Is it just the love of money that is dangerous or are riches in themselves dangerous? Some people feel that there is a difference between having riches and having the love of money. They feel there is nothing wrong with having a lot of money so long as their hearts are not set on it.
But here’s a thought: one evidence that you have the love of money in your heart is that you have a lot of money. Why say it like this?
The issue of money and lifestyle is not a side issue in the Bible. Randy Alcorn in his book, The Treasure Principle, says that “fifteen percent of everything Jesus said relates to this topic—more than his teachings on heaven and hell combined.”
John Piper in his book, Don’t Waste Your Life, lists out sampling of Jesus’ teaching against having riches. Listen to this refrain:
- “You lack one thing: go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mark 10:21).
- “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.... But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation” (Luke 6:20, 24).
- “Any of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).
- “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25).
- “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).
- “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
- “Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags... in the heavens” (Luke 12:33).
- “Zacchaeus… said to the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor….’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house’” (Luke 19:8-9).
- “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44).
- “[Jesus] saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, ‘Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them’” (Luke 21:2-3).
- “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20-21).
- “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.... Follow me” (Luke 9:58-59).
Do you hear what Jesus is saying here? He didn’t tell the rich people that they have a problem with the love of money. To him, it was clear that they had a love of money because they had a lot of money! What is Jesus saying then? That money is evil? Let’s look at some words from Paul.
1 Timothy 6:6–19
6Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, 7for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10For 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.11But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17As 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. 18They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
In the first few verses, Paul talks about those who desire to be rich. But in verse 17, he changes gear. He says, “As for the rich in this present age….” Here, Paul is not talking about those who desire riches. He’s now talking about those who are rich. And his advice to them is not to set their hope on their money but on God. And he tells them to be rich not in cash, but in good works. He says in verse 18, “to be generous and ready to share”. Share how much? How about all of it! Isn’t that what Jesus tells the rich people who wanted to follow him? “Go, sell all you have and give to the poor… and come, follow me.”
Does this mean it’s wrong to earn a lot of money? No. There’s a difference between being able to earn a lot of money and keeping a lot of money. God has promised us all of the kingdom. We will never lack any good thing. Yes, we do need money for daily living. But beyond that, everything else should be given away! Let money flow through our hands. Be a stream of blessing. Do not be a dam, storing up money. The more you have, the more you will think about it (how to keep it safe, how to grow it, etc.) and God will no longer be your treasure. That is why Paul and Jesus are so adamant that we don’t hold on to money. We are to use it for the kingdom instead. Can you imagine how many more people we can heal, how many more homes we can build for the homeless, how many more starving mouths we can feed, and how many more missionaries and Bibles we can send if we let our money flow into the kingdom instead of into our dams.
