For the past couple of weeks, we have been looking at a series of practical exhortations from the 13th chapter of the book of Hebrews.
Here in [5] the writer makes a prohibitive statement on the grounds that it violates God’s enduring care for those who are His.
13 5 Let be without covetousness your manner of life, and be content with what you have, for He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.
The first part of that verse is the literal Greek translation…‘Let be without covetousness your manner of life’ which has been strangely translated a number of different ways:
New International Version
Keep your lives free from the love of money
Berean Literal Bible
Let your manner of life be without covetousness
King James Bible
Let your conversation be without covetousness
New American Standard
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money
I don’t know about you…but that’s too many different meanings for one verse…in these various translations of Hebrews 13:5 you have everything from
…warning you about the love of money
…telling you what manner your life should be
…suggesting what your conversation should be
…suggesting what your character should be
Why so many different renderings of one verse…how can I get a valid understanding of what the Holy Spirit is trying to teach me?
Again…you’re in the 21st century trying to understand something written 2000 years ago in a language you don’t understand…to a people you can’t identify with…and trying to apply it to a modern-day audience.
First of all, the Greek word translated as manner…τρόπος (tropos)…means exactly that…a ‘way of life’ in the sense of one’s conduct or character…that’s why the wording….Let your manner of life is a good translation.
The King James translation says ‘let your conversation’…in old English ‘conversation’ was referring to a person’s way of life, character, or behavior… knowing that, the rendering…Let your conversation is also a good translation.
Now to what some would identify as the primary point the author is making regarding… covetousness…there are three Greek words that all have practically the same meaning when referring to covetousness but with slightly different variances in their meaning.
One word, (πλεονεξία 4124) means lusting for a greater number of temporal things that goes beyond what God determines is eternally best…beyond His preferred will…there’s just some things in life you don’t need.
The second word (φιλαργυρία 5365) refers to what we are commonly used to hearing when talking about money… ‘For the love of money is a root of all evil’ [1 Tim. 6:10] referring strictly to the love of money…that’s not what the word used in [5] is directly referring to.
That’s why the NIV and the NASB are less than accurate translations of this verse because the word used for covetousness has nothing to do with money.
The word used in [5] (ἀφιλάργυρος 866) is not referring to the desire for financial gain or the love of money…that’s not the intent…the wording ‘love of money’ is not even in that verse…it’s focusing more on greed and the desire for ‘things.’
In our Western culture it’s easy for us to make the connection between money and materialism…the reality is they are two separate entities…with respect to materialism, studies have shown the kinds of problems materialism causes.
Marriage dissatisfaction occurs because those who value possessions are less likely to value their marriage…are likely to be less satisfied in their relationship …the result is that materialism becomes an unbalanced priority in their life. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180213183611.htm
Before we go farther, we should address the question…is it wrong to better our ourselves…our circumstances by working hard to achieve a better lifestyle?
This verse would seem to suggest that working to provide you and your family with life’s conveniences is really masked by the desire to accumulate stuff.
The opposite question could be asked…Should we be unconcerned about material things and our finances…just drifting through life without any ambition to improve ourselves…living from hand to mouth so as not to appear to be hoarding?
As with many Biblical principles there’s a balance that must be maintained by holding seemingly opposite truths.
On the one hand, the Bible warns us about the dangers of wealth (Prov. 11:4, 28; 30:8-9) …Jesus shocked the disciples when He said, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:23).
But on the other hand, the Bible encourages us as Christians to work…the Bible condemns laziness and calls us to work to provide for our family needs:
if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for
those of his household, he has denied the faith and is
worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim. 5:8)
In addition is something that society needs to take a firmer stance on:
If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat (2 Thess. 3:10).
Need to make the distinction between someone not willing to work…as the verse implies…and someone unable to work…two different situations.
Which brings up the debate regarding those who are unwilling to work because they can earn more on unemployment than being at work…or…working for $9 an hour is not meeting my financial needs so I’ll stay home.
We can go into all the social aspects of that and I’m not…but…Scripture is more than clear that society…and the church…do have an obligation to assist those who are unable to work…but as I have said before, I will not allow people to use us because of our Christiaan obligation to help our fellow man…when our fellow man’s intention is to take advantage of us.
BUT…before we condemn people with money…this verse is not referring to people with money…the emphasis is greed…the Bible never condemns anyone for having money…because there are verses in the Bible that do refer to wealth being a blessing from God (Ps. 112:3; Prov. 10:22) for a purpose…here’s the purpose.
