1 Timothy 6:7-10 [You Cannot Serve God and Mammon]

[Things to Meditate On]

1. The passage above clearly teaches us what kind of heart we should have toward riches. According to the passage, what will happen if a person is not content with what he has now, but desires to become rich (verses 9-10)?

2. Since money is something we cannot do without as we live in this world, it seems that many people become confused between Jesus and riches. Because of this, their hearts may become more inclined toward riches than toward Jesus, and in the end, as they love money, they may depart from the faith and fall into destruction and perdition by themselves. Where do I stand now between Jesus and riches?

Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

3. We must keep in mind that the money, or riches, of this world can very easily bring us to ruin (verses 9-10). For example, even the rich young man who had kept all the Ten Commandments could not follow Jesus because of the great possessions he had, and in the end he failed to obtain treasure in heaven (Matthew 19:16-22). If the rich young man had possessed faith that regarded the treasure of heaven as more precious, he would gladly have forsaken what he had and followed Jesus. In the same way, if we also have faith that regards the treasure of heaven as more precious (Hebrews 11:24-26), we will not be greedy for things that perish, but will learn to be content if we have food and raiment at present (verse 8), and we will labor all the more for the everlasting food that does not perish (John 6:26-27).

John 6:26-27 “26Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”

[Decision and Application]

We must not become proud because we have much wealth, nor should we become discouraged because we lack wealth. No matter how much wealth we may possess, we must never become proud, because riches may exist for a time and then disappear in a single moment (Luke 12:16-21, Proverbs 23:4-5), and in the time of God’s judgment, all those riches will be of no help to us at all (Ezekiel 7:19).

Proverbs 23:4-5 “4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”

Ezekiel 7:19 “They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.”

Also, we must not become discouraged because we lack riches, because Jesus will supply all that each person needs (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:25-34). Therefore, the only richness we should seek is to be rich in faith (James 2:5), and regarding earthly riches, we should pray to Jesus in the name of Jesus so that we may have the following heart.

Proverbs 30:8-9 “8...give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 9Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

Matthew 6:9-11 “9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name... 11Give us this day our daily bread...”

Each person’s “necessary food” and “daily bread” are different. For this reason, the grace that Jesus has allowed for oneself may seem small, while what He has given to another person may seem great. However, the standard for how much each person needs does not lie with us, but is determined by Jesus (Matthew 25:15). Therefore, we should not compare what we have with what others have, but should learn to be content with what has been given to us at present. And in each situation given to us, we must seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.

Matthew 6:25-34 “25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Amen.