CHAPTER 9 FILTHY RICH OR RIGHTEOUS RICHES
I John 2:15 tells us two things: first of all, we are not to love (agape) the world or the things it has to offer. Secondly, if we do fall into that trap, then the agape (love) of God will not be in us. This would explain why we are told elsewhere in the New Testament that you cannot agape two masters; ie. "You cannot serve both God and money." (Matt.6:24) Paul gives us an example of this in II Tim.4:9 when he tells us that it was because Demas agaped the world that he abandoned the work of the Lord. And Peter gives us every indication that it was Balaam's agape of money that led to his downfall (II Pe.2:15).
Since we know that agape love is the level of love that we are to have first of all for God and then for our neighbors (Lk.10:27), I don't think that any of us would have any problem accepting the assertion that based upon the foregoing Scriptures, we must not agape money. However, at what point does our attitude towards money, and the things that it will buy, cause it to no longer be the "righteous riches" given by God to those who love Him (Prov.8:20-21), but instead becomes the "filthy lucre" spoken of in I Pe.2:5 (KJV)?
In an attempt to answer that question let us first take a look at II Tim.3:2 wherein we read in part: "... there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money (philarguros)... lovers of pleasure (phileedonos)..." (parenthesis added). By joining the terms "lovers of money" and "lovers of pleasure" with the term "terrible times in the last days," I believe we have a clear indication that not only is the agape of money a sin, but even the lessor form of love, known as philo, is an inappropriate attitude to have towards money.
Before we continue I would like to point out the derivation of the words philarguros and philoeedonos. The first is a compound word combining the word philo which, as we have seen before, means to "be a friend to (fond of), have an affection for (denoting personal attachment)" (see Strong's Concordance), with the word arguros which means "silver." Philoarguros then is a "fondness for silver." Philoeedonos combines the word philo with hedonee which means "sensual delight, lust" (Strong's Concordance), thereby giving us a word which means "fondness of sensual delights."
The concept introduced in II Tim.3:2; that even the philo of money is wrong, is confirmed in I Tim.6:10 wherein we read that "the love (philo) of money is a root of all kinds of evil." (parenthesis and emphasis added) Note, it is not the ONLY root of evil, but there can be no doubt that the philo of money is one of the MAIN roots of MANY types of evil. That is why Heb.13:5 warns us to keep our lives free from the philo of money. Since the philo of money opens a person up to many attacks of satan, it is also therefore obvious why we are told that among other qualifications, the early church leaders were to be free of this vice (I Tim.3:3 & I Pe.5:2). Keeping in mind then that we must not have even this type of feeling towards money, let's look at some of the earmarks of the philo of money.
After telling us that the philo of money is the source of much evil, I Tim.6:10 continues the discussion by saying that "some people EAGER (oregomai) for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (parenthesis and emphasis added. The word for 'eager' used there means "to reach out after - stretch oneself" in order to obtain (Strong's Concordance). It is this stretching out, ie. this extra exertion, that causes the problem. Remember, Paul is writing to believers in this verse, and he says that this stretching out after money, or this putting forth of an extra effort to obtain it, has caused some to wander from the path that God has marked out for them. And we know that when we wander out from under God's umbrella of protection we are liable to get zapped by satan. Notice also that this verse tells us that we bring these griefs upon ourselves. It is not God doing something to us, we do it ourselves.
I Tim.6:9 points out that these griefs can be much more than a trivial matter, for it says that the desire to become rich causes people to "fall into temptation, and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into RUIN and DESTRUCTION." (emphasis added) In other words, that piercing talked about in verse 10 can be a mortal wound. And don't think that the level of "richness" referred to is that of a "Howard Hughes" proportions. The Greek word translated "rich" is plutos, which simply means "to have an abundance of money", and you don't need to have money flowing out of your ears in order to have an abundance of it.
