Money, Money, Money (1 Timothy 3:3c)

There is a famous song with a chorus that goes: “Money, money, money, must be funny, in the rich man’s world.”

This is why money is funny and why it’s not always sunny. It’s funny because, no matter how much money you have, you’ll never have enough, and it is not always sunny because money never satisfies your desire. It’s not money’s fault; it’s your heart that is at fault.

Jesus talked about money more than any other temptation. So, we need to examine why we should not be lovers of money.

Explanation

It is wise to be cautious with money and responsible with what God has given you. It is good to understand that God uses money in his kingdom for good things.

The danger is not the things money gives value to or the money itself, but that you find fulfilment in money itself. Instead of money giving value to an item, you believe that money gives value to you. The idea that the more money I have, the happier I’ll be or the better people will think of me. The danger is that this wrong heart’s desire pulls you away from God. The evil heart of humanity twists the understanding of money.

We see the danger in the parable of the Sower that Jesus identifies as the danger of this desire. He says the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and desires as a process of choking the life out of the gospel in someone’s life (Mark 4:19).

Jesus even puts it in a simple way of saying that we should not lay up treasures for ourselves on earth, but in heaven (Matthew 6:19–20).

1 Timothy 6 is so helpful here. In vv. 4–5, Paul shows us that unhealthy cravings do not lead to gain, no matter what people say. He says true gain comes from godliness with contentment (v. 6). This is a great gain; the gain that godliness brings is not financial, since such profit is short-lived and cannot be taken along when we leave this world at the time of death (v. 7). Paul is basically saying that we need to strive for godliness and find our contentment in God alone, and that is true riches.

Paul sets the bar so low in v. 8 when he says, “If you love anything more than food and clothing, there is no gain.” He builds on this thought in v. 9: “If you desire to be rich and you want more and more, you will fall into temptation and into a snare, meaning it won’t let go of you, it’s this desire, this lust for more, and more. This love will send you into senselessness and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” Paul concludes: “For this love, this desire for money is the root of all kinds of evil; in this craving will make you wander away from the faith. This desire means chasing after worthless things that give no gain.”

Think of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16–30; Mark 10:17–31; Luke 18:18–30). He asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life, but after being challenged by Jesus’ command to sell all his possessions and give to the poor, he leaves sadly because he is unwilling to say goodbye to wealth. In the process, he loses true riches in eternal life. Basically, by not selling his earthly possessions, he sold his soul to eternal death.

Paul’s point to the church in 1 Timothy 6 is this: Be rich in God, which means handling money in such a way that we show God, not money, to be our greatest value. We can clearly see that the love of money comes from a lack of faith in God’s provision.

The world constantly bombards us with the lie that true life is about having more possessions, luxuries, and greater spending power.

If you’re not content with only food and clothing, you have some love of money. That’s a huge danger. But we can be thankful that we are free from the bondage of the love of money, because someone loved us first and set us free from this false love.

Gospel Connection

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 8:9: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Consider this for a moment. Jesus became poor for us. He put aside his clothing, food, and the love of the Father on the cross, for us. How can we then insist on having more stuff and putting value on things instead of in him? Christ left all his riches to become poor so that we can have the riches of eternal life. It is because of his poverty that we can be the richest people who have ever lived. We inherit the biggest treasure, true life and freedom in Christ. That truth is what will prevent us from the love of money, the things of money, and fake living. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” He didn’t have a chest full of treasure in heaven. He sees being in the presence of God the Father as the ultimate treasure.

Let me ask you this question. If God removed everything but food, clothing and his love from you, would you still be happy to live?

This should help us see money for what it really is. However much God gives us, much or little. We must remind ourselves that it’s a gift from God to sustain our lives so that we can glorify him.

But if we are free from loving money, why do we still love money?

Application