The love for anything more than God leads to bondage to that thing. The things you own end up owning you by your love for them. The rich young ruler was sad to hear that the way to perfection would be to give up all his possessions and give them to the poor because he loved his possessions more than the poor. It was his shrine to himself as many who buy the big house or the nice car, its their own temple unto themselves and use these things as a way to worship themselves but they're in bondage to these false gods. Peace doesn't come in having an abundance of things, but in having an abundance of lack of need for material or vain things. Some teach that peace comes in having an abundance of things and thus no need for anything or anyone else. If you have money why do you need Christ? Isn't prosperity/property the whole matter of life?
"Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."- Luke 12:15
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and call these things shall be added unto you.
Those that don't believe in God have no case for lack of seeking as much prosperity as possible for their well being, but those that believe in God must take the steps in faith towards the unknown path of sacrifice, and love for others before they find themselves well off and prosperous. Christ is the Savior and commands that we don't worry about such things as clothes and food, but that we just have faith in God and seek the kingdom of God and all else will be added. One of the biggest wrongs we can commit to do is thinking that God won't take care of us as well as our money or work or worldly objects can.
We are all weak. We are all beggars. We all rely on something or someone for our survival, but our salvation comes only when we rely on Christ for all that we need. If we rely on anything else then we are in the bonds of iniquity and doomed to being subject to the demands of Satan.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
This is why the Savior said that its easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to get into heaven. Because you can't idolize your riches or talents and suppose they can save you or make you whole. Only Christ can save you and reunite you to God's presence.
The Book of Mormon is one long story with example after example of the dangers of pride and faith in worldly things. The people always fell into worshiping their prosperity rather than the author of their prosperity. The praised the fruit while chopping down the tree.
There are many today that say that gold is the only sure way to have continuous value. That the economy is the sign of a developed country, but how successful are we when we can invent technology that keeps us up to date on what celebrities or politicians are doing, while we ignore the people who are dying and starving in the streets? Whats more worth our time and focus in God's eyes than the betterment and love for His children?
Many times those that do not give to the poor justify themselves by saying "Oh they made themselves that way" or they attack others that ask them to give by saying "Oh they just want my stuff for themselves, they don't care about others so why should I?" But that is exactly the kind of talk that makes up the Antichrists in the Book of Mormon and the philosophy that all the prophets and Christ warned against.
When we have stores with clothes that are manufactured by the abused poor in other countries we are supporting injustices. When we buy the expensive things we don't need, we are neglecting those that are in need. When we have for ourselves and give not to others then we are glutting ourselves and robbing God. Wherein have we robbed Him? In tithes and offerings.
We cannot be saved without saving others and we cannot be prosperous without prospering others because what we're given is for the benefit of others. God will hold us accountable asking what we did with what He gave us and if we reply that we held onto it for ourselves then it will be as the slothful servant in this parable-
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with ausury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath- this means that those with charity or who gave their hearts and lives received more charity for their offering, but those that didn't give of their time, talents and love, for the kingdom of God, it was taken away what little they had. If you hold onto your love and don't give it away, then it will perish and be taken away. Whatever you give away and sacrifice to the Lord will be multiplied. If you protect your heart and keep yourself in bondage to those things of material worth, or if you only love yourself then you'll have those things taken away- you'll hate yourself and your material things will break or decay over time.
The only worth and joy we have is that which is in our giving to others, our love for others is the greatest investment we can make because it always has a return value. There is no risk to the faithful followers of Christ. But if we don't have faith then we will fear and it will be too risky for us to put ourselves out there.
We must give or we'll lose what we have anyway. We must humble ourselves or we'll be compelled to be humble. We must choose to be like Christ if we wish to have power and freedom of the soul. If we deny Christ, deny the poor and afflicted, then we are stuck with the false gods of our own hands. Only through Christ can we really prosper in the things that really matter- God's children, charity, faith, hope and freedom.
