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“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*
“Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
— *1 John 2:15–17*
The central theme is simple, but it is absolute:
You must choose your master.
In the spiritual life there is no neutrality. Jesus does not say, “It is difficult to serve two masters.” He says, “No one can.” John does not say, “Be careful with loving the world.” He says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world.” The Word of God confronts us with an unavoidable decision: God or the world; God or mammon; the Father’s will or passing desires.
This teaching is not about a minor adjustment in our lifestyle. It is about allegiance. Who rules your inner life? What truly governs your decisions, your time, your money, your thoughts?
The lyrics echo this pressing call:
“You cannot serve both God and money.
Choose this day whom you will serve—
the Lord your God alone.”
We are dealing here with lordship. Jesus is not offered to us as an “option” or an “inspiration,” but as Lord—the supreme authority. And Scripture makes clear: there can only be one ultimate Lord in your life.
### Matthew 6:24 – In the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 6:24 stands within the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), where Jesus describes the lifestyle of those under the rule of God’s kingdom. He is not speaking to unbelievers, but to disciples—people who have already begun to listen and follow.
In chapter 6, Jesus addresses three main areas:
Then He moves to treasures and anxieties:
He is painting a picture of two kingdoms and two ways of living. Earthly treasures vs. heavenly treasures. A clear eye vs. a bad eye. God as Master vs. mammon as master. Trust vs. anxiety. The issue is not just ethics. It is ownership and trust. Whom do you trust to secure your future—God or wealth?
Jesus spoke in a time of heavy Roman taxation, economic uncertainty, and social pressure. Money was a very real concern, as it is today. He did not ignore this concern. He addressed it at the root: the heart’s allegiance.
### 1 John 2:15–17 – John’s Pastoral Warning
First John is written by the apostle John, probably toward the end of his life, to believers under pressure from false teachers and the seduction of the world. The church was facing:
John writes as a spiritual father. He speaks tenderly—“little children,” “dear children”—yet with strong, absolute language. His statements cut through any gray area:
Into that situation John declares:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.”
The issue again is exclusive love. Just as a spouse cannot have divided marital affection, the believer cannot divide love between the Father and the system of this world.
The lyrics of the song bring these two passages together and emphasize the same reality:
To understand the force of these statements, we need to look at two key words: serve and world.
### 1) “Serve” – Greek: *douleuō* (δουλεύω)
Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters…”
The word translated “serve” is *douleuō*. It does not describe casual service or occasional help. It is derived from *doulos*—a bondservant, a slave. *Douleuō* means:
So Jesus is not saying: “No one can help two employers comfortably.” He is saying:
No one can be owned by two absolute lords.
The relationship is not one of partnership; it is one of ownership. A slave’s time, labor, rights, and future belong to his master. If you *douleuō* God, you belong to Him—spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20). If you *douleuō* mammon, your inner allegiance, decisions, and motivations are ruled by money and what it can give you.
This deepens the lyrics:
“You cannot serve both God and money.”
You cannot be the property of both.
### 2) “World” – Greek: *kosmos* (κόσμος)
1 John 2:15: “Do not love the world or anything in the world…”
The Greek word is *kosmos*. It can simply mean the created order, but in John’s writings it often carries a more specific meaning:
The organized system of human life in rebellion against God.
It is:
We see this in the very next verse:
“For everything in the world—
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life—
comes not from the Father but from the world.”
So John is not telling you to hate God’s creation or your neighbor. He is warning you not to set your affections, trust, and identity in a system that is fundamentally opposed to God and is passing away.
Thus, when the lyrics say:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world,”
it is calling us to renounce affection for a value system that is energized by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
### A. “No one can serve 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.”
Jesus names two masters:
Mammon is more than money itself. It is money personified as a rival deity. It is wealth as an object of trust, worship, and security. It is a spirit that says, “If you have me, you will be safe, significant, and satisfied.”
This is a spiritual conflict. Behind mammon stands a spiritual power that competes for your trust. Paul speaks of “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). John speaks of “the world” under “the evil one” (1 John 5:19).
Jesus describes two results:
The heart cannot maintain equal loyalty. It will take sides. When the demands of God and the demands of mammon conflict, you will follow one and resent the other.
For example:
you will obey one voice and resist the other. The one you obey is the one you actually serve.
### B. “Choose this day whom you will serve…”
> “Choose this day whom you will serve—
> the Lord your God alone.
> No one can serve two masters.”
Here the lyrics echo Joshua 24:15:
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…
But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua confronted Israel at a time of mixture. They wanted the Lord and the gods of the nations. He placed them before a clear decision: You must choose. The covenant relationship with the Lord is exclusive.
Similarly, Elijah on Mount Carmel said:
“How long will you waver between two opinions?
If the LORD is God, follow Him;
but if Baal is God, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21)
The people were “wavering,” literally “limping” between two opinions. This is the spiritual disease of many believers: an inner dividedness. They attend church, confess Christ, and yet their hearts and decisions are governed by money, status, or worldly desires.
The lyrics call us out of that double-mindedness into a decisive, once-for-all surrender:
“The Lord your God alone.”
### C. “Do not love the world…”
> “Do not love the world or anything in the world.
> If anyone loves the world,
> love for the Father is not in them.”
