Believe it or not, the Bible never condemns anyone for being wealthy. In fact, in the Old Testament, many people perceived wealth as a sign of God’s blessings. Jesus doesn’t condemn the wealthy either, in fact he was supported by the wealth as was Paul, and he even encouraged his disciples, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9). His intention, use money for good purposes. Redeem the use of money.
Nevertheless, the Bible is not without its warnings concerning money. Paul famously wrote that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven (Matthew 19:14) and warned that we cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). But, again, even with all of its warnings, the Bible doesn’t condemn wealth.
What then does the Bible condemn? In a word, materialism. The issue of money has to do primarily with the first of the ten commandments. “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). The question we must wrestle with is whether our money controls us or we control it for the glory of God. Is money the ends to our means, or a means to an end. Is it a tool in our arsenal for serving the Lord or is it a safety net for our lives?
I’m preaching on the Rich Fool in Luke 12:13-21 this Sunday. His great sin was not that he was wealthy or that the land produced greatly for him. Instead, his great sin was that he saw his wealth, not as an opportunity to love God and others, but as an opportunity to serve himself. The blessings of God did not drive him to serve God, but instead to grow more selfish.
Materialism is a terrible evil, and one that we as Americans must battle. But it is not only a wealthy American concern. We can trust in things more than Jesus whether we have a lot or a little. Do you serve him, do you treasure him, or are you controlled by your possessions. Its an irony that the things we have often possess us more than we possess them, and it is a sad situation when we consider our own wants and desires long before we consider bringing glory to our God and alleviating the suffering of our neighbors. Money is not evil, it is amoral, but it can become a god. Seek him first, honor him with your life and your possessions.
A great resource on this issue: Randy Alcorn, Money, Possessions, and Eternity.
