THAT’S IN THE BIBLE

How Do I Know If I’m Greedy?

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: Greed has inspired a profound increase in crimes against people in our time. Some examples are fraud, corruption, scams, and other criminal acts against life and property, and these are borne out of man’s greed and selfishness. But, should being very ambitious in the pursuit of success be considered greed too, or is that something that God would expect of His people?

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The Bible: the basis of our faith in the Church Of Christ, which answers questions about proper worship, the right relationship with God, and most importantly, salvation. That’s in the Bible.

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: I’m Bob Pellien and welcome to the program, That’s in the Bible. There are many experiences in life that can reveal “greed”. Greed is the intense desire or longing to have more of something than what is needed. To be greedy is to desperately crave for riches, power, fame, or pleasure even if it means taking them from someone else. But where is the line between greed and ambition? There are a lot of entrepreneurs who must be ambitious in order to provide for their family. But when does it cross into greed?

So, dear friends, let’s see what the Bible has to say about greed by asking a few questions about it. For example:

1. What did Jesus warn us about greed?
2. Why is greed so dangerous?
3. Am I greedy if I am ambitious?
4. How can I distinguish between ambition and greed?

So let’s begin. What did Jesus warn us about greed? Is there any danger if one allows themselves to be controlled by greed? Dear friends, did our Lord Jesus Christ provide any insight about greed? He did. Here’s what he had to say, as recorded in the book of Luke, in the Holy Bible, chapter 12 verse 15 this is recorded:

And he went on to say to them all, “Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed; because your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be.”

Luke 12:15  Good News Translation

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: So dear friends, our Lord Jesus Christ clearly wanted His people to be aware of the danger of greed. What did the apostles of Our Lord Jesus Christ teach to the Church about greed? Well the Apostle Paul had this specifically to say, written in the Book of Ephesians 5:3 I quote:

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

Ephesians 5:3 New International Version

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: The warning about greed was listed here by the Apostle Paul alongside the warnings against impurity and immorality. These, as well as greed are said to be improper for God’s Holy people. But dear friends, why is greed so dangerous? What exactly is the danger? Well if we turn all the way back to the Book of Psalms, here in the Holy Bible, it’s recorded in Psalm 10: 3-4 it says:

Exploiters boast in their power and greed; the covetous blasphemes and defies God.  In their pride, the wicked say, “There is no God.” They see no further.

Psalm 10:3-4 Christian Community Bible

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: Dear friends, why is greed so dangerous? What exactly is the warning given and the danger about greed? Because the Bible says that such are blasphemers and even defying God. And you know, in that same verse, Psalm 10:3-4 recorded in another translation of the Bible, it’s worded this way, let’s take a look at another rendering of that same verse. Again Psalm 10:3-4:

The wicked are proud of their evil desires; the greedy curse and reject the Lord. The wicked do not care about the Lord; in their pride they think that God doesn’t matter.

Psalm 10:3-4 Good News Bible

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: Dear friends, greedy types of people are often filled with pride and end up even rejecting the Lord. When anyone would be like that, they place themself in great danger. Selfishness and greed which, as we read, leads to a rejecting of the Lord and brings a terrible end. So why then is greed a sin? Because greed takes away or replaces one’s trust in the Lord. How does one lose trust in the Lord because of greed? The greedy person thinks, as we just read there, that all his needs can be supplied by his abundant wealth or material possessions, and therefore, what did it say, and God doesn’t matter. Boasting in his power and greed, he blasphemes and renounces God, falsely thinking that he does not need God anymore. Greed is indeed a great evil – and that is dangerous.

But dear friends, is there any other bad effect of becoming greedy upon a person’s life? Any other danger? YES! And what’s the proof of that? The writing of Apostle Paul, 1 Timothy 6:10 I quote:

When people really want money, that causes all kinds of bad things to happen. Some people have stopped believing Christ because they want to get more and more money.  But they have caused themselves to be sad because they have very many troubles.

