Seek the true riches in Jesus Christ

(1 Timothy 6:17-19 – Seek the true riches in Jesus Christ)

There is an evil in this world that is based upon greed. Everyone is seeking wealth and riches because they believe it will give them security.

Even worse, this attitude and philosophy of wealth and prosperity has entered the church. It has brought this same greed into the church, twisting it to suggest that your financial wealth is somehow a measure of your faith.

Instead we are told in this scripture today that we ought to instead seek the true riches in Christ Jesus. And these true riches have nothing to do with financial wealth or physical prosperity.

What does this scripture say?

These are the words of the verses I am reviewing today, and it is clear they tell us to seek the true riches in Jesus Christ.

17 As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous, 19 thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Paul writes telling the rich of this world, and more specifically those who are seeking Christ, not to be haughty. To be haughty is to be proud and arrogant. It suggests that you are better than someone else. And according to this verse, these people consider themselves better than others because they have wealth.

But financial wealth is uncertain. You may have it one day and it is gone the next.

The world is rife with “rags to riches” stories, but there are as many if not more “riches to rags” stories as well. Those who acquired great wealth only to lose the lot in bad investments or poor management.

Wealth is uncertain

A story I often use regarding the uncertainty of physical riches is what happened in Germany in the post World War 1 period.

After the war, the economy was unbelievably unstable. The value of the German currency had devalued enormously and inflation was running at hundreds of percent per day!

It was said that you needed to take a wheelbarrow full of money just to buy a loaf of bread. And the person who could run the fastest got the best price because inflation was increasing costs so rapidly.

Similar problems today

This is just one clear example of the uncertainty of riches.

How foolish is it to set your hopes on something that can be here today and gone tomorrow? And this is not just an issue contained to post war problems.

The world economies have been smashed in the past two years in the backlash of COVID. The world governments have been pouring money into local economies to prop them up during the ravages of COVID. Money was being thrown around to support people who couldn’t work for fear of spreading COVID, especially in the early stages of the pandemic.

But such actions are not sustainable. Eventually you have to “pay the piper.” And we are now beginning to see the impacts of such wild profligacy by governments with increased inflationary pressures on the price of day to day goods. Things like, the price of fuel has recently increased by 30% to 40%. Fruit, vegetables, and meat prices have in some cases doubled in price. And here in Australia we have seen the first interest rate rise by the Federal Reserve Bank in twelve years. Economists are predicting that it is expected to triple in the next twelve months, with devastating effects on those with home mortgages.

For those who are on pensions or lower income earners, this is terrible news. Incomes have not increased in line with these cost of living rises, and people are going to suffer.

Seek the true riches in Jesus Christ

With such volatility and instability, where will people find relief?

There is only one way to find relief and stability in these times. It is to seek the true riches in Jesus Christ.

When we seek the true riches in Jesus Christ we find His way. And His way leads us to salvation where there is true security.

The true riches are found in following the advice of this scripture today. We are told to be rich in good deeds, not in the profits and gains of the worlds finances. We are instructed to be liberal, generous, and to do good.

And when we look elsewhere in the Bible we find that the fruit of these good deeds and right living brings us true riches.

When we seek the true riches in Jesus Christ we find things like: salvation, love, joy, peace, compassion, kindness, gentleness, the Holy Spirit, and so much more. These are the eternal things.

But money, wealth, and the prosperity of this world are temporal. They are of the earth and have no lasting value or ability to save. These things do not lead to life but more often will lead people astray and take them down wrong paths. They will lead to greed, licentiousness, and all manner of evil, as the scripture says:

For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:10)

The root of all evils can be found in the love of money. And it is by seeking physical wealth that many Christians have fallen into wrong thinking and destruction.

Prosperity gospel does not seek the true riches in Jesus Christ

One of the worst doctrines in the modern church is the prosperity gospel. It tells people that their faith is measured by their bank balance. They say that if you are not increasing your financial resources, then you are not growing spiritually.

It is an evil and false doctrine designed to lead people to greed and want. It places more emphasis on the things of the world than the things of God.

We must recognise that money is not a gift from God. Money was the invention of man to facilitate trade. Money is owned and created by the various governments of the world. Jesus showed this when speaking to the Pharisees.

22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “Show me a coin. Whose likeness and inscription has it?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Luke 20:22-25)

Jesus showed that money belonged to the government of the day, in that time it was the Caesars of Rome. Today it is no different. Each country has it’s own mint to create and generate money for that country, and they trade currencies on the world currency exchange.

Money is of the devil

Money is not of God. In fact it is the devil who controls the wealth of this world, as we see from when Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days and nights.

5 And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” (Luke 4:5-8)

All of the authority and glory of the kingdoms of this world, which includes the monetary systems developed by those in power, is under the control of the devil. As the scripture here in verse 6 says, it has been delivered to Satan and he said, “I give it to whom I will.”

Seek the true riches in Jesus Christ and do not follow the temptations of the prosperity gospel.

Money is not a measure of faith. It is not going to lead you to salvation and it will not endear you to God. In fact money and the prosperity gospel are more likely to lead you away from the Lord and into the greedy desires of this world.

Avoid it and avoid those who preach prosperity gospel. Instead, seek the true riches in Jesus Christ for they will lead you to eternity.

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