The Danger of Money 1 Timothy 6:6-19 New King James Version 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain[a] we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Money is a neutral commodity—it is inherently neither good nor evil. However, a strong yearning for wealth can cause great danger for our souls. God created mankind to love Him, but ever since the temptation in the garden of Eden, people have given their heart to lesser desires. Love of money not only robs God of His rightful place in our affections; it also steals contentment, leads to various temptations, and can cause us to wander from our Creator. The amount of money we possess is not the source of the problem. The root originates in the desires of the heart. We never seem to think we have enough, no matter what our financial situation is. The lure of wealth promises pleasures and security, but if we devote ourselves to the pursuit of affluence, we will find that it does not satisfy. Even worse, it will ultimately lead to ruin and grief. Mark 4:19 speaks of the “deceitfulness of riches.” Think back to a time when you purchased something you really wanted. Remember the delight you had in that item when it was new? What about now-—do you still feel the same joy, or has the pleasure decreased? The satisfaction of possession is fleeting and, therefore, requires the pursuit of more in an effort to regain the same feeling of gratification. Lasting pleasure and security are found only in God. He “richly supplies us with all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). But if we let His tangible benefits become our main desire, we’ll lose our contentment. Seek the Lord through His Word and prayer—as you learn to delight in Him, you’ll discover enduring satisfaction for your soul.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 14:13:33 +0000
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