The love of Money...the Wayfarer 7/9/13

The Love of Money

7/9/13

“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.”

(1Timothy 6:10)

For today’s message we go to the last chapter of Paul’s first epistle to Timothy. This entire book is rich in guidance for young and old Christians alike. The letter itself is intended to develop young Timothy, a minister who is being exposed to the same problems faced by our young people today.

One of the greatest of these problems is caused by the greed that consumes our society, just as it did in the days this epistle was written.

When I first established this site, someone very near to me, another preacher, looked over what I had done with it. I showed him the many options available to be used and explained that there were many more options available for use at a greater cost. His reply broke my heart. 

He stated that as the ministry grew, we would be able to increase our options. The thread of thought that hurt me was not that we could later enhance the site, however. He asked in no uncertain wording, if I knew how much money I could pull in just from donations to the site.

My response was then and is now: yes I know beyond doubt how much I can pull in, not one red cent!

 I do not now, nor have I ever preached the gospel for money.

 I preach the gospel for the love of my Savior in hopes of sharing that love with others.  I consider it my gift, and duty to do so, and will not sully that gift by accepting funds to preach what someone wants to hear. 

I choose instead to preach what is needed, and at times this includes of a necessity things that are not convenient to the lifestyles and or teachings of others.

 Paul wrote this epistle to remind this young preacher where his duty lay. I choose to believe that what we teach and preach must be guided by the same precepts laid out within this book, but more importantly by Jesus Himself!

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

(Matthew 19:23&24)

I will go back to the scripture in Timothy shortly, but first I call to the reader’s attention that the teachings of our Lord take precedence over the teachings of men, today as then and always!

 The brief passage from Matthew was spoken after a young man asked Jesus what more he needed to do to inherit eternal life in addition to following the law. Jesus told him to abandon his wealth and follow him. The young man went away very sad, because his riches were so important to him.

There are great riches to be desired! They do not involve money however. Faith! Hope! Charity!! The love given us by our Savior himself. We need to seek the wealth that Jesus taught us to seek! Now back to the first verse of this passage in Timothy:

“Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing master, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit, These things teach and exhort”

(1 Timothy 6:1&2)

Today, in our society, we no longer have slaves and masters in the same sense as those of the time this was written. We do, however, have distinct separations of those who work and those who provide that work, and thereby the very sustenance of the worker. We are obligated to honor those for whom we CHOOSE to work. 

Greed should never enter into the equation. The way to prosperity is not to take it away from others, but to build your own through hard work.

Just as there were believing masters and infidels during this time Paul writes to Timothy, we have the same mixture in our own society. The evidence is in the actions of those who have been more blessed than others and how they choose to treat their employees.

 Often I see kindness given by many of these being returned with the greed and malice of those to whom it has been given. 

Paul goes on to say:

“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.:

(1 Timothy 6:3-5)

I find our daily news full of railings and surmisings of the class warfare being taught in place of the need of hard work, and more importantly the need to commit and honor that commitment to benefit not only yourself, but also the employer, who, after all gave you the job in the first place.

 Everything from the Occupy movements that insist on a redistribution of the EARNINGS of others, to the denial of an employer the right to hire those who CHOOSE not to bankrupt them with union demands.

Envy, That is what is defined as wanting something that belongs to someone else.

Do we even teach our children the Ten Commandments anymore? What happened to thou shalt not covet?

Strife, rioting in the streets, shutting down legitimate commerce and disrupting the little progress made toward increasing our ability to provide for ourselves. 

Railings Protests just to protest. Impossible demands made to give that which needs to be earned. Paul continues:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 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.”

(1 Timothy 6:6-10)

Godliness with contentment! Christ continually taught us to be content with the blessings given us, and to share those blessings, not to demand that others share all they own with us!

 We come into this world naked, without prejudice, without sin. We leave this world with the knowledge gained over the years, that really amounts to little, we take no possessions with us. We do take with us only the lives we have led.

We leave behind us either the kindness and love shown as demanded by our Master, or the amassed list of our sins and greed.

 We face the Judgment of God with either the forgiveness of our intercessor or the guilt of whom we were during our time on this planet. 

The pursuance of wealth unjustly taken does indeed lead to destruction and perdition. Coveting the things that are not yours will continually pierce you through with many sorrows.

 The 11^th verse picks back up with:

“But thou O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art called, and hast professed  a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession: That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed on only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth  us richly in 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 on eternal life, O Timothy, keep that which is commited to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babbblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee, Amen.”

Not only should a man of God, but all who would be Christians flee the greed and covetousness that Paul warned Timothy about. 

We should all strive to attain the vast riches described in that 11^th verse. We need to pray daily to attain just a little more righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience not only with each other, but with all around us, and meekness because we are only servants of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords
.

 We should not demand that others give us their blessings, but we should encourage them to partake of our own richness toward eternal life. 

 We need to keep, without spot the commandment given us by Jesus to love one another. If we keep that one commandment, all the others fall into place and are easy to keep!

I close with the same salutation of a sinner saved by the grace of God’s love through Christ Jesus, still a lowly soldier in His service.

2 Timothy 1:12
 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer