What does the Bible teach about wealth?

202 The real mischief is in the riches of this world getting into the heart. Mark that most solemn word in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 11, "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." It is they that have a desire for riches, who fall into "many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." It is not the question as to whether riches are right or wrong in themselves, but as to riches being the object of the heart. If so, they keep Christ out. A man will then say, But suppose I do not set my heart upon them; but the Lord who knows our hearts better than we do ourselves, does not deal in this way: for He says, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"; and not as it is often quoted, "Where the heart is, there the treasure will be." It is quite true that, if the Lord give riches, He can give grace to use them; but even then they are a snare. The language of the "certain rich man" to his soul in this chapter is, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry"; but God says, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?" So is he that "layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God." Here come in the questions, "What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

203 "Therefore take heed, and beware of covetousness, which is idolatry." For, be it ever remembered, that while riches are a snare to the rich man, to be jealous of a rich man, because of his riches, is as bad or worse in the poor man; for it just shews that he would also have them if he could. It is not a question about riches. The Lord wants to get souls into heaven, and riches will not take them there; that can only be by being rich towards God. The whole question is about Christ; for if Christ has His place in our hearts, the things of this world cease to be temptations to us. The man that is rich towards God has no desire for other riches. But the man that layeth up treasure for himself is not rich towards God; because self is at the bottom. All this has to do with the world.

With the Jews the thought might easily have crept in that great wealth was in any case a proof of God's blessing and that striving after wealth was well pleasing in God's sight. God had promised to Israel wealth and prosperity; if He had even given them earthly promises most of all (Deut. 28:1-14). In this paragraph heaven, from whence comes the rain which is necessary for growth and life, is typically enough called 'His good treasure' (verse 12). And in this connection Moses plainly says that the promised prosperity would only be given to Israel by God if they were to keep His commandments.

'Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.' The warning of the Lord Jesus however-which was first of all directed to His disciples-does not refer to the wished-for blessing of God. It is referring to something totally different, that is to the greedy striving for wealth and earthly security. About this we read already in Proverbs 23:4-5: 'Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.'

Commenting on this man, the Lord said, “So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). From this word we can readily understand that the only riches that are of real worth are those “toward God.” Those who are rich in material things, and are not rich toward God, have received in this life the only consolation they will ever have (Luke 6:24); but those who are poor in this life, but are rich toward God, will have their consolation and portion in the life to come (Luke 16:19-31).

But how is it possible to lay up such treasures in heaven? In Matthew 19:21 the Lord Jesus says to the rich young man: 'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.' Similarly Paul is writing to Timothy: 'Charge them that are rich in this world, ... that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life' (1 Tim. 6:17-19). These scriptures contain a simple, unmistakable teaching. Everyone who wants to follow the Lord and does not consider his earthly possessions as 'treasure' but uses them according to God's will and to His honour in doing good with them is in this way gaining other and better treasures. He therefore does not become poorer but richer in the eyes of God!

In nothing perhaps are the children of God so commonly unfaithful as in the stewardship of money. Too much spent on luxuries, and too little dispersed abroad, and even that not always wisely. When shall we learn to neither spend nor give without seeking the guidance of God? In Luke 16: the Lord Jesus, after speaking of the unjust steward who so skilfully manipulated his circumstances for his own advantage, said: "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much." "Least?" Is that how men regard money? Note also our Lord's further words: "that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God!" In 1 Tim. 6 the Apostle has much to say about this serious matter. In verses 9-11 he warns saints who are not rich, but who aspire to be, that there are dangers ahead. Men in the world who pursue such a course frequently "drown themselves in destruction and perdition" and money-loving saints "pierce themselves through with many sorrows." In Verses 17-19 the Apostle charges those who are already rich not to "trust … in uncertain riches, but in God who gives us richly all things to enjoy," and to be ready "with open hand for every good work." There is nothing wrong in possessing wealth (mark the word "enjoy") if the wealth comes to us honourably; but when we consider that He to whom we owe our eternal all had not where to lay His head, and when we also remember that He is still "despised and rejected by men," to be holders of large sums of money puts us in a position of grave responsibility, in the discharge of which we need daily and hourly grace. Referring again to Luke 16 we can "make to ourselves friends by the mammon of unrighteousness," if our hearts so dispose us (ver. 9) or we may make enemies by the same means. Those who are generous and kind are beloved; but those who are selfish and haughty by reason of their wealth are disliked. Oh, that it may be said of us, as of Josiah's workmen "they dealt faithfully! "