That you have sufficiency in all things…the sufficiency is not referring to having a surplus or having a bank roll like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett…the sufficiency is having enough of what you need to suffice in your everyday living.
SO…that you may abound to every good work [2 Cor. 9:8] …the key here is ‘abound in every good work’…we put an American interpretation on the word ‘work’ making it to mean that God’s going to make me successful in whatever we do…that is not what the word ‘work’ here means.
The word ‘work’ is not referring to doing something…it means having a material abundance so you can use it to do good…especially by giving to others.
The idea is that God provides you sufficiently to meet your everyday needs…at times God gives you more than what you need to meet your everyday needs… but doesn’t give you an abundance so you can spend it on yourself …that’s that health and wealth theology promoted by the pontificators on TV.
The true meaning of abound in every good work is when God gives you more than you need…He does so that you might be a charitable help to others…goes back to not being greedy.
So, it’s a slippery slope…there’s the tension between the desire to work hard and advance yourself so you can be financially independent…certainly a trait you want to instill in your children…get an education…get a job…become financially independent from me…work hard…be successful.
As honorable and as Christlike as that sounds that idea can mask an outcome that is independent from God’s desire for your life in TWO WAYS:
ONE…is the desire that says if you want it…you can make it happen…apply yourself by diligently working hard…and as credible as that is…that idea has bred an entire generation to seek more wealth or possessions rather than God.
The SECOND one is where the desire to acquire ‘things’ has made shambles out of Christians who are pursuing the acquisition of ‘things’ instead of appreciating what God had already given them…ingratitude.
Remember the word used in [5] (ἀφιλάργυρος 866) is not referring to the desire for financial gain but more to being free from the love of materialism…not putting the desire for materialism ahead of your family or the church.
Here’s what Scripture says about that:
—If you’re storing up treasures on earth, rather than in heaven, you’ll lose it all (Matt. 6:19-34).
—If you live in abundance, you’re committing the sin of greed and hoarding… (James 5:1-6).
—If you’re seeking contentment in money or things, rather than in God…you will come up empty (1 Tim. 6:5-10).
—if you’re trusting in wealth rather than the Lord for present or future security, you’ll be eternally disappointed (Prov. 11:28; Jer. 17:5-6).
Pastors are no different…rather than accepting where God has placed them in their ministry…they’re more interested in larger churches…their popularity… book deals…or bank account.
It’s been said…by someone smarter than me–G.K. Chesterton– “There are two ways to get enough: One is to accumulate more and the other is to desire less.”
Contentment is one of the unnamed cousins of the fruit of the Spirit… contentment conquers the evil lust of covetousness…the lusts of the world…the lusts of the flesh…and the pride of life.
Here’s why we should we be content with what we have…discontentment breeds murmuring against God…it demonstrates a lack of faith in God as the source of our supply.
Murmuring against God…in addition to ingratitude…are two of the major sins of Israel in Scripture…and will still arouse the anger of God today.
Again…the 13th chapter of Hebrews is encouraging proper Christian behavior emphasizing:
— brotherly love [1]
— hospitality [2]
— support for imprisoned and abused Christians [3]
— emphasis on sexual morality [4]
— the danger of greed [5].
Contentment and greed are both attitudes that start in the mind…to cultivate contentment we must daily accept God’s sovereignty in our life…trusting Him to provide for all our needs…that’s where the second part of this verse comes in.
The second part of this verse is a verse that far too often gets misapplied… I will never leave you nor forsake you…how many times have you heard someone apply that to their particular situation?
This verse is a direct promise given to Joshua by God after the death of Moses…it was meant solely for Joshua.
It’s like [Jeremiah 29:11]
I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Again, a promise God made specifically to the nation of Israel regarding their eventual release from Babylonian captivity.
QUESTION…do these verses apply to us today…are they relevant…can I claim God’s promise of:
—I will never leave you nor forsake you…and
—I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you…plans to give you hope and a future.
QUESTION…how do I know if something from the Old Testament is relevant to me today?…if it’s repeated in the New Testament.
Jeremiah 29:11 is not quoted in the New Testament…BUT…the God who promised it does not change…there is an application in that verse that demonstrates how God deals with people today.
Here in Hebrews 13:5 God is reapplying Deut 31:6 to us in a New Testament setting…reaffirming His promise to Jeremiah to us by restating His promise to Joshua…that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
It’s important to remember who this verse is being directed to when reading the second part of verse 5…I will never leave you nor forsake you.
The true meaning of this verse is found in how these Christians were being persecuted for their faith…being thrown out by their families…being cut off from all provisions and protection…having their property seized…these Christians had very little or nothing…they were being called to be content with what they didn’t have.
