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{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…
The Blameworthiness of People’s Inordinate Pursuit of Earthly Things
More Reasons Why an Earthly Mind Is Evil
Your State Is Dangerous}
First, your state is dangerous. You have not a gram374 of true grace in you. “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” (1 John 2:15 NKJV). Do not flatter your soul into eternal Hell. If you love the world, you do not love God. “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4 NKJV). This is a person whose heart and mind are set on the world. If a person wants to get rich, the bent and design of the heart are to get rich; wealth is the target, in spite of any claims to the contrary. That is the person’s great business and project. “But your eyes and your heart Are intent only upon your own dishonest gain, And on shedding innocent blood And on practicing oppression and extortion” (Jeremiah 22:17 NASB).375 “A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 28:20 NASB). This person drives furiously after the world with a heart reconciled to all the ways and means that lead to it, however much such ways and means clash against advantages to the soul. That person is a friend to the world and an enemy to God, whoever he or she may be, and in spite of even the highest profession of faith possible. By such hypocrisy, Judas got into the church of God (John 12:4–6).376 Likewise, Demas prayed and preached (2 Timothy 4:10),377 and likewise many hypocrites for a time, even those who multiply prayers (Isaiah 1:15).378 Do they profess love to God? So did the Jews, but their hearts were covetous. “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain” (Ezekiel 33:31 NKJV). Does he or she have a lovely spirit and blameless way of life? So did the young man in the Gospel (Mark 10:17–22).379 His great desire was to inherit eternal life. That was his business with Christ. He desired to know how he might be saved. He seemed to be completely pursuing Heaven. His life was blameless. He had a sweet, lovely spirit such that when Jesus looked at him, He loved him.380 Yet, he could not part with the world for Christ. He had his heart bound to earthly things all the while, and went away sorrowful. He could not consent to sell everything and give to the poor. No evidence will convince a soul whose heart is glued to the world and who cannot give up all to Christ’s control. God and world cannot dwell in the same soul. Godliness and profit cannot keep house together.381 Where the grace of God truly comes, it teaches people to deny worldly lusts (Titus 2:11–12).382 A person who has no power to deny the cravings of a worldly heart has not yet truly received the grace of God. Adams, commenting on the book of 2 Peter, said,
Grace may coexist with some transient naughty acts, but never with covetousness. Noah was once drunk with wine, but never with the world. Lot was incestuous twice, but never covetous. Peter denied his Master three times, but it was not the love of the world, but the fear of the world that impelled him. He had already denied the world before he denied his Master. David was once overcome by the flesh, but not by the world. Why did these not purge themselves from adultery, anger, contention and the like? Because saints may fall into these from infirmity. But if once into covetousness, there is nothing of a saint left, not even the name.383
Luther acknowledges that there was scarce a sin to which he had not been tempted, save the sin of covetousness.384 The Lord Jesus tells us that His disciples are not of this world (John 15:18–19).385 Some derive the world holy from earth and a negating particle, in that redemption from the earth is the great work of holiness.386 All people who partake of the Cross of Christ are crucified to the world and the world to them. “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14 NASB). Not a bit of the benefits of Christ are treasured up in a soul in which the god of this world dwells. And if you are without Christ, you have no hope and your case is desperate. If your heart is earthly, under the ruling power of this world, you are still without grace, thus without glory. If you set your mind on earthly things, destruction is your fate: “Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things” (Philippians 3:19 NKJV). If you are one who is of this world, if your heart is set on your covetousness, your portion is only in this world (Psalm 17:13–14).387 All of your “Heaven” is on this side of the grave. “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Ephesians 5:5 ESV). Covetousness is grouped with the most abominable sins: thievery, drunkenness, adultery, idolatry, and extortion. “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience” (Colossians 3:5–6 NKJV). The Scripture calls covetous people cursed children. “Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children” (2 Peter 2:14 NKJV). They have trained388 their hearts in covetous practices. They are cursed children, really cursed; God detests and abhors them. “For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord” (Psalm 10:3 NKJV). A woe is pronounced against them. “Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the power of disaster! You give shameful counsel to your house, Cutting off many peoples,389 And sin against your soul” (Habakkuk 2:9–10 NKJV). One would think it to be a duty, or at least very commendable, to provide for our families, get what we can for our children, and protect our houses from any suffering and calamity. But if people’s purpose is to set their nests on high, get great things for themselves, and manage their affairs so as to avoid all suffering for God, a dreadful woe hangs over their heads, and all their plans will end in disappointment. Instead of honor, they are brought to shame in the end. They are unworthy of any human society. “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one” (1 Corinthians 5:11 NASB). They will be cut off from all communion with God to all eternity. “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–10 NASB).
374gram: about 1/30 of an ounce. Ashwood had dram, an antique unit of weight of about 1.8 grams.
375One who is bent on getting rich may not commit murder, but most likely will take advantage of others. Such a person is the exact opposite of someone committed to loving and helping others.
376“But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:4–6 ESV).
377“For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia” (2 Timothy 4:10 ESV).
378“So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood” (Isaiah 1:15 NASB).
379“Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not bear false witness,” “Do not defraud,” “Honor your father and your mother.”’ And he answered and said to Him, ‘Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.’ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’ But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions” (Mark 10:17–22 NKJV).
380This passage does not actually tell us why Jesus loved him. This editor wishes to suggest that the passage teaches us that it was in love that Jesus gave the man such a seemingly harsh and difficult command.
381Godliness and profit cannot keep house together, but profit can be in the house, kept by and under godliness.
382“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11–12 ESV).
383This quotation is misleading. A distinction must be made between a person who commits sins of covetousness, then repents once made aware of those sins, and a person whose unregenerate heart is characterized by covetousness (which is idolatry). “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5 ESV). If repented of, all sins are forgivable except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This quoted verse is actually proof that covetousness is forgivable to the repentant, for if it were not forgivable, why the command to repent?
384The foregoing statements should not be interpreted as implying a perfect lack of covetousness. No believer is perfect with respect to any of the Ten Commandments. But if covetousness reigns in your life, you are unrepentantly covetousness, or do not strive against that sin, you can have no assurance of salvation. This is true of all known and cherished sins. God is a jealous God.
385“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18–19 NKJV).
386This is an illustration, not anything from valid Greek etymology.
387“Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword, From men with Your hand, O Lord, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes” (Psalm 17:13–14 NASB).
388The Greek word is γεγυμνασμενην, whose root is γυμναζο [goom-nad´-zo], from which we get our English word gymnasium. The meaning is to exercise strenuously as for victory in an athletic contest.
389cutting off: at worst, murder, as is typical of gangster bosses, but also any oppression of others for worldly profit.
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