritual things of God - between what we say and do in our Christian life, and what takes place during the rest of the time. This is often reflected in our attitude towards our material possessions. Ones attitude towards wealth is a good indicator of ones virtue.. and ones perspective on the material is a legitimate barometer of a man's spirituality.

The outward righteousness of the Pharisees in the time of Christ hid a covetous and greedy disposition, and Christ exposed this materialistic persuasion as hypocrisy.. a lack of faith.. a division of loyalty and disobedience towards God.

Money can certainly be put to many good uses when used in a righteous, God-ordained manner.. but the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil; which can cause some believers to wander away from the faith, resulting in much sadness and sorrow.

When materialism and a love of money takes hold of a life, that person's desire for money will eventually take precedence over ones love for God. When a believer's wealth starts to become a fixation in his life, he will become increasingly devoted to it, which leads to an increasing contempt for God. No one can be slave to two masters - one of the two will eventually become the dominate desire, while the other will lose its attraction and be treated with distain.

When God and mammon become rivals, one or other will inevitably be rejected. When the heart of a man is set on money; the accumulation of worldly wealth and an obsession with temporal things - then God is excluded from that life.. for no one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. Many have tried to serve both, but all fail in the end.

We cannot serve God and wealth simultaneously. We cannot be devoted to mammon and devoted to Christ at the same time, and as believes we have to make a choice - either we allow ourselves to be enslaved by greed.. and shackled to a materialistic mind-set OR we choose to be set free to the spirit of God in Christ Jesus.

We either remain in bondage to earthly corruption by looking to money as our source and supply OR we are set free into the glorious liberty of the children of God. When we choose God over mammon we die to self and our selfish desires.. so that the Spirit of Christ may dwell in us richly and lead and guide us into all truth - which enables us to mature in our Christian walk and to grow in grace and in a knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Wealth can be used for good when God is placed in His rightful position, but we need to always be on the alerrt - lest the love of moeny starts to affect our thinking and infect our heart.. for the love of money will eventually become our master and devastate our Christian walk.