1 Timothy 6:3-10 says,
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicious and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
I haven't been writing anything Christian based for the past four months. What I have been doing is taking seven college classes and working a job to pay for stuff. I put some services for the church on hold, and even stopped attending church for a month. I pursued two things in the past four months, money and knowledge. I wanted A's in my classes and paychecks to buy stuff with. I pursued them both while reading the Bible everyday with a blank look on my face and saying, "I read today. I'm a Christian. I'm good." Wrong. I wasn't listening to God. That became evident yesterday when I was unwilling to help a stranger for a couple of minutes. I was disappointed in myself. I asked God why I was so unwilling to help him. God gave me my answer. For the past four months I wasn't pursuing God. I was pursuing my A's and paychecks. I was living by the parts of Scripture that got me what I wanted. As I gained knowledge in my classes and earned my paychecks my pride grew and I thought more of my actions. My belief that Grace could be earned grew. As I gained more I wanted more. I wanted to waste more money and time. I wanted more knowledge of music from my classes to show off to others. In the end, I wanted a richer future for myself each day. I was the definition of lukewarm.
Everyone can fall into this temptation, for I have learned that no one is above any temptation. How can someone fall into this lukewarm living? Just the way I did. Take the credit. I did the homework and got the A's. It's not like God was the One who opened my mind to take in the knowledge. He didn't allow me to understand it and spit it back out on my papers and instruments. And of course it wasn't God who gave me the strength and ability to do my job well. Right? Again, wrong. I took the credit for what God was doing. I became conceited. When we become conceited we focus on ourselves and the world. There is no room for God in our narrow view. Over time, as we focus on ourselves and the world, we lose the understanding that God and His Love are the reasons for all life. The ultimate result is that we understand nothing. I am thankful to God for clearing the pride to show me that this is who I was becoming. Eventually I would have been another person bent on using Christianity for my own gain. I would've been absorbed by my worldly desires and my pursuit for money.
The reason I went to college was to get myself a better job so I could make more money. There is nothing wrong if this is the path God has set for you and you're following Him to where it takes you. But to go down this path for the money itself is going to lead to more and more sins. Wanting to get rich leads us to temptations, traps, and foolish and harmful desires that will plunge us into ruin and destruction. It's clear in this passage that the pursuit of riches in this world will only result in a sinful and painful life. There is emptiness in selfishly gaining money. And it all leads to the love of money.
The love of money is our willingness to do anything for money. We are willing to give up our stuff, our lives, our friends and family, our bodies, and God. I realize now that the previous list of what we give up should actually start with God. I didn't change it because I thought it better to point out the fact that in order to start pursuing anything of this world, we first have to stop pursuing God. The love and pursuit of money is the want of the money and all the worldliness it brings. But the Love and pursuit of God is the want to be like Jesus Christ, and to be with Him.
Paul writes that godliness, the pursuit of being like Christ, and contentment are great gain. In contrast, the love of money and pursuit of riches and worldly gain leads to ruin and destruction. Contentment, the desire for what one already has, it what brings gain. So the trick to this is to be content with all the stuff we already have. So what do we have? I would say whatever we brought into the world and whatever we can take out of it. See what Paul did there? The stuff we have in this world is not ours. We own none of it. So what do we have? We have what God our creator gave us: Himself. We have God for now and forevermore. When we focus on the value of owning the Grace and Love of our Mighty God, the things of this world become just what King Solomon called them in Ecclesiastes, Meaningless! (Ecclesiastes 1). All that is left is God and our desire to be like Him and to be with Him. Paul felt content with God alone. He was able to say with confidence that if we have food and clothes we can be content with that. That is not counting any money, a job, or even a roof over our heads. All we need is God.
Now this doesn't mean to throw everything out and become a wandering homeless person preaching the Gospel. Unless that's what you're called to be by God, then bless you. The answer is what we are called to do and what we are supposed to use for God's glory. To pursue the things of this world is sinful. To use the stuff God has lent to you in your pursuit of Him is service. We are all called to serve our God with the gifts He has given us by His grace (Romans 12:3-8). This is our spiritual act of service and worship.
The pursuit of riches and the love of money will only destroy us. Being content with having God and pursuing godliness will lead to life. Remembering that we can't bring anything into the world or take anything out of it is key in knowing what we have. We own nothing in this world, but God is not of this world. So if we focus on what is unseen, God Almighty, then we can easily turn away from what is seen, which is temporary (2 Corinthians 4:18). Always ask at the beginning and ending of each day, "What do I have? What am I pursuing? What do I Love?" IF the answer isn't Jesus Christ, ask Him why. He gives the best answers.
Thank You For Reading
Long Live Jesus Christ
Amen
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