The American dream is the current model of living for our time. It is a covetous way of life that surrounds us at every turn. Covetousness/greed is the basis of the American dream.
Most people in some form or capacity, follow this model of living in today’s world. The American dream is based on greed, which is idolatry.
Colossians 3:5 – Don’t be controlled by your body. Kill every desire for the wrong kind of sex. Don’t be immoral or indecent or have evil thoughts. Don’t be greedy, which is the same as worshiping idols.
Ephesians 5:5 – For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Check Out Our Article On How The Love Of Money Is Idol Worshipping
Covetous definition: eagerly desirous for wealth or possessions, greedy, having a craving for possessions; a strong desire to acquire. Desire for more than one needs.
This way of life has become so ingrained in our society’s thought pattern and culture. The American dream has globalized and is no longer exclusive to its shores. The whole word has become infected with a covetous dream for more.
The quest and desire to one day have all that we want (or could possibly desire) in order to be happy and secure, has hijacked our lives. We tend to not even notice that it is not biblical and that it is wrong. Instead, we wonder how else one could live? What kind of alternative way of living is there? Is there another way of life worth living?
The American Dream Is Demonic And Cannot Offer True Security Or Satisfaction
The desire for true security and satisfaction can only be provided to us by God; not money and possessions.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 – He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
The American dream focuses on hard work and or excellence in education. Both are treasured characteristics from the world to acquire more, whether it be for money, possessions, power, respect or honor.
The bible on the other hand, speaks against covetousness, greed, selfish ambition and a competitive spirit.
James 3:13-18 – Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
James is stating that if we are selfishly ambitious, we should not deny the truth and we should declare it as wrong. We should not boast about this characteristic because it is actually demonic!
This admission (repentance) will slowly allow us over time, to change our priorities and stop being ambitious. However, if we continue to deny the truth and glorify ambition and it’s ‘fruits’ (money and possessions), we have no hope of ever changing to align our ways and beliefs with the kingdom of heaven. As a result, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven as stated in the following verse:
Ephesians 5:5 – For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Why Are Christians Striving For The American Dream?
How did the evil ways of the world enter the church? The ways of the world (which does not believe in Jesus) will without a doubt, cause people to sin. This is expected but, there is a severe warning to any pastor or preacher who, out of compromise, brings the world’s concepts into the church.
Luke 17:1 – Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.”
Matthew 18:6-7 – If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!
Through the twisting and manipulation of God’s word, many pastors portray the ways of the world as an acceptable practice that is as per the bible. According to God’s word, these pastors are the ones that cause ‘little children’ to stumble into iniquity.
‘Little children’ are those who are repentant, new to the faith and wish to learn about Jesus. They are taught a twisted version of the gospel that includes and allows greed/the love of money in a cloaked and camouflaged way. And there is a special ‘woe’ unto them from Jesus.
The American Dream Is Preached By False Teachers & Prophets – Don’t Be Beguiled
Matthew 7:15 – Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
False prophets look and portray themselves as followers of Jesus but inside, they are demonic. Through their compromised teachings, they separate the true sheep from their shepherd, Jesus.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 – The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
False teachings come through people who add in exceptions to the words of Jesus. These teachers feel no guilt for doing this since their consciences are ‘seared’, meaning twisted and compromised through manipulating the word of God. They no longer know right from wrong and they truly believe the lies they preach. They are in a sense, delusional, believing their own lies.
Why do they do it? The key words here are a ‘seared conscience’.
Ephesians 4:19 – Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.
Jeremiah 6:15 – Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord.
These false teachers have lost their sense of shame and guilt. When they do wrong, they no longer know right from wrong, as per the kingdom of heaven. They have stretched the truth too far – becoming delusional themselves.
The problem is, their way of interpreting the word still appeals to us because their way seems easier. But we must remember that there is no easy way into God’s kingdom.
Mark 10:24 – This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22 – strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
2 Timothy 3:12 – Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
We must not be fooled by the empty words of false teachers who have lost their repentance and can no longer hear from God’s Holy Spirit. We can identify and avoid false teachers by reading the word of God for ourselves and fact checking everything that is taught us like the Bereans.
Acts 17:11 – Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
The American Dream Is Being Preached Without Guilt
False teachers and ministers of the gospel feel no shame, repentance or conviction. Because of this they refuse to be corrected by God and so they feel no guilt in preaching a false gospel.
They can speak whatever lies they dream up in order to manipulate people for their own selfish reasons which are usually due to a mixture of a fear of rejection and greed.
Matthew 13:21-22 – yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Their deepest desires are, to be accepted, honored, respected and given the best seats at meals and events (preferential treatment).
Luke 20:46-47 – Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Luke 11:43 – Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
Matthew 23:5-7 & 14 – Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
Mark 12:38-40 – As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
In an effort to keep their churches full, they ‘tickle ears’ and boost peoples’ egos by telling them what they want to hear. They value the respect and compliments of the people more than the praises of God.
Luke 6:26 – What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.
John 12:43 – for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
Proverbs 29:25 – Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
John 5:41 – I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
John 5:44 – How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
John 7:18 – Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
2 Peter 2 – But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
There are so many people who preach falsely today. Because of this, it is hard for us to hear the truth. False preachers contradict Jesus’ teachings and when the truth is finally spoken by someone else, no one believes it. This is because they have become deluded by the majority who speak lies. Unfortunately, as humans, we have a ‘bandwagon’ mentality. We are predisposed to going with the majority but with a consistent effort, we can discern and follow the truth (minority).
