The Bible is very straightforward when it comes to greed. This intense and very selfish desire for anything, particularly money and wealth, is a dangerous thing and should not be found in any Christian. God doesn't like it and doesn't want His people to have it, period. We will all do well without it.
In this article, we will talk about greed, particularly the greed for money. What does the Bible say about it? Let's take a look at a few descriptions the Bible gives about it.
1) It competes with God in a man's heart
In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says a love for money, which is a basic definition for greed, competes with our submission to God. He said:
"No one 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."
2) It's the root of all evil
While working to earn a living to be able to provide our family's needs is not bad at all, a love for money will cause man to do all sorts of things just to gain it. People do all sorts of wrong things to become rich and acquire possessions: stealing, gambling, cheating, bribery, and the like. Paul tells us about this in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, saying,
"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
3) It is not from God, no matter how much we try to sugarcoat it
Greed can never and will never ever come from God. While many people disguise their greed using religious jargon such as "God wants to bless me" and "Christ made Himself poor so I can be rich", the truth is that greed will always be greed no matter how much we try to hide it.
We may try to mask our love for earthly riches with Scriptures like John 10:10, what is written 1 John 2:15-16 remains true:
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world."
So how do we get rid of greed?
The Bible has a simple prescription for greed: trust in God. If we put our trust in Him who promised to meet our needs, we will never be greedy again. We will learn to appreciate - and trust - His provision and be content with what we have. This doesn't mean not working hard to achieve anything anymore; rather it would mean living free from greed and any form of covetousness. Hebrews 13:5 tells us,
"Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
