Two Sides of the Same Coin
Devotions for Growing Christians
Two Sides of the Same Coin
1 Timothy 6:6-10 - Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 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.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 - Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant or put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up for themselves a firm foundation for the coming age, gaining the life that is truly life.
Is it OK for a Christian to be rich? If you ask your fellow believers this question, you’re likely to get a variety of responses. And usually each response is directly related to whether or not the person responding is rich—or wants to be rich! Many (but not all) rich Christians tend to justify their wealth, and many (but not all) not-so-wealthy Christians tend to judge the rich. What is the Bible’s position on rich and would-be rich Christians?
1 Timothy 6 gives us a two-part answer: one part for Christians who want to be rich, and the other for those who are already rich. It’s like the answer is on two sides of the same coin. On one side of the coin, the message for the wanna-be-rich Christian is, “Don’t chase after me!” On the other side of the coin the message for the already-rich Christian is, “Don’t hoard me!”
Don’t try to get rich!
1 Timothy 6:6-10 deals with the first side of the coin. These verses are written for Christians who want to be rich. In spite of all evidence to the contrary, most people (even Christians) still think that riches - money and possessions - will bring them happiness and satisfaction. These people are not necessarily poor, but they’re not satisfied with what God has provided for them. They want more! And a person who believes that riches can bring happiness always wants just a little bit more.
We might all say, “Well, I’m not in that wanna-be-rich category!” If we’re thinking that,, let’s ask ourselves a few questions. How much time do I spend thinking, “How can I improve the value of my home?” Or, “How I can increase my investments?” Do I often think about ways I could make more money, or acquire more “things”? Is it hard for me to give money away? Am I satisfied with what the Lord has provided, or am I always wishing I had something bigger and better?
Christians who want to get rich are generally not aware of the dangers of their desire for money. They think they can handle more money, and they even justify their desire with the idea that they will “use it for the Lord”! They seem to feel that they’re the exceptions to our Lord’s emphatic statement: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will love the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Money!” (Matthew 6:24).
Notice that the Lord left no room for middle ground. Of course there may be degrees in our attitude towards money, but it’s hard to miss the Lord’s point here! Wanna-be rich people will definitely give money a higher priority in their lives, and the Lord and the Kingdom of God a lower priority. They may not admit it, and they may try to hide it, and they may even be deceived about it - but it’s true.
Would-be rich Christians might say, at this point, that they agree, and believe that they will not “serve” money, but will keep their desire for money as a very low priority. That sounds good, but there’s a problem here. As long as someone wants to be rich, the love of money will work its way up to the top of their priority list. It always happens! You can’t please God if you want to be rich.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 does not allow for any exceptions. This emphatic passage of Scripture indicates that we are to be content with what we have! And the Bible never asks us to do something that the Lord will not empower us to do. So as long as our basic needs for food and covering (clothing and shelter) are met, we can be and should be content (v8)! And as we consider what’s required to meet our basic needs, let’s remember that 1Timothy was written in the context of 1st century economics, not in the context of 21st century materialistic America. Contentment comes through adjustment to circumstances, not through accumulation!
1 Timothy 6:10 is one of the most frequently misquoted verses in the Bible. It does not say that “money is the root of all evil”! It says that “the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil.” Some of the evils that will befall those who love money and want to be rich are listed in verse 9: temptation, a trap, foolish and harmful desires, ruin and destruction! Not an attractive list!
And notice again that there are no “ifs” or “maybes” about this biblical list!
Christians who want to be rich will - not may - succumb to these pitfalls! You will be ensnared. You will be plunged into foolish and harmful (to yourself and others) desires that are beyond your control. The Greek word used here is also used in Luke 5:7 to describe an overloaded, sinking boat. You will face “ruin” and “destruction.” That describes irretrievable loss! So if you’re a would-be rich Christian, make no mistake about it, you will lose out eternally. You’ll make it into Heaven, but you will lose out on true joy and blessing in this life, and you will irretrievably lose out on reward in the life to come (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). You may even end up “wandering away from the faith” and “overwhelmed with grief” (v10). Don’t think this could never happen to you. In fact, maybe it already has!
The only deliverance for wanna-be-rich Christians is to eliminate the love of money and the desire to be rich from their lives. Easier said than done? Perhaps, but the biblical how-to guidelines are given in verse 11: Run for your life from the love of money, and run toward righteousness! We all need to heed this command, because the desire for money and possessions creeps so easily into our thoughts and lifestyle choices. “Running for your life” and “running towards” doesn’t happen automatically, and it doesn’t happen to passive Christians. God expects us to take action to eliminate the love of money. With God’s help this difficult task can be done - if we make definite and continual efforts.
1. “Run for your life” from placing too much value on possessions that will all be left behind (v7). Remember- “You can’t take it with you”! Possessions like houses, furniture, clothes, cars, electronic equipment - those things that seem so important now - will be valueless when we leave this earth.