In order to find out how those who have this desire are destroyed, we need only turn to the parable of the sower as found in Lk.8:1-15. Verse 14 tells us "the seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear (the Word), but as they go on their way are CHOCKED by life's worries, RICHES (ploutos) and PLEASURES (heedonee) AND THEY DO NOT MATURE." (emphasis and parenthesis added). Instead of spending their time in the Word, praising God, and praying, they are "stretching out for money." As such, they do not mature in the Lord, and as we will see in Chapter 9 of The Last Enemy, such immaturity leads to death. Notice carefully that the Word in this parable does bring forth a plant, but the desires for riches and pleasures choke it, eventually killing it before it has had any chance to bud, blossom, and bring forth fruit (Mk.4:19).
The Word wants to be there, but it is chocked by the "deceitfulness of wealth" (Matt.13:22). I was not intending to make this lesson a word study in the Greek language, however, it is important that we not only understand the meaning of these words, but note carefully that the same ones are used in many of the verses we have studied thus far. In so doing we will see the interrelationships between them that God intended. The Greek word for 'deceitfulness' used in Matt.13:22 is apate. Another definition for apate is "delusion." From these twin definitions we can see that the deceitfulness of wealth is its delusion of security. That is why I Tim.6:17 gives such a stern warning to those who are rich by saying, "COMMAND those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant, and not to put their hope in wealth, WHICH IS UNCERTAIN, but to put their hope in God." (emphasis added)
As we saw in Chapter 8, there is nothing in and of itself wrong with money. The problem comes when we trust in money. Ja.5:1 admonishes the rich with these words, "Now listen you rich people, weep and wail because of the MISERY that is coming upon you... you HAVE HOARDED WEALTH IN THE LAST DAYS." (emphasis added) Think back for a moment to II Tim.3:2 and recall that God told us that there will be lovers (philo) of money in the last days. We now can see that, in addition to being a person who puts out an extra effort to get rich, an additional earmark of those who philo money is that they hoard it.
Being a good steward of that which God has given us definitely does not mean that we hoard it. As to how much of our income we should set aside in pensions, mutual funds, or retirement securities, I suggest that first you ask yourself this question, "In what am I putting my trust: money, the economic system behind it, or God?" Without attempting to tell anyone how to divide up their investments let me ask two questions. First, "Do you pray and ask God to show you which retirement program you should invest in, or do you rely totally upon the securities salesman?" Secondly, "Have you ever considered that perhaps the best `social security' system you could invest in is the Lord's work?"
As to those who might be tempted to hoard their wealth during the last day, I suggest that you take a look at Ez.7:9 if you aren't already convinced by what they saw in Ja.5:3,
"They will throw their silver into the street, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the Lord's wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it, FOR IT HAS MADE THEM STUMBLE INTO SIN." (emphasis added)
As we can clearly see from these verses, the problem with wealth is that people have a tendency to rely upon their money, and not God. To the Laodicians in Rev.3:17 Jesus says, "You say `I am rich! I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' BUT YOU DO NOT REALIZE that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked." (emphasis added). Apparently they were victims of the deceitfulness of wealth and began to trust in their own resources. Those who are wise know that it is the Most High God in whom we are to trust. (Ps.9:2&10 and 91:9-10). On the otherhand, Prov. 28:25 states that "He who trusts in himself is a fool."
The last verse of the parable of the rich fool shows us that the loss of one's soul awaits those who have an abundance of worldly goods but are not rich in the things of God (Lk.12:20). Deut.6:12 and 8:11 each admonish the Israelites not to stray from their commitments to the Lord. However, Deut.8:12-14 makes an interesting point when it says "Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks and your silver and gold increase, and all you have is multiplied, THEN YOUR HEART WILL BECOME PROUD AND YOU WILL FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD." (emphasis added)
We can see that many times in Judah's history, as long as she sought the Lord He prospered her (I Chron.14:7; 17:3-5 & 26:5). However, we also are shown that after she had lived in this abundance for a while she became less and less reliant upon God. God responded by allowing her enemies to attack and plunder her (II Chron.21:6-17; 24:20' 28:1,5&8). (Recall I Tim.6:10) Judah's reliance upon and her philo of money and the things which it buys can lead to arrogance, which as King Uzziah discovered, can lead to one's downfall (I Chron.26:16). In Ez.16:49 we find a prosperous and unfaithful Jerusalem likened unto Sodom and called "arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned..." (emphasis added)
According to I Sam.15:23 arrogance is likened unto idolatry, and as we have already seen, there is a relationship between philo of money / the self reliance it can breed and arrogance. However, money's relationship to idolatry is more direct than this. You don't have to have an abundance of money to be an idolator. Eph.5:5 says, "For of this you can be sure: no immoral, impure, or GREEDY PERSON-SUCH A PERSON IS AN IDOLATOR - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." (emphasis added).
