"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."
1 Timothy 6:17-19
1 Timothy 6:17-19
“Who are the ‘rich in this age’” is the question we all need to ask after reading this passage. Paul warns Timothy of the problems that arise when a person exercises a passionate love for money with a desire to be rich (vv. 6-11). In fact, Paul commands Timothy to flee from this love of money. Nevertheless, Paul assumes in vv. 17-19 that there will be rich people in the church. The state of being rich is not sin, but it is the love of money, the insatiable desire to be rich, that is sin. This desire displaces Jesus Christ as our hope and security, and it is idolatry.
The rich may have acquired wealth in many different ways, but the problem is the same for all of them (or should I say “us”): Wealth has the potential to become our hope and our perception of what is real life.
Significantly, Paul never gives us a definition or a list of qualifications to point out who the rich people are. He does not tell us that the person who makes $X per year is the rich one. In fact, the definition of a rich person is so subjective from a human perspective that it changes from person to person and culture to culture. The point is that most of us could be considered rich. This is one reason Paul’s exhortation must be considered by all believers in the church. We all have the potential to be ‘rich,’ and we probably are. Therefore, we are all in danger at all times of setting our hope on uncertain riches and not on Jesus. We must carefully guard our minds from resting our hope on the wealth we have.
The problem Paul speaks of arises when a rich person turns his eyes away from the Giver of the wealth. The rich person must remain humble and realize that no matter how well he played the market or how disciplined his savings plan has been, that his riches have come from God.
Not only have these riches come from God, but God has ordained that the rich person is to delight in using that wealth for the work of God. Paul explains to Timothy that the rich must be actively pursuing good works with their riches.
Once again Paul uses terms that are defined by personal experience, culture, and degree of personal wealth. So, what does it mean to be ‘generous’ and ‘rich in good works?’ At the very least it means that we ‘rich’ people should be giving our riches away in ways that build a foundation for a future life that is real. The beauty of this command of God is that every believer is responsible to give account for himself, his own riches, and his generous sharing of those riches for the purpose of building something that will result in real life – that is, for the sake of the gospel and the edification of the people of God.
Therefore, our lives should be marked by Holy Spirit-dependence as we seek to put this type of living into practice. Are you finding your hope and security in Jesus and not the riches He has given? Are you doing this not only in word, but in how you live? Do your spending habits reflect a self-indulgent, self-dependent attitude, or do they reflect a heart that desires to give generously to others for the sake of the gospel and the Body of Christ?
To the Rich . . . Hope in God alone. . . Take hold of Real Life!
"Wise people know that all their money belongs to God and should be used to show that God and not money is their treasure, their comfort, their joy, and their security." - John Piper