The Point of Wealth from God’s Perspective

Scriptural Text: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

The Point of Wealth from God’s Perspective

WEALTH — an abundance of possessions or resources.

Hetty Green was possibly America’s greatest miser. She died in 1915, leaving an estate valued at over one million dollars, but always ate cold oatmeal because it cost too much to heat it. Her son had to suffer through a leg amputation unnecessarily because Hetty wasted so much time looking for a free clinic that he wasn’t examined early enough.

Hetty Green was wealthy, but she chose to live like a pauper. Eccentric? Yes. Crazy? Perhaps, but nobody could prove it. She was so foolish that she hastened her own death when she suffered a stroke by becoming too excited over a discussion about the value of drinking skimmed milk.

We laugh at the foolishness of this eccentric old woman, but the fact is that this is a tragic illustration of many Christians. We have limitless wealth at our disposal, and yet we often choose to live in spiritual poverty.

Michael P. Green, ed., Illustrations for Biblical Preaching: Over 1500 Sermon Illustrations Arranged by Topic and Indexed Exhaustively, Revised edition of: The expositor’s illustration file. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989).

“The whole point of wealth, from God’s perspective, is to further his covenant of redemptive love. How we use physical wealth is a fairly good barometer of how we spend our spiritual self as well." (Devotional, More Light on the Path)

Wealth is a major theme in the Wisdom Literature of the Bible (; ; ). The most important observation of these writings is that wealth comes from God (). The possession of wealth is not always the sign of God’s favor. “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” () became a familiar theme to the writers of the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, many warnings are given of the dangers of letting money and things possess a person’s heart. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of “treasures on earth” and “treasures in heaven” and called upon His followers to be careful of which treasure they chose (, ).

“Wealth” in Proverbs: Five Principles for Melanesian Believers

The five principles identified are: (1) God blesses all believers with spiritual wealth (, ; ); (2) God blesses all believers with varying abilities to gain material wealth (, ; ; );

(3) believers should focus on spiritual wealth and not material wealth (; ; , ); (4) believers should gain material wealth in a godly manner (, );

and (5) believers should spend material wealth in a godly manner (; ; ).

Hanson, Doug. ““Wealth” in Proverbs: Five Principles for Melanesian Believers.” Melanesian Journal of Theology 2007, Vol. 23 (1), pp: 81–88. ISSN: 0256–856X

In the New Testament, many warnings are given of the dangers of letting money and things possess a person’s heart.

Material wealth can be a source of both physical and spiritual danger, against which believers are clearly warned to be on their guard.

Riches are spiritually dangerous (; ; ; )

Love of riches a root of many evils

Love of riches a root of many evils

(ESV) — 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

(ESV) — 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

(ESV) — 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.

(ESV) — 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

(ESV) — 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

They may lead to divided loyalty (; ; )

Matthew 6:24 (ESV) — 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

(ESV) — 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

See also

(ESV) — 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”

(ESV) — 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

They may create false security (; ; ; )

1 Timothy 6:17 (ESV) — 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

(ESV) — 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

(ESV) — 24 “If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, 25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, 26 if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, 27 and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, 28 this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above.

(ESV) — 6 The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, 7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

(ESV) — 28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

(ESV) — 4 Why do you boast of your valleys, O faithless daughter, who trusted in her treasures, saying, ‘Who will come against me?’

They may make people proud (; ; ; )

; ; ; :8Ezekiel 28:5 (ESV) — 5 by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth—

Ezekiel 28:5 (ESV) — 5 by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth—

(ESV) — 5 by your great wisdom in your trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth—

(ESV) — 10 Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

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(ESV) — 10 Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

(ESV) — 11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.

(ESV) — 11 A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.

(ESV) — 8 Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”

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They may cause unbelief and anxiety (; )

Ecclesiastes 5:12 (ESV) — 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

(ESV) — 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

(ESV) — 6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

(ESV) — 6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

(ESV) — 6 In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

They may lead people to forget God (; ; ; ; )

Proverbs 30:8–9 (ESV) — 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

(ESV) — 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

See also ; ; ;

(ESV) — 10 And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,

(ESV) — 15 “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.

(ESV) — 25 And they captured fortified cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses full of all good things, cisterns already hewn, vineyards, olive orchards and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and became fat and delighted themselves in your great goodness. 26 “Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies.

(ESV) — 6 but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.