I TIMOTHY: "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil; command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God!"

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. (I Timothy 6:6-7)

Paul concluded this letter to Timothy by instructing him not to fall into the temptation of wanting worldly gain.  In the previous study, Paul stressed that the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. (I Timothy 5:17) Oftentimes leaders in a church start out with good intentions, but as their ministry grows and the giving to the ministry increases, they can become tempted to desire more money and more provision for their personal lifestyle choices, while not laboring in the word and doctrine more.

Paul warns that leaders within the church are not to fall into that temptation. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (I Timothy 6:8-10)

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. (I Timothy 6:17-19)

We have studied this in several lessons, that there is nothing wrong with being rich or having wealth; And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth,... (Deuteronomy 8:18)  The problem is it usually leads us to break the first commandment, “I am the Lord your God,... You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:2-3; Deuteronomy 5:6-7) That's the point Jesus tried to make to young rich ruler. Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16; Mark 10:17; Luke 18:18) 

So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.  But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 19:17-19; Mark 10:18-19; Luke 18:19-20) 

The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:20-22; Mark 10:20-22; Luke 18:21-23)  

The point Jesus was making to the young rich ruler was that his problem was not in obeying the last six commandments, summarized "...the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" (Mark 12:31; Matthew 22:39)  But his problem was with obeying the first four commandments, summarized, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘...the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment." (Mark 12:29-30; Matthew 22:37-38)

Jesus didn't necessarily want the rich young ruler to sell everything he had; but He did want him to come to the realization that, "The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein." (Psalm 24:1) We have to put God first in our lives, then He will bless us with what we need while we're still here, because everything here belongs to Him. "...what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it." (Deuteronomy 10:12-14)

But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. (I Timothy 6:11-16)

Paul reiterated to Timothy the way to avoid falling into the temptation of seeking worldly gain and taking our focus off of our eternal reward is to flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. We must decide that we are going to put God first, and then pray in the Spirit for strength to overcome all the various temptations. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26)

We have to accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, as our only Potentate, ruler, King of kings and Lord of lords. “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being,... (Acts 17:24-28)

"‘For we are also His offspring.’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:28-31)

God and God alone is to be first in our lives!  Christ Jesus, His Son, is to be our only Savior and Lord!  Then we are to share all that God blesses us with, from our money to our time, because all belong to the Lord your God.  For now, No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:18); because He alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.

But the Day is coming when Christ will return, and usher all of us who are Christians in the presence of God. “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." (Revelations 21:3) And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. (Revelations 22:3-5)

Until that Day comes, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21) O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—  by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen. (I Timothy 6:20-21)