Background:
· Fact: lotteries are participated disproportionately by poorer people who do not have the spare money to gamble.
· Today’s affluent society is dominated by the materialistic culture. Wealth is worshipped.
·
Influence
from TV and the Internet: schemes on making money; advertisement emphasizing wealth,
luxury and good life; the gospel of prosperity preached in big churches and on
TV
·
The
major reason for most divorces is disagreement on financial matters.
· Jesus spoke about money more frequently than any other subject except the kingdom of God.
· How Christians use their wealth demonstrates their spiritual life (Mt 6:21; Lk 12:34).
o Modern gospel of prosperity: Love Jesus and get rich. This is contrary Jesus’ teaching (Lk 6:24).
o Money is not just a neutral medium of exchange but a power with a life of its own, very often demonic in character. Money inspires devotion; that is why “mammon” is described as a “master” (Mt 6:24).
o Money can be a threat to our relationship with God (1Ti 6:10; Lk 16:13).
o
All
wealth, including ours, ultimately belongs to God (Job 41:11,
1Ch 29:11,14).
o
Christians
should regard themselves as stewards who are given the responsibility of
managing the properties of our master (Ro 14:12, Heb 4:13,
1Pe 4:5; 1Co 4:1-2).
o
We
must be content with what God gives us (Php 4:11, Heb 13:5; Ecc
5:10).
o
The
gain or loss of wealth should not be the major concern in life (Job 1:21;
Ps 62:10).
o
Spending
“excessive” time and energy to acquire earthly treasures is not profitable
(Mt 6:19-21).
o
Wealth can become an idol. In the Bible,
idolatry is equal to greed (Col 3:5; Eph 5:3).
·
We
need to master over money instead of being mastered by money: to dethrone money.
o understand our own psychological perspective about money
o ask God to help: (a) bind our greed and covetousness and (b) practise generosity
o
In
making any decisions, we have to put human value above economic value.
o
generous
giving is the best way to free us from the tyranny of money (1Ti
6:17-18; Ac 20:35).
o root out all favoured treatment of people based on money (particularly in church)
o need (e.g. needing a bigger home for business purposes), not just want
o cost-benefit (e.g. high-priced items may result in savings because of better quality and longer durability)
o Greed is idolatry (Col 3:5). Greed is sin (Ex 20:17; Ro 1:29; 1Co 5:11) and the root of all evil (1Ti 6:10).
· Amusement can serve a good purpose because it provides a temporary diversion (rest) from the burden of work and can renew physical and psychological strength leading to higher work efficiency. But we must not be enslaved by the love of pleasure (2Ti 3:1-4; Tit 3:3).
· Some entertainment may not be suitable for Christians:
o if it leads to vice, corruption (of character or values), or sin (1Pe 1:16).
o if it is highly dangerous (e.g. boxing or car racing), cruel (e.g. bull fighting), or dehumanizing.
· In the OT, dancing was part of the worship or processions (2Sa 6:14-15). But nowhere in the ancient world was there dancing with the opposite sex. Modern social dancing is founded on physical and sexual attraction. It excites the senses and reduces inhibitions. Christians should avoid.
o 80% of teenagers in North America and Britain have a steady diet of rock music.
o The average teenager listens to over 10,000 hours of rock music between the 7th and 12th grades.
o Rock music was originated in jungle tribes and cults which practised voodooism and demon worship.
o The term “Rock ‘n Roll” was originated from a description of sexual acts.
o Rhythm: a steady, continuous wild pounding
o Harmony: repetition of same (often dissonant) chords and frequent high pitches
o Melody: seldom has inherent melody
o Intensity: uncontrolled, wild loud sound to overcome the listener and create frenzied atmosphere
o Lyrics: frequently anti-God; promoting drugs, suicide, sensuality and illicit sex, sadistic sex, violence, rebellion, eradication of tradition and morality, the occult
o Back-tracking: The “back-tracking” technique is frequently used in many rock music albums. The effect of back-tracking has not been studied scientifically but it is possible that the subconscious mind is being affected. One piece of rock music, when played backwards, contains the clearly audible words “Satan is god.”
o The people who produce rock music are mostly drug addicts, fornicators and adulterers, blasphemers. They promote anti-social views and denigrate traditional values and morality.
o Rock music has been widely described as “the international anthem of the dark forces”. The people in the industry aim to destroy tradition, eradicate morality, and lure youth into depraved and enslaved culture of drugs, illicit sex, prostitution and revolution.
o Physical impact: impairment or even loss of hearing, hysteria, heightened biological drives
o Psychological impact: weakens inhibitions, excites desires, invites permissiveness, establishes sensual thought patterns, toys with mysticism and the occult, beautifies the use of drugs and sexual promiscuity