Not only are we again shown this same thing in Col.3:5, but to this greed/idolatry relationship is added the information that the source of this greed is our "earthly nature." Both this earthly (worldly) nature and idolatry (which is itself likened unto adultery in Jer.3:9&20 and Ps.106: 36&39), are referred to in Ja.4:3-4 as follows: "When you ask, you don't receive, because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend on your pleasures (heedonee). You ADULTEROUS people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world (philo) becomes an enemy of God." (parenthesis and emphasis added) Note that the pleasures referred to are the same ones cautioned against in II Tim.3:2; namely, sensual delights (heedonee)
In short, the philo of money makes you a friend of the world, and as a friend of the world you become an enemy of God. Is it any wonder then that Eph.5:5 told us that greedy people do not have any inheritance in the kingdom of God? Remember, "Where you treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Lk.12:34). Scripture cautions us to take heed of what it is says, for no other warning will be given. Recall for a moment the conversation the rich man had with Abraham in Lk.16:27-31. Therein note that he was informed that no great sign was going to be given to his relatives to warn them to turn from their ways, which included "living in luxury every day." Their sole warning, as well as ours, is in the Word of God.
Since we know that to philo the world (let alone agape it) cause us to be friends with the world, which as we saw from the parable of the rich fool can be deadly (Lk.12:21). What then does God say is an acceptable attitude to have towards money? Jesus tells us in John 15:14 that "You are my friends IF you do what I command" (emphasis added). We know Abraham was God's friend because he combined his faith in the integrity of God's Word with actions (Ja.2:22-23). As we have seen before, Abraham was also a man of wealth (Gen.13:6)
We therefore know that the mere possession of wealth or money does not in and of itself prevent us from being Jesus' friend. In fact if you will review Chapter 8 you will see that it is actually God's desire for us to be prosperous. However, FIRST we are to seek His kingdom and His righteousness and then the prosperity will follow (Matt.6:33). We do not seek after money, or "stretch oneself" to obtain it and THEN seek God. Most importantly we do not seek to be " secure" financially so that THEN we can be about God's work. Do not forget, I Tim.6:17 told us that such thinking is part of the delusion of wealth. Prov.28:20 assures us that "a faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished."
Having said all this, I believe that the answer to our basic question is found in I Tim.6:17 wherein we are told that we are not to put our trust in wealth, but in the very God who "provides us with everything for our enjoyment." Notice two things about that verse. First of all, God is the one who does the providing -it does not come about because we oregoami after it. Secondly, God provides it for our enjoyment. It is the things of God which we are to enjoy, not the things derived from or by our sinful nature.
You can enjoy something without either agape(ing) it or philo(ing) it. If you have any doubts in your mind as to which is which, or exactly where you may be in regards to your attitude about money, let me make this suggestion. Keeping in mind that as Jesus' friends we have a duty to carry out His commands, do like Solomon did in I Ki.3:7&11 and II Chron.1:10 and cry out to God: "...I am only a child and do not know how to carry out my duties ... Give me wisdom and knowledge..."
When you do you will discover the truth of the Proverb which tells us, "How much better to get wisdom than gold, to chose understanding rather than silver!" (Prov.16:16). As for wisdom, you will also see that "She is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold; she is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her." (Prov.3:13-14). Solomon did this. He sought first to do God's will. In a very real sense he sought first God's kingdom and God's righteousness - and true to the promise later recorded in Matt.6:33, the riches of this world were added unto him.
God does want us to enjoy the things of this world. However, He wants us to have our priorities straight first so we do not stumble into sin as warned against in Ez.7:19. Remember, that is actually what happened to Judah every time her priorities got mixed up. However, when our priorities are straight, Prov.3:16 tells us that in wisdom's left hand are "riches and honor" that we may enjoy.