Riches, too, and poverty, are alike at His disposal: "The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; He bringeth low, and lifteth up." He gives the one or the other as suits His purpose. The knowledge of this should keep the rich humble, and make the poor content. Beloved fellow-believer, let us, as Scripture admonishes us, "be content with such things as we have," for our God, who has revealed Himself to us in grace, has said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5).

The Lord warned against material riches in Matthew 13: 22 (cp. Mark 4: 19 and Luke 8: 14). "He also that received seed among the thorns, is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful." Compare also Luke 12: 21: "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." The same kind of attitude can easily be found among Christians, as it was with the Corinthians of whom Paul had to say, "Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you" (1 Cor. 4: 8). What a contrast with Paul himself: "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (2 Cor. 6: 10). And with the Macedonian believers of whom he testified: "How that, in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality" (2 Cor. 8: 2). This joy is the remedy for such a wrong Laodicean attitude. Such joy is found, of course, first of all in the Lord's own example: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. 8: 9).

If we are not to love money, we are to use it well if we possess it. Some have inherited riches, others, though not seeking it, have yet become rich. Here is a special charge for them: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.”

The rich have special dangers, and special responsibilities; and to these the Apostle calls attention. There is the danger of being like the rich men of the world, high-minded, and trusting in their riches, instead of having the lowly mind of Christ and trusting in Him. Of the rich the Lord said, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24); and the Christian who trusts in his riches will deprive himself of the enjoyment of the things of eternal life. Riches are uncertain, and it is better far to trust in Christ for what is eternal than to have the heart set on what we must leave behind or that may take wings at any time.

When the Lord was here He commended the wisdom of the unfaithful steward because he used what he had charge of in view of the future (Luke 16:1–12). So here, the Apostle exhorts the rich to use their money in view of the future by being rich in good works, and freely distributing and communicating as stewards in the service of God. This is how they are to enjoy themselves with their riches; not gratifying the flesh, but expressing the divine nature in meeting the needs of the poor, and using their substance in the service of the Lord. Such service for the Lord and His people will bring its own joy and gratify the divine nature.

Nothing can be more painful to a tender heart than the lack of kindly consideration for the poor, so often manifested by the rich. These latter can sit down to their sumptuous repast after dismissing from their door some poor industrious creature who had come seeking the just reward of his honest labour. They think not of the aching heart with which that man returns to his family, to tell them of the disappointment to himself and to them. Oh! it is terrible. It is most offensive to God, and to all who have drunk, in any measure, into His grace. If we would know what God thinks of such acting, we have only to hearken to the following accents of holy indignation: "Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cries: and the cries of them that have reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth." (James 5:4) "The Lord of Sabaoth" hears the cry of the aggrieved and disappointed labourer. His tender love tells itself forth in the institutions of His moral government; and even though the heart should not be melted by the grace of those institutions, the conduct should, at least, be governed by the righteousness thereof. God will not suffer the claims of the poor to be heartlessly tossed aside by those who are so hardened by the influence of wealth as to be insensible to the appeals of tenderness, and who are so far removed beyond the region of personal need as to be incapable of feeling for those whose lot it is to spend their days amid exhausting toil or pinching poverty. The poor are the special objects of God's care. Again and again He makes provision for them in the statutes of His moral administration; and it is particularly declared of Him who shall, ere long, assume, in manifested glory, the reins of government, that "He shall deliver the needy when he cries; the poor also, and him that has no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their souls from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight." (Psalm 72:12-14)

He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he who gives to the rich will surely come to poverty" (v. 16). In both cases, the root of the matter is personal greed, with the inevitable result of poverty, the opposite of what the person sought. If it is not poverty in this life, yet in eternity it will be abject, total poverty!