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17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to 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. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. ~ 1 Timothy 6:17-19
The city of Ephesus where Timothy lived was a center of travel and commerce. Situated on the Aegean Sea, the city was one of the greatest seaports of the ancient world. Three major roads led from the Ephesian seaport. This made commerce explode in that day and it explains why Ephesus was so wealthy.
In today's text, the Apostle Paul reintroduces the subject of money which is a big deal in the Bible. We’re given more instruction in the Bible about money (about 2,000 verses) than almost anything else.
You will remember that back in 1 Timothy 6:5 Paul described the motive of false teachers: material gain. And then, in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, he underscored the possibility of the rich being more susceptible to falling into the temptations and traps that ultimately could lead one to destruction. And then he made this point: the love of money is the root of all evil. Hosea 13:6 sums up this tragic disparity: “Being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore, they forgot Me.”
The Bible does not condemn wealth nor does it teach that all wealth denotes the blessing of God. We must be careful not to equate material blessing with the blessing of God, because riches have a way of pushing us up in our own minds above those who have less. That’s just part of our fallen nature. We tend to look down on people who are lower on the economic ladder than we.
In v.17 we read, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to 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."
When Lucifer placed himself on par with God, he rebelled against Him. This was the first sin ever committed and pride inaugurated sin. Pride is the most difficult of sins because it makes us think we are better than others. If wealth makes us proud, then we do not understand the purpose of wealth. When we are given by God material wealth, we ought to increase in humility and seek for ways to use our wealth to glorify Him for this is its ultimate purpose.
The word enjoyment at the end of v.17 is one of the recurring themes in the Bible. In Ecclesiastes we are told “Enjoy the blessings of life now, because life will end one day.” It is not a sin to enjoy the abundance the Lord chooses to give us.
In v.18 we read, "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."
The real enjoyment that riches bring us is that we might be a blessing to others. God created us with two basic needs: to be loved and to love. This is what creates a sense of joy and gladness in the heart, to know that we are the object of His love and that we have been used by Him to bless others.
In v.19 we read, "In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
There are two things in this world that will survive: the Word of God and the souls of people. When we are used of God to bring these two together, we are laying up treasures in heaven. The Lord Jesus taught us to use our money to win friends so that when the money fails our friends will be there to greet us when we get to heaven.
The best investment strategy on earth is putting stock in heaven! In Matthew 6:19-21, the Lord Jesus affirmed this investment strategy when He said to store up treasure in heaven where nothing can destroy it. Godliness that overcomes the craving for material wealth produces great spiritual wealth.
Using money to help people now, makes it more possible that they may come to the Lord Jesus now. When we are used of God to bless others we will experience the excitement and adventure of the life that the Lord Jesus Christ came to give us. Nothing in this world, even prosperity, puts the paddles to the chest of our spirituality. It is when we are living in concert with God's for our lives will we truly be resuscitated by Him.
