What Does The Bible Say About Greed?

Jesus warned us in the Bible to be on guard against all kinds of greed (Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”). Greed can be very unhealthy for human beings. It destroys relationships and makes us too self-centered, such that we forget to provide care and love to the people around us. Greed is an overwhelming and selfish desire to gain more of something. People are often greedy towards money, power, and fame. However, Jesus reminds us that our lives as human beings are not measured by the abundance of our possessions. Jesus told us to “not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal (Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal,  (ESV)). Our Lord and Savior also reminds us that it is impossible for us to serve both God and money.

Christians should become like Jesus Christ. In fact, it should be our aim to imitate Christ in every way. Was Jesus greedy? Absolutely not! Jesus never pursued the acquisition of money. On the contrary, Jesus became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.). The Bible tells us that He had no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20). Jesus was also not greedy about power and He never pursued it while He was still on earth. Although Jesus deserves all the praise, glory, and worship from His people, He was humble from the very beginning. He even said that “whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45 (NLT version)).

Greed Brings Destruction

Greed is like a snare that brings ruin and destruction into our lives. When we set our focus on obtaining money, power, and fame, we become greedy. It is wrong to put our trust in wealth, rather than God (1 Timothy 6:9-10; 17-18). As Christians, we need to evaluate where our hearts lie. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21 (ESV), “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” God sees our hearts and we cannot hide anything from Him. Being greedy is evil and is contrary to the nature of Christ. Therefore, we must learn how to resist the temptation of greediness. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, instead of wealth, is important for us Christians.

It is impossible for a greedy person to inherit the kingdom of Christ (Ephesians 5:5). And so, we need to keep our lives free from the love of money and be always content in whatever we have (Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”). Let us believe God when He promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. By holding on tightly to the promises of God, avoiding greed should become less troublesome. Greed can devour your mind, body, and soul to the point where you become too selfish and insensitive to the needs of others.

Keep in mind that money itself is not the problem, but rather one’s love of it. Money is good if we are filled with Biblical principles. Greed, however, can rot our innermost beings and it makes us weak. A weak Christian will have a hard time battling life’s troubles, temptations, and challenges. Having a weak mind, body, and soul can be very stressful. Small things become very problematic, so seeking joy and happiness in Christ becomes very difficult. Greed robs us of being able to live a contented and satisfied Christian life. Regardless of whether or not you are new to the Christian faith, it is vital that you preach the gospel to yourself every day and remind yourself that Jesus is our ultimate treasure and the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9) that brings true satisfaction.

Jesus as Your Source of Satisfaction

It is only Jesus who can satisfy us. Money and power can make a person happy, but greed refuses to be satisfied. We must encourage our brothers and sisters not to go astray and solely rely on material possessions. Money and power do not protect you from life’s challenges. They also do not lead you to eternal life. The problem with greed is that it places our confidence in wealth, so that we are consumed by this insatiable desire. Our selfish desires divert us from walking the right path. The wrong path does not bring happiness and contentment, but instead results in disappointment and frustration.

For us to combat greed, we need to make sure that we seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:25-34). By doing this, we will be able to live a life full of joy, peace, and love. We need to study and learn the supreme value of Jesus Christ if we want to have an outstanding quality of life. Always put your trust in the promises of God. Do not fret or worry, since He will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).