You cannot serve God and Mammon

Posted on March 25, 2026, 10:33 a.m. by Rev. Shobayo Kayode The Gospel Study Centre

Our Lord Jesus Christ says, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matt.6:24) The declaration means that it is impossible to focus one’s life on service to the Master in heaven, and at the same time make material things the master of one’s life. Jesus warns that if one’s focus is on the things of this world, then he cannot give himself to God in the way that God demands of him as His child. In other words, one cannot trust in one’s self-sufficiency of the things of the world (Mammon) such as wealth, power, position, etc. and at the same time totally have trust in God. The Bible warns also that one should not love the world or the things in the world and concluded that if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John.2:15) The Bible referrers to believer that tends to serve God and riches at the same time as adulterer and adulteress. “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James.4:4) Such believer is adulterer in the sense that he broke the covenant he made with Christ when he wedded himself as a member of the body of Christ in order to give himself to the world. The word of God says, “For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name...” (Isaiah.54:5a) Such believer broke the covenant with his Maker who is his husband for the love of the things of the world. Timothy, a Church leader was instructed to command the rich members in the Ephesus Church not to be haughty, nor to trust in certain riches but in the living God who gives richly all things to enjoy. (1 Tim.6:17) as a result of the report that the rich members in the Church often develop the spirit of arrogance. They forget that riches are transient and that what is valuable today might not be valuable tomorrow. Instead of them to put their trust and hope in God who makes provision for one’s needs, they develop the attitude that there is security in riches, hence their faith in God diminishes. No wonder, the Bible says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil...” (1 Tim.6:10a) This does not mean that the rich must forsake their riches or give themselves into poverty, rather they must not be mastered by the riches or trust in them if they want to give themselves to God in the way that God demands of them as His children. They should understand riches as a temporary sustenance while they are in the flesh. They must therefore trust in God who created the world for their sustenance and use their riches to do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share. (1 Tim.6:18) They are not to attach themselves to the thinking of the world in a way that they are diverted from keeping their minds on those things that are of God. For it is impossible for one to love God with the intensity of love by which God demands that one serves Him and at the same time, compromise his values and morals by living after the world. Compromise leads to abandoning God for world desires. A person who wants to serve God and riches at the same time is of divided loyalty to God and himself or herself. “He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James.1:8) Brethren, always keep in mind that you cannot trust in your self-sufficiency of the ‘things of the world’ such as wealth, power, position etc, and at the same time totally put your trust in God. Remember, Jesus says, you cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore, all your trust and hope should be in God alone. May the good Lord help us to overcome our divided loyalty to God in Jesus mighty name. Amen Evangelism Jesus is the Way to a renewed relationship with God. Come to Him today, He is waiting to save you. Rev. Shobayo Kayode The Gospel Study Centre