Chapter 44—Vain Professors
The Scriptures speak of the large class of professors who are not
doers. Many who claim to believe in God deny Him by their works.
Their worship of money, houses, and lands marks them as idolaters and
apostates. All selfishness is covetousness, and is, therefore, idolatry.
Many who have placed their names on the church roll, as believers in
God and the Bible, are worshiping the goods the Lord has entrusted to
them that they may be His almoners. They may not literally bow down
before their earthly treasure, but nevertheless it is their god. They are
worshipers of mammon. To the things of this world they offer the
homage which belongs to the Creator. He who sees and knows all
things records the falsity of their profession.
From the soul temple of a worldly Christian, God is excluded, in
order that worldly policy may have abundant room. Money is his god.
It belongs to Jehovah, but he to whom it is entrusted refuses to let it
flow forth in deeds of benevolence. Did he appropriate it in accordance
with God’s design, the incense of his good works would ascend to
heaven, and from thousands of converted souls would be heard songs
of praise and thanksgiving.
To advance God’s kingdom, to arouse those dead in trespasses and
sins, to speak to sinners of the healing balm of the Saviour’s love,—it
is for this that our money should be used. But too often it is used for
self-glorification. Instead of being the means of bringing souls to a
knowledge of God and Christ, thus calling forth praise and gratitude
to the Giver of all good, earthly possessions have been the means of
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eclipsing the glory of God and obscuring the view of heaven. By the
wrong use of money the world has been filled with evil practices. The
door of the mind has been closed against the Redeemer.
God declares, “The gold and the silver is Mine.” He keeps a strict
account with every son and daughter of Adam, that He may know how
they are appropriating His means. Worldly men and worldly women
may say, “But I am not a Christian. I do not profess to serve God.”
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