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Contrary to what some teach and believe, wealth isn’t evil. Scripture doesn’t tell us that money is the root of all evil, but that the love of money lies at the heart of all kinds of evil.
But wealth is deceitful. It can lure us away from following God and lead us into serving money. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus called out wealth as one of the large obstacles in the way of becoming fruitful spiritually. The rich young ruler proved this out, choosing to keep hold of his wealth rather than to give it up to follow Jesus. After encountering Jesus, Scripture tells us that “he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
Wealth deceives us into thinking that it provides security. Paul tells Timothy to warn the wealthy in the congregation at Ephesus not to trust in their wealth but to trust in God. The rich fool in Jesus’ parable trusted in his wealth to enable him to take life easy, but never got to enjoy what he had saved up for himself.
Material wealth does have a purpose – but it’s not strictly for our own enjoyment. Scripture tells us that much is expected from those who have been given much, and that includes wealth. God gives wealth for a reason, and those who faithfully steward that wealth fulfill God’s purposes for it and bring honor to him.
Host James Lenhoff helps us navigate the sometimes tricky waters of wealth with a balanced, Biblical approach. Learn God’s purposes for wealth and pass them on to your congregation!