#08: THE WORLD SYSTEM VERSUS THE KINGDOM OF GOD

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And He went on to say to them all, “watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed; because a person’s true life is not made up of the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be”. Luke 12:15 (GNB)

Here goes a warning that our LORD was giving out to anyone who would care to listen. The same warning is coming to us today in our weekly devotion. This matter must have been so pressing on the LORD’s mind, as we can see from the stern warning that He was giving. So what was it about greed (or covetousness, as other bible versions put it)? To covet means to have a strong desire to possess something that belongs to somebody else; or to want to have something very much [Microsoft® Encarta® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation]. The more you think over this definition, the more you wonder why our LORD is giving a stern warning against it.

Actually, the world defines a man by what he has. If a man is handsome, is a lady is beautiful, if a man is rich, if he has a first class result, if he is a Doctor, if he is a Lawyer, if he is a President, then we can give him a thumbs up (as far as the world is concerned). Indeed the world system believes that “the end justifies the means” and another way of saying that is by going this way “we don’t want to know how you get there, just get there and let us see”, and from here we can see what Jesus is warning us of-covetousness. No matter what it takes, even if it means cheating in exams to pass it; if it means stealing money that is meant to satisfy the national budget to get rich, even if it means changing your gender to declare your beauty, the world doesn’t mind.

Jesus answered, “I am telling you the truth: no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again” John 3:3

Jesus answered him “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one goes to the Father, except by me” John 14:6

While the world keeps craving to “possess” things (even if it belongs to someone else), Jesus is guiding us on what life is all about. It is as though He is changing the rule of the day to be “the means justifies the end”. Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked; what so ever a man sows is what he will reap. Jesus has given us eternity to labor for, and indeed, eternity is our hope as believers; it is what keeps us going in the faith, but-except a man is born again…; except he passes through the way… God actually wants us to have the best in life, but not to get it out of greed, as the world does, we get it from the abundance in Christ Jesus (Matt 6:19-21; 31-33; Phil 4:19). We will get a thumbs at the end of time, but after our lives on earth has been accessed. So we must live right. God help us, as we utilize His sufficient grace to run the race.

Written by DiDi.

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