Reflections on God and Money: Leaving the Idolatry of Money (Day 16)

Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:11-14

St Paul’s point in the above passage is that everyone is tempted but God will never let his people be tempted beyond their ability to cope with it. While God will always give us a way of escape, sometimes away from the temptation and sometimes through it, that is no basis for complacency and risking more temptation more than necessary.

Consider the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable (see Luke 15). He wanted his share of his father’s estate before his father had died and, when he got it, he left home. And then his troubles began! His wealth was the opportunity to indulge ambitions better left unfulfilled and he squandered it in ‘reckless living’. The word Jesus used to describe the son’s behaviour does not necessarily imply immoral living, as if to suggest that the son behaved any worse than society was used to, but when his money ran out he was left doing a job that was abhorrent to Jews – looking after pigs!

This is the sort of thing that St Paul feared. Although there was nothing to the idols, and the gods they represented did not really exist outside people’s imaginations, participation could nevertheless lead to drunkenness and sexual immorality. As I noted earlier in this series, idolatry is a way of thinking; those who think the same way constitute a cult. I think it fair to sum up Paul’s point like this: while there may be nothing to the idols, there is great evil in idolatry.

It's just the same with money: it is a useful tool but an immoral way of life. As many people have observed, money can be a good servant but a terrible master!

Money opens doors. It may be good to be invited to the best parties but, all too easily, and in ways not unlike the feasts at pagan temples in Corinth, one thing can lead to another – from social drinking and polite conversation to drunken behaviour and sexual immorality.

Our lifestyle choices – our choice of work and friendships and social activities – should therefore not needlessly put us in the way of temptation, for that is testing God and it can easily end in idolatry. Christians indulging dubious business practices, feeling under pressure to maintain appearances, using misleading information to obtain credit, evading their responsibility for debt and all the other sorts of dishonesty commonplace in our consumer society no doubt started out with the very best if intentions.

Men and women away from home on business can easily slip into immorality, which is why pornographic movies are shown on hotel bills as ‘room service’. Casual sex is usually just that – spontaneous, unpremeditated.

Idolatry creeps up on our blind side. We do not see an addiction coming: alcoholics do not set out to be dependent on drink and drug addicts once thought they could take it or leave it! We should not overrate our ability to stand in difficult situations.

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Monday, 16 December 2013

Leaving the Idolatry of Money (Day 16)