The author is reassuring them that despite all these difficulties God was actively aware of their situation promising to never leave them nor forsake them.
Now the application for us…something I preach on continuously…the security of the believer…this is an essential truth for Christians today…we are saved and sealed by the Holy Spirit, and we cannot lose what we have been given.
That is what this verse is emphasizing…eternal security…I want you to see how powerful this verse is with respect to God’s promise of eternal security.
In the Greek the author uses the strongest negative statement possible…twice he uses two words: οὐ μή when combined are the strongest way to mean something is not going to happen…no…not never.
English translations don’t bring out the emphatic rending of this verse…here’s what it says in the Greek…Never not will I leave you nor never not will I forsake you.
BUT…it is important to remember this is not a promise to all people.
Want you to think about something…when Jesus said, “I Love You” …He was NOT indicating a universal love for all people…in the N. T. you will NOT find an instance where Jesus said to any single person… “I love you”.
As shocking as that sounds…Jesus never makes a blanket I-love-you statement about all humanity…hold on there preacher…I know my Bible and I know what [John 3:16] says that God so loved the world…and in [John 15:9] where Jesus says…As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
You can’t claim these verses are declaring God’s love is for everybody without knowing the particulars of why Jesus made those statements.
…in John 3:16 the word is ‘Kosmos’ …the world…the universe…the love He had for His creation after the six days of creation…where God describes it all as being ‘very good’ before sin entered the world…that’s the world God loves.
…in John’s 15th chapter…Jesus speaking…He makes an analogy between Him as the vine and us as the branches…He gives a conditional warning.
This is where the confusion comes in…before His statement regarding I loved you…He says…every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away’ [15:2] It’s a condition that many people will fall short of …not bearing the fruit God expects us to produce.
What exactly is this fruit that God is expecting us to produce? …well…could be a lot of things you say…no it’s not…it’s one thing…He doesn’t identify it directly because it has already been clearly identified in the Old Testament.
In Isaiah 5, he uses the same analogy identifying Israel as God’s vineyard …He comes looking for the fruit of “justice and righteousness” …but instead finds oppression…misery…and mistreatment…what He calls “sour grapes.”
When we link that with what we have in the New Testament, it is clear that the fruit Jesus is referring to here is Christlikeness — his character reproduced in us.
Jesus uses the analogy of a vine and branches to explain the difference between those who merely “appear” to be Christians, versus those who are truly connected to the True Vine (John 15:1).
The “branches” which don’t bear fruit…Christlikeness…are destined to be cut off…their barrenness proves they were never attached to the vine in the first place (John 15:2–6; Matthew 7:21–23).
That’s the part of that analogy Jesus is referring to by identifying those who “abide in [Him],” and in whom His Word “abides.”
The continuance of being in Christ’s love is something in our power…it’s something we can consciously decide to do…abiding in Christ is conditional on us bearing fruit…Jesus Himself says so… if you keep My commandments …that’s the condition…then…you will abide in My love [15:10].
You cannot rejoice in Jesus unless you’re doing His will…you will have no real comfort and blessedness in your life and in your religion unless it is working itself out in your life daily.
That’s why so many know nothing, or next to nothing, about the joy of feeling Jesus’ presence in their lives…because they are not in His will…or…producing Christ-like fruit.
Now…does Jesus love us…YES…He may not have said directly to many people that He loved them…but we know He did by His actions…we know He loves us because of His obedience to go to the cross for our sins…goes without saying.
Goes back to the bogus idea that says: ‘I know God loves me just the way I am’…no He doesn’t…nowhere in the Bible does it say God loves you just the way you are…with your self-centered…self-righteous attitude…He accepts you the way you are…but He doesn’t love you the way you are.
Telling ourselves God loves us just the way we are is an excuse to not put in the effort and work necessary to overcome our weaknesses or temptations.
If Christ came to save us from the sorry state we’re in…what makes us think He wants us to stay that way…or love us if we stay that way? …does God love us? …YES, but He doesn’t want us remaining in the same condition He found us in!
God’s love for us is a life-changing love…simply put, there should be a change in us after coming to know Christ…something we don’t stress enough especially for those who initially come to trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
That’s why these series of verses are so important to us…as Christians we need to evaluate ourselves…encourage each other…goes back to [12:1] and the need to lay aside every encumbrance and sin which so easily entangles us.
The intent for us in this verse is to continue in our Christian lifestyle by being aware of the damage greed and materialism can have on us… and on those around us.