Overcoming Greed 1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Gordon Gekko, Wall Street “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures, the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms: greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind....”

Jon Foreman, lead singer for Switchfoot “Greed, envy, sloth, pride and gluttony: these are not vices anymore. No, these are marketing tools. Lust is our way of life. Envy is just a nudge towards another sale. Even in our relationships we consume each other, each of us looking for what we can get out of the other.”

Sir Frederick Catherwood “Greed is the logical result of the belief that there is no life after death. We grab what we can while we can however we can and then hold on to it hard.”

1 st Century context 1.The matter was civil, not criminal 2.Civil courts were corrupt Cicero. “...the courts will never convict any man, however guilty, if only he has money“ Dio Chrysostom. In Corinth there are “lawyers innumerable perverting justice” Apuleius. Judges are “gowned vultures”

1 st Century context 1.The matter was civil, not criminal 2.Civil courts were corrupt Petronius, Satyricon. “Of what avail are laws to be where money rules alone, and the poor suitor can never succeed?... a lawsuit is nothing more than a public auction....”

1 st Century context 1.The matter was civil, not criminal 2.Civil courts were corrupt James 2:6 Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?

1 st Century context 1.The matter was civil, not criminal 2.Civil courts were corrupt 3.Civil courts were public

1 st Century context 1.The matter was civil, not criminal 2.Civil courts were corrupt 3.Civil courts were public 4.Christians were harming Christians in corrupt, public courts

Modern context 1.Our legal system is sound 2.The Church should try to settle matters privately 3.Christians can use the courts to pursue justice but not greed

How do we overcome greed within our church and within ourselves?

1. We confront greed Luke 12:15 Then Jesus said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed....”

1. We confront greed 1 Timothy 6:9–10 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

2. We defend the vulnerable “For the sake of argument, let’s say you rich man were genuinely wronged. Go ahead and be wronged! You will survive, and the church will be better off.”

3. We exalt the gospel Titus 2:10...adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

3. We exalt the gospel John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

3. We exalt the gospel John 17:21 “...that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

4. We give freely Luke 12:33-34 “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

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@briangfisher Brian G. Fisher grace-bible.org/resources Grace Bible Church App Resources