2. “Run for your life” from materialism (v8). Be content when basic needs are met! This is very difficult in our consumer-driven society, where we’re constantly bombarded with enticing and sophisticated advertising. Every one of us probably needs to practice “running for our lives” from the temptation of purchasing a larger car or larger home than our family really needs. Every one of us needs to practice “running for our lives” from unnecessary purchases in the endless array of internet sites. We all need to distinguish more carefully between “what we want” and “what we really need.”
3. “Run for your life” away from spending a lot of time thinking up methods and schemes for making more money (v9). It’s easy to put a supposed “need” for more money ahead of time spent with family and church, and sometimes even ahead of biblical ethics.
4. “Run toward righteousness.” Meet regularly with godly Christians. Get involved in loving and caring for people rather than things (v11). Actively consider how to cut down on unnecessary expenditures so more time and resources can be channeled into serving the Lord and others. Get involved in worthwhile Christian activities where you can make a difference.
If you want to please God, run for your life from the desire to become rich! One more time! Don’t try to get rich!
Don’t Hoard!
As we turn the coin over and look at the message for rich Christians in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, we need to realize that a Christian’s ability to handle money wisely is a very important - even a critical - matter. In fact, the Lord said that a believer’s faithfulness in the area of handling money is a test of his or her ability to handle the truly valuable affairs of the Kingdom. “If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” (Luke 16:11). We’ve all been tested in how we use our money. Have you passed the test? The amount doesn’t matter. Your character can be determined by how you use (or waste) a single dollar!
The message to rich Christians is “Don’t hoard me!”
While it is a sin to want to get rich, it is not a sin to be rich. God may make a Christian rich in any number of ways. However, if God chooses to make you rich, it is a sin to hoard the money, using it only for yourself and not for the glory of God (v17-19). This Scripture doesn’t say it’s wrong to have savings or investments - but it’s wrong for believers to keep all their money for themselves.
When the question is raised as to where the line is drawn between “saving” and “hoarding,” let’s remember the kind of rich Christians Paul had in mind. They didn’t have the portfolios that many Christians have today - even in a relative way. By 1st century standards, almost all of us today would be very rich Christians! So let’s obey the commands of the Lord! Yes, we need to save for college education costs. And we should put away some money for the proverbial “rainy day” needs. But look around - it’s already a rainy day for many of our fellow-believers and for Christian ministries, both in other countries and here at home.
In 1 Timothy 6:17-19, several reasons are given for why wealthy Christians should heed the “Don’t hoard” message on the coin.
1. It’s easy to become arrogant when you have a lot of money and upscale possessions.
2. We’re more likely to trust in your bank account for your security, rather than trusting in God (v17).
3. Riches are “uncertain” (v17). “Money has wings” is not just a folk saying - it comes straight from the Bible! See Proverbs 23:5.
4. We tend to forget that the things that really bring joy in life are not bought with money - they’re given by God (v17).
How many of us have still not learned that lesson? Will we ever learn?
The good news of the “money talk” in 1 Timothy 6 is that you “can take it with you”! Not literally, of course, as verse 7 makes clear. We’ll leave this earth with the exact same amount of of money and number of possessions with which we arrived. None! However, we can take our money to Heaven if we exchange it for heavenly treasure by sharing it here on earth. When rich Christians stop hoarding their money and become generous, using it for good and godly purposes (v18), they store up treasure in Heaven (Matthew 6). And not just for the future - they’ll experience abundant life now (v19). That’s what “lay hold of life that is life indeed” means!
To be “generous and willing to share” doesn’t mean that rich Christians should give to every person or ministry that is looking for a handout. No! Indiscriminate giving can create an unhealthy dependency in needy people, and lead to selfish money-making schemes in ministries! Rich Christians need to use wisdom and discernment. Before giving, they should check out what the real needs are, and ask God where He would have them give.
If you are a rich Christian, remember that giving away a significant amount of your money is not an option - it’s a command. It’s just a matter of where and how the Lord wants you to give, and how much you want to take with you to Heaven! Remember that the Lord Jesus said, “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
When the Israelites left Egypt, they took a lot of Egypt’s gold with them. Unfortunately, some of that Egyptian gold was melted down and molded into a calf idol that ensnared God’s people. (What a lesson for us!) But some of the gold that came out of Egypt was freely given for the building of the Tabernacle! In the same way, we can take the “gold” that passes through our hands and invest it willingly in ways that will bring glory to God.
How wonderful that God makes it possible for us to use our money wisely for His glory! Money itself is neutral, but remember that there are two sides to every coin which passes through our hands. Let’s not selfishly fixate on making even more money, and let’s not hoard the money we have. If we want to please God, we’ll follow 1 Timothy 6 in the way we view and handle money.
- Dave Reid