Theme: GREED
Text: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” – Romans 16:17, 18.
Comment: Greedy people, for personal gain, look for clever ways or loopholes to outsmart rules and regulations designed to protect the system. Indisputably, their ungodly conduct creates divisions and instability in the society. While the children of Israel were in the wilderness, God provided food for them which they called manna. They were instructed to collect just the quantity they needed for each day and not allow it to remain until the morning. But some did not obey but left it till the morning, “and it bred worms, and stank:. Again, they were told not to go out for manna-harvesting on the Sabbath day (Saturday) but should gather twice as much on Friday and that it would not get spoilt. But some were still disobedient, because of greed, in that they went out on the Sabbath day to collect manna – and found none. – Exodus 16:16-30.
St. Paul, charged Christians to always chastise “unruly and vain talkers and deceivers … “ who “subvert whole houses, … for filthy lucre’s sake”. He condemned without reservation the character of the people of Crete who were reputedly given to lie-telling, were “evil beasts”, (that is rude, savage, cunning, greedy people) and “slow bellies” (lovers of food, gluttons). (Titus 1:12, 13) The Bible says, “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.” – Ecclesiastes 5:10.