John gives us a simple test. He does not say:
He says:
This is absolute. Why? Because the love of the world and the love of the Father are mutually exclusive at the level of ultimate allegiance.
Again, this does not mean you must reject your job, home, or possessions as such. It means:
Jesus prayed:
“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:16).
Yet He immediately adds: “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” (v. 18).
We are in the world as ambassadors, but we are not of the world in our nature or allegiance.
### D. The Three Channels: Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, Pride of Life
> “For everything in the world—
> the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
> and the pride of life—
> comes not from the Father but from the world.”
John summarizes the entire world system in three phrases:
1. The lust of the flesh – The inordinate, self-centered craving of our fallen nature for physical or emotional satisfaction. This includes sexual immorality, gluttony, addiction, laziness, and all self-indulgence that ignores God’s will.
2. The lust of the eyes – Covetousness, greed, and the constant craving for what we see. It is the spirit of materialism and comparison: “I must have more, I must have what they have.”
3. The pride of life – Arrogant confidence in one’s status, achievements, possessions, or abilities. It is the boasting that says, “Look what I have made, look who I am,” independent of God.
We see this same pattern in:
“The tree was good for food” (lust of the flesh),
“pleasing to the eye” (lust of the eyes),
“desirable for gaining wisdom” (pride of life) (Genesis 3:6).
Jesus overcame in every area. In Him, the love of the world is broken. When we abide in Him, we share His victory.
### E. “Choose God over money— you cannot serve both.”
The lyrics bring it to a sharp point:
> “Choose God over money—
> you cannot serve both.”
This is not an attack on money itself. Scripture does not say money is evil. It says:
“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Money is a tool. In the hands of one master it becomes a weapon of greed, fear, and control. In the hands of another it becomes a means of blessing, generosity, and kingdom advance.
The question is:
Who is the master, and who is the servant?
You cannot have both as ruling centers. You cannot say, “I trust God,” and then make every significant decision on the basis of financial advantage alone. That is practical idolatry.
Jesus warns in Luke 12:15:
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed;
life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
And in verse 21, after the parable of the rich fool:
“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves
but is not rich toward God.”
The central issue is: rich toward God vs. rich only toward self. The song presses this decision again and again. Repetition is not for style; it is for emphasis. The Spirit uses repetition to break through our resistance.
Theory without practice is deception. “Scripture interprets scripture,” but Scripture also demands a response. How do we choose our master in daily life?
### First, Acknowledge the Reality of Lordship
We must begin by acknowledging:
Someone already rules your life.
Romans 6:16 says:
“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves,
you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death,
or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”
The one you obey is your master. So:
This is not to condemn you but to expose what is hidden, so it can be brought under the lordship of Christ.
### Second, Renounce the Love of the World and the Spirit of Mammon
We must make a deliberate, vocal renunciation. The Bible speaks of “putting off” the old nature (Ephesians 4:22) and “renouncing the hidden things of shame” (2 Corinthians 4:2).
You can pray something like:
“Lord, I confess that I have loved the world and trusted in money.
I renounce the spirit of mammon. I turn from covetousness, greed, and pride.
I refuse to take my identity from what I possess or achieve.
I choose You as my only Master.”
Renunciation is an act of the will aligned with the Word of God. It breaks agreement with spiritual forces that have had access through wrong attitudes and desires.
### Third, Establish God’s Kingdom First in Your Priorities
Jesus gives a very clear directive in the same chapter as Matthew 6:24:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
“Seek first” is a practical test:
You cannot serve God in theory. You serve Him in concrete, measurable choices.
### Fourth, Practice Generous, Spirit-Led Giving
One of the most powerful ways to break the grip of mammon is giving. Generosity is an act of war against greed and fear.
2 Corinthians 9:7–8:
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to bless you abundantly…”
When you give freely, as the Holy Spirit leads, you:
Do not wait until you “feel rich.” Start where you are. Give as worship, as obedience, as a declaration of who your Master is.
### Proclamation
Speak this aloud, slowly and deliberately:
“I choose this day whom I will serve.
I declare that Jesus Christ is my Lord and my only Master.
I refuse to serve mammon. I renounce the love of money and the love of this world.
I am not of the world, just as Jesus is not of the world.
I do not love the world or the things in the world.
The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
do not come from my Father and have no right to rule me.
My life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.
I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
My treasure is in heaven, and my heart follows my treasure.
I belong to God—spirit, soul, and body.
Money is my servant, not my master.
The world and its desires are passing away,
but I do the will of God and, in Him, I live forever.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.”
### Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
I bow before You as my Lord. I thank You that You shed Your blood to redeem me from this present evil age and to bring me under the rule of Your kingdom.
Father, I ask You to forgive me for loving the world, for trusting in money, for fearing loss more than I feared displeasing You. Cleanse my heart from double-mindedness. Expose every area where mammon has influenced my thinking and decisions.
Holy Spirit, search me and show me where my treasure really is. Give me grace to seek first the kingdom of God. Teach me to use money as a servant for Your purposes, never again as a master over my life. Strengthen me to say “no” to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and to say “yes” to the will of God.
Write upon my heart the words of Jesus: “No one can serve two masters.”
From this day, let my life, my choices, my giving, and my priorities proclaim that I have chosen the Lord my God alone.
I ask this in the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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