Commentary: Wealth and the power of the gospel (part II)

In the first of three letters Paul writes on pastoral ministry, he addresses the lowest and the highest of the Roman social strata — slaves (1 Tim 6:1-2) as well as “those who are rich” (1 Tim 6:17-19). 

That’s right, some of the Christians to whom the apostle writes were rich in terms of this world’s goods. How could this be? Surely there is something wrong here. Does God love the up-and-coming as well as sufferers and the exploited? How can a person be prosperous while at the same time claim Jesus as Lord and savior?

Earthlings naturally make judgments in terms of temporal prosperity, but God judges the heart. The redeemed have been represented by members of every socioeconomic position. When anyone evaluates the need of his eternal soul and responds in repentance toward God and faith in his son who died for all, that person is born again. 

Timothy was to instruct upper-crust members of the enriched Ephesian society, some of which also submitted to their accountability before God, who had delivered them from their sins. Their transformed lives were a testimony to the power of God in the gospel of his son, Jesus Christ (Rom 1:16-17).

Some of these “rich” had been converted from paganism (Acts 19:18-20). Magicians, upon their conversion from cultic arts and the worship of demons to faith in the true God, burned their books — the price of which “totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver”; that’s 50,000 days worth of wages for an average worker! Take your daily work wage and multiply it 50,000 times. That will give a ballpark figure of what these magicians “gave up” for their newly found faith in Jesus Christ. 

Secondly, they were wealthy in terms of silver and gold (Acts 20:33). When Paul spoke to the elders of the Ephesian churches, he said, “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes.” They were Christians (Eph 6:9), some members of the Ephesian church owning slaves and exhorted to treat them with respect, remembering that they also had a master who was in heaven. Like the rich of any society, the Christians in Ephesus could also flaunt their wealth (1 Tim 2:9). Some of the church-going women could don gold, pearls, and costly garments — so much so that they were to be reprimanded for this distraction. 

Finally, false teachers were driven by “the love of money” (1 Tim 6:9). Lust for more and discontent with God’s provision are marks of false teachers. Some of them may not have been as wealthy as others, but they were sternly warned against “the root of all sorts of evil.” The allurement of wealth was so prevalent in that community that elders and deacons were not to be lovers of money (1 Tim 3:3, 8).

Mark it, the exhortation to the rich in these verses demonstrates that rich Christians are equal members of the church and loved, just as others of different social classes — be they poor or middle class. Societal labels have no bearing on the church of God. Many rich believers appear in good standing throughout the word of God, such as Job (Job 1:3), Abraham (Gen 24:35), Isaac (Gen 26:12-13), Jacob (Gen 30:43), Joseph (Gen 41:40), Boaz (Ruth 2:1), David and Solomon (2 Sam 12:8; 1 Kings 3:13; Eccl 1), Joseph of Arimathea (Is 53:9; Matt 27:57), some members of the early church (Acts 2:45; 4:32) and Philemon (Phlm 1:1-2). 

Wealthy Christians are often admonished to trust in God rather than their uncertain riches, while at the same time are taught to use their resources for the glory of God and the good of their fellow man (2 Cor 8:14; Gal 6:6-10).

Let us never assume that simply because a person is wealthy, he is, by that, a non-spiritual person. Nor should we necessarily think that if another has taken a vow of poverty, he is free from the love of money. Do not judge a person’s spiritual condition based on their material possessions. Rather, ask, “In your opinion, who is Jesus Christ?” Their answer to that question will give you a clue as to whom they are really trusting. 

In whom or what are you trusting? Christ alone is faithful!

Scriptures to Memorize: Hebrews 13:5-6

Pastor Chandler serves Victor Valley Bible Church, 16439 Hughes Road, Victorville. Services are held Sundays at 10:15 a.m. and live-streamed on Facebook. He also broadcasts a weekly devotional, “The Bible on Our Day.” For more information, visit VictorValleyBibleChurch.org or email the pastor at bibletrom@gmail.com.