*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*GOD IS RIGHTEOUS (2).*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Luke 16:9 *And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.*
*Insight and Highlight.*
There are times, if not all the time, that you have to know what is unrighteous before you know what is righteous.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
Yesterday, we began the study of the parable of the unjust steward, and we learned what Jesus is not. To say Jesus encourages unrighteousness is not the intention of His statement in Luke 16:9.
Jesus' intention is explained as exhorting us to be friends with unrighteousness. This is not to love unrighteousness or engage as friends with ungodly people but to create an atmosphere for ourselves to know, have understanding of money and the danger of the evil behind it so that we do not fall into the mammon of unrighteousness.
Let us look further at some of Jesus's words that support the above interpretation of friendship with the mammon of unrighteousness.
We will mention four today.
First, to make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness place people in highly esteemed positions in the world. Jesus says in Luke 16:9 *And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.*
Jesus is saying if you *"..make yourself friends of the mammon of unrighteousness......when you fail......."*
It is important that we understand what Jesus is saying here.
If you make friends with the unrighteous (that is, associating and following their ways), a time will come when you fail. It is not an 'if' but 'when'. Your 'fail' is inevitable and unavoidable. The 'fail' must come. It is a matter of 'when' not 'if'. Luke 16:9.
Furthermore, this word of Jesus, tells us why Jesus would not recommend that we make friends to what will lead us to fail or to what will lead us to the everlasting habitation of the mammon of unrighteousness.
Second, in v10, Jesus emphasizes faithfulness and its reward, so also the reward of unjustness.
So the Lord of the unjust servant may justify him but Jesus says if *"......ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?*, v12.
We need to clearly see Jesus's mind here. He emphatically states here that the unjust steward had not been faithful in his master's business, so who shall give him his own.
Third, Jesus says in Lk 16:11 *If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?*
Mammon means money when it is unrighteous.
This may be interpreted 'if therefore you have not been faithful in money or the deceitfulness of it'.
Trust must be demonstrated when the temptation to steal presents itself. Where, though others steal, you do not.
Jesus's word reflects the nature of standing faithful in the midst of enduring temptation of the mammon of unrighteousness.
Jesus' phrase teaches us the nature of a man's determination to remain faithful in a world of mammon of unrighteousness, worldly wealth in spite of the enduring temptation.
Where he fails, he can not be trusted with true riches.
Fourth, Jesus says in Luke 16:15 *".....for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.*
They may be rich before the world, but they are nothing before God.
Jesus says the unjust servant was counted wise and esteemed before his master.
Though we have the vision to make money in the midst of an ungodly world, God wants us to have the knowledge in order to be saved from the wrath to come.
*Remorse corner.*
Make friends not to join with the mammon of unrighteousness but to gain knowledge in the midst of the world of mammon of unrighteousness.
*Call to Word action.*
Do not be ignorant of the evil of money, the mammon of unrighteousness.
Paul exhorts us that where people do not see that there is a law against something, they see all things as good.
In Roman 4:15, he says *Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.*
He says in Rom 3:20 *"....since through the law comes knowledge of sin".*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
Let your friendship with the mammon of unrighteousness be in knowledge, not association.
*Prayer.*
Lord, help me. Though l live in a world of the mammon of unrighteousness, let me not be a part of them or be of them. Let me live in righteousness in Jesus name.
Good morning all, and have a blessed day.
God bless you.
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