Last year I posted an article about Black Friday and how it is tied to coveting and being covetous. This year, I think it's important to make clear what exactly God has to say about our actions on this day of the year:
Thus says the Lord, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have." (Hebrews 13:5) To me, it doesn't get much plainer than that. Coveting and practicing covetousness is a sin. In fact, it is one of the 10 Commandments of God. Again, if you don't know what sin is, God says in His Word in I John 3:4 - "Sin is lawlessness." Sin is breaking and being disobedient to one or more of His commandments.
Thus says the Lord, "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (Covetousness!) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 5:5,6) These are very strong verses as God actually says that you cannot be a Christian and take part in covetous practices. In fact, God says those that do, have no inheritance in the kingdom of God (because he/she is an idolater)!
Thus says the Lord, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15) As a Christian, I'm not sure how you can be out shopping on this Black Friday and not see that it is all about "the things in the world"! If that is true, are you not WILLINGLY practicing disobedience to God and His Word? Please think about that.
Thus says the Lord, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." (Romans 12:2) I read that to mean we are to be different than the world, not joining them in their pagan practices, or even WANTING to take part with them.
As Christians, we are supposed to be a "new creation". We are called to be "law-keepers", not "law-breakers" when it comes to God's commands in His Word. This world needs us to be willing to STAND UP and BE DIFFERENT. We are to be LIGHT in this world of darkness. Light and Dark are not the same, but different! If you are choosing to be like the "darkness" around you, then you are only contributing to the darkness that is in this world.
Do you want to be different? Try obeying the one positive command in Hebrews 13:5 above:
"....be content with what you have." If every Christian would practice just that one commandment, just think of the changes that would come on this world.
