God and mammon

[Deacon]

“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [mammon] wealth.”
Luke 16:13, NASB95

Can you explain the parable that precedes this verse and how the above verse fits with it?

And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.
And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.
Luke 16:8,9, NASB95

Rob

 

[TCGreek]

“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [mammon] wealth.”
Luke 16:13, NASB95

Can you explain the parable that precedes this verse and how the above verse fits with it?

And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.
And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.
Luke 16:8,9, NASB95

Rob

Diakonos (Deacon),

Good challenge. :thumbs:

1. But I'll go back to vv. 1-2: "Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer."

2. Then I see this thread of accountability running all through this chapter, climaxing with the Rich man and Lazarus.

3. With this as the key verse: "He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God's sight" (Luke 16:15, TNIV).

 

[skypair]

Hi deacon,

I love this parable! I "looked it over" for our FedEx pilot prayer group once. Look at the rich man here. That's the world. Look at the steward. That's the believer.

What ought the steward be doing? preparing for the day of his "retirement"/firing. An earthly steward would know to "lay away" for such eventualities. What about the believer? "Lay away treasure in heaven where moth and dust doth not defile," right? But does he/she? Do they "forgive" the debts of their neighbors? Tell them about Christ? Lay up rewards/"crown of rejoicing" (1Thes 2:19) BUT you must also be faithful in that which is your boss's, your government's, etc.

skypair