Two Masters

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Matthew 6:24

Those committed to the Lord desire to store up treasure or rewards in heaven. They desire to serve Him by making the right choices out of sincere devotion.

God-fearing people can also desire to build wealth in this world, to feel financially secure, to accumulate possessions and experiences that please them. This is human nature. God says in crystal-clear terms that one cannot place ultimate priority on both at the same time. At some moments in life, one must choose which is more important.

Those who surrender themselves to following Jesus become servants of God for life (Romans 6:17–18). Those who prioritize building wealth for themselves on earth surrender themselves as slaves to materialism.

Choosing God does not mean neglecting our jobs, businesses, or other sources of income. It does not mean we don’t need money or material things anymore, but it emphasizes that we need to choose what is the most important thing in our lives, and that is God over material wealth, because God is the source of everything, including the riches in this world.

A person sincerely serving God will not organize their lives around the acquisition of wealth. Money, for a righteous person, is just another tool given by God to be used for His purposes.