5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
Anyone who presents the message of the Gospel as a way to get rich, no matter how spiritual it may sound, is proclaiming a false gospel, telling you a lie, trying to deceive you. The next move after they try to get you to believe this lie is to ask for money in one way or another. That asking will be wrapped in hyper-spiritual language with a generous dose of guilt, but they will try to get into your wallet. If more of the income ends up in their pocket, house or car, question their motives! Some are playing at this Christian game. They see a generous market and they are selling a message that will bring out the bucks. Or perhaps they are deceived themselves, having believed some other teacher who sold them the message. They have swallowed the pill and to turn back now toward the truth would mean selling that car and house, boat and vacation home, and living a simpler life. I am not saying that financial gain is automatically a sign of someone who has sold out their Godly principles, having abandoned their faith. Sometimes God blesses so that we can pass it along to others. You can tell this type of person because of their generous attitude and actions. They don’t have to prove their wealth, they just pass it along. Money is just not that important to them. It is just part of their full lives. But for people who have this area of their lives out of whack, money becomes the central theme of their existence. Money is what they are living for, and for what they live. It is not godliness or conformity to the will of God, but money that drives their lives. The next time you hold a dollar bill in your hand notice how thin it is. Then consider the vastness of God’s universe and of the price paid for your sins on the cross. Which has more substance? Remember you can’t take it with you when you die. So next time you hear some hyper-spiritual message telling you it is God’s will for you to be rich, put a hand on your wallet and protect it. It can be the difference between eternal life and believing a lie.
The Arnold Journey 