What is the biggest idol of all time? Jesus taught that the biggest distraction to serving God was money. Matthew 6:24 (NIV) No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. If money is your master, then it is your idol, the money idol.
Now, the Bible does not teach that there is anything wrong with money persay. Money becomes an idol when you begin to serve it. Jesus taught that some people try to serve money and God, but it can’t be done. If you serve money at all, money is your master, your idol. Money becomes your idol when you begin to love it. 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. When you love money, you begin to sacrifice your principles, your relationships and your common sense in order to get more of it. When you love money, you never have enough, you are never content. When you love money, you do stupid things with the money you have, like gambling or playing the lottery in order to try to get more. When you love money, you sacrifice your family relationships in order to get the highest paying job, no matter how many hours you have to work. When you love money, you sacrifice your relationship with God and His church. You cannot serve both God and money.
People who love the money idol store up money and possessions on this earth for themselves. Matthew 6:19 (NIV) Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. People who love God use their money to store up treasure in heaven. Matthew 6:20 (NIV) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. If your treasure is on this earth, money is your idol. If your treasure is in heaven, God is your master.
How do you store treasures in heaven? First of all, realize that all you have including your money, is not yours to do with as you please. Everything that you have, including your money, is a gift from God to be invested for God to achieve a return for God. It’s not your money, it’s God’s. The Bible contains over 2350 verses describing God’s instructions on how to use your money for Him. To lay up treasures in heaven, follow God’s instructions. Secondly, the most important principle in the Bible about money is to be generous with it. Give it back to God and bless other people with it. Give to God first and then trust Him to meet your families’ needs. Luke 16:10-11 (NIV) Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? If God sees that He can trust you with the little money you have now, He will trust you with greater responsibility and resources in the future.