Covetousness is a major challenge both in the Church and in the world today. Worldliness too has become a great foe of the Church and it appears many Christians (irrespective of how long they have been in the faith), are being carried along. This may be because even they are victims of this sinful habit.

Our Lord Jesus, in Luke 12:15 warns us against covetousness. Covetousness can be described as an inordinate desire for material or non-material possessions, especially those of another individual. In Exodus 20:17, the Lord warns against coveting someone else’s possession or spouse. The vanity in being covetous is captured in Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 which says:
“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?”

In 1 Timothy 6:6-9, Apostle Paul wrote to warn us against the menace of worldliness and covetousness. He encouraged believers to embrace godliness with contentment which is great gain. He said also that “…they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1 Timothy 6:9). John corroborates this in 1 John 2:15-17 where he warned us against worldliness, saying:

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him…And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof…”

Beloved, how far have you been dragged into the world? How far has the world been dragged into you? Are you not running after those things that did not matter to you years ago? Even the rich are now running into the Church; they want peace and satisfaction. They envy believers and want to share in our heritage. While they are running to God for peace and joy, many of us have thrown away these blessings that money cannot buy, for the vanity of this world. Remain where God has established you.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.