1 Timothy 6:10 EasyEnglish Bible 2018

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: So dear friends, another bad effect of greediness is that the greedy end up sad. Why? Because they bring many troubles into their life! But, if we avoid greed, what then does the Bible teach will be the benefit of that? We again turn to the Holy Bible, this time Proverbs 28: 28, I quote:

A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.

Proverbs 28:25 English Standard Version

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: If we avoid greed what does the Bible teach will be the benefit? It is they, that put their trust in the Lord. They’re the ones that will be enriched. But some might think they’re not being greedy they may say, they’re thinking they’re just being ambitious, right? The world is a tough place and they think they have to be tough too, and have to work just as hard, to get what they want and what they believe they deserve. But hearing the warnings that we’ve read together, we just studied from the Holy Scriptures, a person may wonder, am I greedy if I am ambitious? What’s the distinction, what is greed vs. ambition?

We are sure dear friends that greed, and being ambitious or being a hard worker are two very different things with two very different results. Why? Consider the ant, which was used to prove a valuable point in the Holy Scriptures. Let’s read that point, it’s recorded also in the Book of Proverbs, chapter six, verses six, seven and eight:

Lazy people should learn a lesson from the way ants live. They have no leader, chief, or ruler, but they store up their food during the summer, getting ready for winter.

Proverbs 6:6-8  Good News Translation

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: Dear friends, ants take the initiative, they’re ambitious, they take the initiative, to work for their future, grabbing every opportunity to store up their food. Indeed, when the rains then come, they have something to eat from what they have stored up. Here’s the point: no one would look at the efficient stockpile of an ant colony and call that greed, no. Because it was prepared meticulously and through hard work for a beneficial purpose. May this industrious nature of ants be a constant reminder to all of us that we should work hard for our living and not just rely on what others have stored up for themselves.

So, dear friends, how can I distinguish, one may ask, between ambition and greed? What will ambition that leads to hard work bring, that greed can not bring? Again the Apostle Paul responds to our question, and we read it recorded in Ephesians 4:28 the Bible says:

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Ephesians 4:28  New International Version

BROTHER BOB PELLIEN: So anyone whose ambition leads them to work hard will not only have all that they need, but will have enough to share with others who may be in need, and therefore they will have no reason to be greedy.

So, let’s review the questions that we began with and let’s see what the Bible has revealed to us:

1 – What did Jesus warn us about greed?

Greed was put in the same list of vices as all kinds of impurity and immorality.

These, as well as greed are improper for God’s Holy people.

2 –  Why is greed so dangerous?

The Bible taught us dear friends, that greed takes away or replaces one’s trust in the Lord. The greedy person thinks that all his needs can be supplied by his abundant wealth or material possessions. Boasting in his power and greed, he ends up blaspheming and renouncing God, falsely thinking that he does not need God anymore, or that God doesn’t even matter. Greed is therefore a dangerous sin to commit.

3 – Am I greedy if I am ambitious? What should we know about greed vs. ambition?

Well dear friends, we learned that greed, and being ambitious or being a hard worker are two different things with two very different results. The Bible recorded the  industrious nature of ants which teaches  to all of us that we should work hard for our own living.

4 – How can I distinguish between ambition and greed?

We learned, anyone whose ambition leads them to work hard will not only have all that they need, but will have enough to share with others who may be in need. That’s how you will know you are not being greedy.

In conclusion, members of the Church Of Christ must live our lives, yes filled with ambition in our livelihood but most especially in our services to God. And we must never allow our ambition to ever become selfish in nature. So dear friends, we invite you, and all of our guests joining us in our study today to come and be part of the kind and giving nature of God’s people.

We’d like you to continue learning about the teachings of the Bible taught inside  the Iglesia Ni Cristo, Church Of Christ, please visit online and browse the different topics or set up an appointment to meet with a minister of the gospel. If you have any questions about the Bible or salvation, please email them to us. I’m Bob Pellien. Thanks for watching. See you next time on That’s in the Bible!