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9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. ~ 1 Timothy 6:9-10
We return to the final chapter of Paul's first epistle to Timothy. The Apostle opened this letter with warnings about false teachers, and now, he closes with deeper explanations for how the false wrecks our lives if we are defined by it.
In v.9 we read, "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction."
Paul describes a person who has to have more and more material things in order to be happy and feel successful. But the riches of this world can be a trap, leading us into bondage away from freedom. Instead of giving satisfaction, the riches of this world create additional lusts which are never satisfied. The result is "ruin and destruction."
When we set our hearts on money, we expose ourselves to powerful temptations that have ruined many people. Money is a great servant but a terrible master. If we set our hearts on money, it will break our hearts. We will not keep what we gain. We will give into powerful temptations that lead us to those places that we can check in to but we can not check out of. In fact, we may wander from the faith.
The picture given here is of someone who gives his heart to the things of this world, and then can not resist its lure, and then we find ourselves being plunged into the greatest depths from which we may never recover.
When we resist bringing our desires down to the level of our possessions, we enter the process of arriving at that which God calls "great gain." This is why godliness with contentment is great gain. When we have less, we must learn the art of contentment. It is at this point that we will begin to discover that having less is really more.
No one gets to ruin and destruction in one large step. No, we get there through a series of little, small baby steps, not realizing what is happening to us until it is too late. No temptation appears as temptation. No one ever deliberately steps into a trap that they know in advance will destroy them. Temptation always carries with it bait that appeals to our natural desires. The bait not only attracts us, but it also hides the fact that yielding to it will eventually bring death and destruction. The bait is always that which keeps us from seeing the consequences of living beyond God's definitions of things.
In v.10 we read, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Experts tell us that the average person thinks about money fifty percent of the time. Now, having money is not wrong in itself. Money, in and of itself, is neither moral or immoral. It is what we do with it that determines whether it is moral or immoral. The key is that we seek His kingdom first, then everything else, including money, will be seen by us from His view point.
Our hearts will always be attached to that which we give them. The term "love of money" is one word in the Greek, and means affection for silver. The issue is our affection. The issue isn’t money, the issue is how we feel about money. And the sin here is the sin of greed. When we find ourselves spending more time thinking about how to get more money, we are probably guilty at loving money. This leads to trying to find ways to acquire more money. And, those who love money in order to get money will be tempted to take bribes, distort justice and take advantage of the poor to get it. This leads to lying, cheating, deceiving, stealing, robbing and abusing to get more money. Those who love money will never be satisfied and therefore they will commit every imaginable sin if they think it will gain them more money. The love of money is a mad exercise that pleases its appetite never.
Understanding the principles the Apostle Paul is giving here helps us to understand Judas Iscariot who chose thirty pieces of silver over the greatest person to ever walk the earth. And, this drove him suicidally mad.
In Psalm 17:15 we read, "As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness." This is the wise man's pursuit. And anything we possess is only to be used to advance His kingdom in this world. Money love is deadly love. It ignores the true gain; it focuses on the temporal; it obscures the simple joys of life; it leads to sinful entrapment; it succumbs to harmful lusts. To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is the way of the truly rich.