2 Peter 2 continued… 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—
9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord. 12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.
Pastors who act out of instinct (their spirit – not the Holy Spirit) instead of the teachings of Jesus due to their manipulation of the word, do whatever their own spirit wants.
Luke 9:54-55 – And when Yaqob and Yohannan his disciples saw it, they were saying to him, “Our Lord, do you want us to speak and fire will descend from Heaven, and will consume them as Elijah also did?” 55And he turned and he rebuked them and he said, “You do not know of which Spirit you are.”
Another translation says:
Luke 9:54-55 – When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” 55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of.
They live according to their flesh or sinful nature. Then they twist the word of God to suit their actions and motives. The end result is that they do whatever these instincts tell them just like an animal instead of aligning their actions with the word of God. When they are offended, they hold a grudge. If they don’t agree, they revile. When they want, they become covetous and if someone makes them appear wrong, they persecute and isolate them due to their own unrepentance.
2 Peter 2 continued…13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight.
Their idea of pleasure is to twist the word with such clever scheming that most people are fooled.
2 Peter 2 continued…They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
Check out the following case study: Balaam’s subtle greed (coming soon – subscribe here to be notified)
Instead of following Jesus, they follow another compromised way.
2 Peter 2 continued…17 These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.
False Preachers Are Stumbling Blocks
False teachers are the stumbling blocks that preach in the church according to the world’s ways. They cause people who came to the realization that they need to repent from the world’s ways to once again follow the world’s ways through their compromised teachings.
2 Peter 2 continued…19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”
In this case, that would be greed.
20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
For those who are following a false gospel of Jesus, it was better for them when they did not know Jesus because now they have accepted a compromised version of him. They are no longer looking for Jesus, as they believe they have already found him, which unfortunately, is not true.
When they did not know Jesus, they still had a chance to be saved. But once they have accepted a compromised version of Jesus’ teachings, they have blasphemed his name. Furthermore, they cannot be saved, since they are no longer seeking him – they believe they have already found him.
This is an unpardonable sin that can never be forgiven. Which is why it is very important for anyone who is still learning the truth about Jesus, to be mindful. They must make sure that they are indeed learning the truth about Jesus and not a manipulated, self-pleasing, twisted, compromised version of his teachings. This type of person would have been better off before when they knew nothing about Jesus. Since at least then, they would still have an opportunity to discover the true teachings of Jesus.
Forsaking The American Dream
We must make sure that we do not let anyone teach us the world’s ways in a ‘repackaged’ version with Jesus’ name on it. The world’s ways and Jesus’ ways are opposite and have nothing in common.
Matthew 16:26 – What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
1 John 2:15 – Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 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. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Romans 12:2 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
John 16:33 – I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Titus 2:11-12 – For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.
James 4:4 – You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
1 John 5:4 – For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
1 John 3:1 – See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 John 5:5 – Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
James 1:27 – Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
2 Peter 1:4 – Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
John 15:18 – If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
1 John 4:4 – You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Removing The American Dream From Jesus’ Teachings
We must not allow the compromise of greed into our understanding of the teachings of Jesus. To twist Jesus’s teachings in order to allow greed (which is the world’s ways) into your faith, would be considered blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
In the following parable, Jesus gives an example of a man who is following the world’s principles and philosophies. The man’s idea to create a larger barn for his great harvest makes perfect sense from the world’s perspective.
However, Jesus is explaining, it is not as per the kingdom of heaven’s principles and characteristics. One cannot follow both the principles of the world and Jesus, since they are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum.
Luke 12:15-21 – Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
The people who follow the world’s ways and amass wealth are considered ‘fools’ by the standards of heaven. Ironically, according to the world’s standards, the people who give away their wealth are considered ‘fools’ (as the unbiblical saying goes, ‘a fool and his money are easily parted’).
The Righteous Do Not Live By The American Dream
The righteous who believe in the teachings of Jesus and have not compromised his words, will not trust in money. Instead, they will help those who are poor by giving away their money to assist them.
Psalm 37:25-26 – I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.
Psalm 119:36 – Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
Proverbs 21:26 – All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.
Collosians 3:5 – Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Ephesians 5:5 – For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Ephesians 5:3 – but among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
Ezekiel 33:31 – My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.
Jeremiah 6:13 – “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
Mark 4:19 – but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Luke 12:34 – For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
2 Timothy 3:2 – For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
1 Thessalonians 2:5 – You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.
Romans 1:29 – They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,
Mark 7:20-23 – He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
Ecclesiastes 5:10 – Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.
1 Corinthians 6:10 – nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Matthew 6:19-21 – Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Psalm 10:3 – For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses[a] and renounces the Lord.
It must be expected though, that when you speak against the American Dream which is the current world’s system, we will be: sarcastically mocked, jeered at, scoffed at, made fun of and derided. But we must know this was first done to Jesus. And so, take comfort that we are on the right path of speaking the truth.
New Living Translation – The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him.
English Standard Version – The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.
New King James Version – Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.
Contemporary English Version The Pharisees really loved money. So when they heard what Jesus said, they made fun of him.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English – But when the Pharisees heard all these things, they were mocking him because they loved money.
GOD’S WORD® Translation – The Pharisees, who love money, heard all this and were making sarcastic remarks about him.
Weymouth New Testament – To all this the Pharisees listened, bitterly jeering at Him; for they were lovers of money.
Our encouragement will always come from Jesus. His life and teachings show us how the righteous should live:
Matthew 6:31-33 – So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
God will provide for us if we put seeking and keeping the Holy Spirit, our first priority.
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