Financial Temptations in the Church

Financial Temptations in the Church

Money is considered to be one of the major areas of conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness in the sphere of individualistic as well as corporate, since a Christian, and finally a church, without money will be repressed in their capability to undertake Great Commission. Besides, the devil applies money as a temptation to place before the people of God. Money is considered to be similar to a double edged sword that can either apply be applied against us- as we walk in righteousness in our finances we can perceive the sword and assassinate our enemies with it. Jesus in his parable of the Sower announced that the devil will assault the word of God that has been disseminated in our hearts. Normally, the devil uses many weapons such as "trouble, persecution, worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and desires for other things." (52. Satan Uses Money)

The bible also presents further illustrations of particular people those not only were assaulted by Satan but the particular weapon that the devil applies against them was money. The first biblical illustration of such assault through the weapon of money is set in that of Judas Iscariot. This exemplifies the way Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, was tempted by devil to betray Jesus, the Son of God for money. Irrespective of being with Jesus for three consecutive years and witnessing him perform healings, miracles and deliverances, the devil offered Judas money he was at last tempted to turn back on Jesus and eventually betrayed him. He asked the chief priests as to what they would provide him if he handed Him over to them and then onwards he watched for a definite scope to betray him.

Similarly, in the biblical example of the people being assaulted by Satan in terms of money is the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Devil applied the weapon of money to invade the environment of triumphant church with sin and unrighteousness and tempted Ananians and Sapphira and the devil at last was able gain a foothold. Ananians and Sapphira tempted to tell lie to the Holy Spirit. Moreover, Paul's first letter to Timothy entails a further illustration of the battlefield that prevails in the finances between the devil and the people of God. All such biblical illustrations warn to handle the finances carefully. When one is tempted and puts their greed and attachment to money on priority prior to the walk with God then it will result in, " 'fall into temptation', 'and a trap', 'many foolish and harmful desires', 'plunge men into ruin and destruction', 'wandered from the faith', 'pierced themselves with many grief'." (52. Satan Uses Money)

God warned through Apostle Paul that people those desire of becoming rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and injurious wills that distract men into ruin and destruction. The love of money is considered a root to all kinds of evils. Money is never said to be an evil. Only the love of it makes it the root cause of all types of awful in our lives. It is not erroneous to have money but it is definitely a sin to let money have us since it then give rise to great deal of pain. The love of money entail to a great variety of sin and sin always injures. The sins are also related to overspending. Most of the Americans as a result of their overspending fall into debt. (Money Matters)

The proverb goes on, 'The borrower is a slave to the lender'. Paul applies the word Trap in the New Testament he implied that there existed a spiritual enemy out there who is planning our destruction and someone exists there who is setting these traps. The love of money is not merely the characteristic error we required to work out. The love of money is regarded as the plan of the devil that is applied against us to damage our lives and harm the association with God. Taking into consideration the harmful effects of money Jesus opined in Mark 6 that it is not possible to serve both God and Money simultaneously. Money can hurt us in several methods, our will for the things even make us to oust God off the throne of our lives when we are not cautious. (Money Matters)

God has revealed that if we implore for anything in His will, having faith, then it will be provided to us. However, the will of God and His methods are not always same with that of us. Therefore, it is quite essential to be aware of the view of the God and the way He applies it to increase our relationship with Him. Money is considered neutral and just a medium of exchange. The difficulty occurs with the misuse or abuses of money. Since God is so good, he applies money and for the benefit of people in several different ways. God never uses money to tempt our lives. God never uses money to enhance our anxiety. When the people are worried, frustrated, and upset about money, God is not under control. God revealed money without worry is His methodology. He assures to fulfill the requirement of those who have faith on Him. (God and Money)

Money is applied to corrupt us. Most of us are corrupted and allured to the Satan's trap and are being corrupted. The people whose financial life is characterized by greed ego, deceit and other worldly snares are in contradiction with God and His strategy. Most often we are engulfed in the financial ego so long as it is applied create self-worth and ego. In a broad sense all are financially equal since all wealth will flow away, except the true wealth that have been laid up in heaven. God never desire that His people should live in abysmal poverty, however, it does not imply to lavishness. The surplus is entailed to people so that the will of God and His works will be adequately funded and those in necessity are to be helped. God never permits use of money for satisfaction of our personal whims and wills. (God and Money)

Money is neither good nor bad it is a neutral thing. This is our inclination about the money that matters and so as to take advantages of it, we are required to take not a very significant scriptural attitude. The Bible repeatedly reminds us that He owns everything we have along with our money. God announces in Job 41 'Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine'. This implies that our money is not ours alone, so as to accumulate as much as we desire. We are required to part it for the God's cause. The giving away of our money to fulfill His directives Biblically referred to as Tithing, that calls upon to give a tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees that belongs to the Lord. Tithe literally indicates the tenth part and entails us to give a tenth part our income to the purposes of God. Since God possess everything actually He does not need any gift from us. But we are required to offer since to give money away is to win a victory over the evil powers that dominate us. Money can be good when it is recalled that it really belongs to Him and yield to His ownership by returning back to Him, we collaborate Him in His work and destroy the regulation of money over our lives and entail prove that we love Him. (Money Matters)

Money is applied by God to strengthen our faith on Him. Sometimes it is through money only that God apparently and objectively visualizes us that He is in total regulation, when we trust Him and be aware of our positions as managers of His possessions. God applies money to enhance our trustworthiness. This principle is significant since our lives normally are concerned with making, spending, saving, and using money. If He can trust us with money, then He can trust us with greater responsibility and His true riches. God applies money to testify His love. According to the scriptures God assumes the liability of entailing the basic necessities of life for every one who trusts in Him. God applies money to represent His faithfulness. His faithfulness through financial needs fosters reliance on Him. God applies money to congregate people in blessings. God uses the affluence of one to provide for the necessities of another. The surplus money in our lives is granted by God for the purpose of assisting those in necessity. God uses money to reorient us. Through the abundance or lack of money that God directs our lives more meticulously. God applies money to foster self-regulation. God applies money to categorize spiritual maturity. By witnessing the way we manage money and accord the financial priorities many of our personal character and spiritual maturity is noted. (God and Money)

The spiritual and materialistic facets of Church life are not only linked but in reality are fully united. All the conferences like All American Council, diocesan workshops, church publications, and guidance in our parishes makes us aware that we are required to share God's gift of time, talent and material resources. All the facets of life initiate to belong to God and we have the liability of utilizing them as judiciously as possible. Good stewardship is essential to fulfill the objective of Church that flows from all the facets of Church. It is required to understand the casual temptations in dealing with parish financial matters and handling the funds and records of the Church. Irrespective of the fact that proper records are kept, often it leads to confusion due to lack of improper and incomplete routine book keeping. (Parish Finances)