Mentoring Men for the Master

MONEY: CURSE OR BLESSING!

MONEY:  CURSE OR BLESSING!

MONEY IS LIFE’S GREATEST CURSE, but also MONEY IS LIFE’S GREATEST BLESSING.  We will examine what God’s Word says about the CURSE today, and we will consider what God’s Word says about the BLESSING next Friday and Saturday.

What Is Money?  The world answers:  “Money is the universal passport to human happiness.”  Money is indeed the passport to great Blessings if used righteously, but also the greatest curse if attained unwisely and used to pamper our selfish desires with no thought of glorifying God or helping human kind.

No where in the Bible does God condemn Money or wealth as such.  He allowed the greatest men in the Bible to be rich:  Job, Abraham, David, Solomon.  Why?  Because God owns all the wealth – we own nothing – and bestows upon mere humans all the riches they enjoy.  Haggai 2:8; Deut. 8:18.

God describes the “TORMENTS” present and eternally, of the miss-users of God’s money (wealth) in the harshest, soul-searing language in the oldest book of the New Testament – James 5:1-6.  In these awesome words, He summons the rich to Weep and Howl because of the miseries which they are about to experience (verse 1).  THEN He issues 4 Cardinal Commands:

  1. Do Not Hoard Money.  Verse 2 – “Your hoard of clothes, gold and silver will be the evidence of your wicked hoarding.”  Jesus expressly forbids the hoarding of wealth.  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth…” (Matthew 6:19).  Who hoards today?  All persons seeking to get more and more money (stuff) so they can spend more and more on themselves.  How much money does it take to satisfy?  “Just a little bit more.” (Rockefeller).
  2. Do Not Steal Money.  Verse 4 – “You failed to pay proper wages to laborers in the field.”  That’s plain stealing.  Stealing can be subtle.  In reality over 90% of Americans are thieves.  Famous pastor:  “You came to church today wearing stolen clothes, driving stolen cars, and eating stolen food for lunch.”  “Why?  Because you used your tithes for yourselves rather than give it to the owner.”  About 7% of Americans tithe.  And how about falsifying income tax returns, unpaid credit cards?  90% plus of Americans are in financial bondage.  How about you?
  3. Do Not Waste Money on Luxurious Living.  Verse 5 – how could the people squander their wealth when multitudes were in desperate need, buying expensive jewelry, palatial homes, fancy cars, etc.  To bring it down to Wilmington, NC – How can we justify our sports cars, Mercedes, speed boats, expensive hotels, high-class restaurants, any form of self indulgence?  The example of Jesus tells us that it is wrong to live in comfort and ease as long as there is a single soul who has not heard the gospel.
  4. Do Not Let Your Money Destroy Your Soul in Hell.  Verse 5 – Those who live in wanton luxury are likened to those who nourish their hearts as in a day of slaughter – like animals, fattening themselves just before their execution.  “This is a vivid picture of DIVINE JUDGMENT (in Hell) in keeping with the metaphor comparing the overindulgent rich to fattened cattle.”[1]  Not only do the rich lose their souls, but those who desire to be rich.  1 Timothy 6:9, 17-19, “ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Can the Misuse of Money Send One to Hell?  Absolutely.  Jesus plainly and fearfully said to the rich farmer who had lived in luxurious wealth, “Tonight your wealth has demanded your soul.” (Luke 22:20).  This is literally translated from the Greek.  It simply says “The misuse of your wealth on earth has damned your soul in hell.”  Is this an exceptional case experienced by a very few?  Absolutely not.  Having spoken of the penalty of hell to the rich farmer, then He said, “So is every man who stores up treasures for himself and IS NOT RICH TOWARD GOD.” (Luke 12:21).

IF THE “TORMENTS” OF MUSUSED MONEY OR WEALTH ARE INDESCRIBABLE IN THEIR HORROR THE “TRIUMPHS” of the Righteous use of Money are even more indescribable in ALL THEIR GLORY WHICH WE SHALL SHOW CLEARLY FROM THE BIBLE NEXT WEEK.  You’ve heard the CURSE.  You must now hear the BLESSING.

 

[1] John MacArthur, Commentary on the Bible, p. 1896.