God's Rules for the Rich

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1Tim 6:17).

You gotta love it when someone goes after the rich! For Pete’s sake, they’ve got it and we don’t. Those greedy rascals must have done something sneaky or underhanded to live in those mega-mansions and drive those sweet rides. Communists and socialists believe they can fix the world like political Robin Hoods. The Occupy Wall Street movement is all about punching the so-called One Percent down in the throat. The filthy rich are easy targets.

So when the Apostle Paul sets his scriptural laser site on the wealthy, the rest of us get excited. We want to get a good look when God uses the man from Tarsus to bring them down to size. In a letter to his protege Timothy, he’s about to bust the chops of those living the glamorous life. This is gonna be good. Make sure you’ve got a good seat. Buckle up, boys and girls, here come God’s rules for the rich.

Paul tells Tim, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (v17). So just who is the apostle going after? Who’s he taking down? Must be the first century version of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerburg, or even the Koch Brothers, right?!? Who wouldn’t love to see those cocky rascals taken down a notch or two or two billion!! Man, I can’t wait!! Let class warfare begin.

From the start, the apostle makes a point of specifically describing these folks as “the rich in the present age” (v17). He uses the Greek word plousios, which means wealthy, abounding in material resources, and abundantly supplied. It comes from a root word describing filled and overflowing. These are people who have more than enough. It’s not surprising that Matthew the tax man knew all about the fat wallet of Joseph, a follower of Jesus and “a rich (Gr. plousios) man from Arimathea” (Mt 27:57). Joe would certainly qualify as one of the people Paul’s talking about.

When Paul writes to Pastor Tim about “the rich in this present age” (v17), he’s pulling back the curtain on the demographics of the Ephesian church. Remember, the apostle has left his young protege as lead pastor of the congregation while he’s on divine assignment to Macedonia (1Tim 1:3). Ephesus sits on the west coast of what we know today as Turkey. It was a thriving center of Mediterranean trade and crossroads of Greco-Roman culture. The Gospel turned this big port city on its head as people turned to Jesus. That included every social strata and income level. Including “the rich in the present age” (v17).

But what about THIS “present age”? What about today? There sure are plenty of folks out there living large that Jesus needs to get His holy hands on! What if I told you Paul’s probably talking about you and me? Wait, WHAT?!? Me?!? You’ve got to be out of your ever-lovin’ mind! I’m just a workin’ stiff living in the ‘burbs. Rich?!? Not in this present world or any other! No way!! Listen, if it makes you feel any better (and I’m pretty sure it won’t), I’m not too happy about this either.

Let’s take a closer look at the numbers and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Did you realize that if you earn $40,000 each year, you are in the top four percent of wage earners in the world? Top FOUR percent in the WORLD! Raise the bar up to $48,000 annually, and you’re in the top ONE percent of money makers on the planet. 

I might not be the richest guy in my cul-de-sac, but zoom the map out just a bit. No, a little bit further. Make sure we can see all of our little blue planet. There you go. Compared to the rest of the world, I’m in the dreaded (insert dramatic “bum-bum-bum!” here) One Percent! I’m…GULP!…“rich in this present world” (v17). I’m pretty sure Paul is talking to you. And I know he’s talking to me. Yeah, this is about to get real in God’s rules for the rich. 

First of all, the apostle tells us “not to be haughty” (v17). He drops a compound word (Gr. hupselophreneo) that literally means “high (hupselo-) minded (-phreneo).” It’s thinking you’re above the riffraff and rabble. Arrogant. Proud. It’s when someone has enough financial security that they’re carrying a ‘tude. 

God has loaded Scripture with page after page of warnings against thinking you’re hot stuff for any reason. Flip open just about any book in the Bible and it won’t take long to find a verse poking a finger in our pride. Jesus’ kid brother James sums up the big idea: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Just in case you’re wondering, opposing God is never going to work out well for you. Ever.

One particular way of getting too big for our britches is when we believe we can buy our way out of any trouble. Dave Ramsey calls it outspending our stupidity. But Paul warns the wealthy “not to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches” (v17). The apostle wants us to know that money is just a mirage. He uses a Greek word (Gr. adelotes) that describes something that disappears. Now you see it, now you don’t. If you constantly checked your 401k during the financial meltdown of 2008, you know EXACTLY what I’m talking about! It was there one moment, then POOF!

How about a little financial advice from two of the wealthiest people to ever walk the planet? King David wrote a hit song in his music library about the dude who made the fatal mistake of not trusting God, “but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction” (Ps 52:7). His son Solomon has the all-time top spot on the Forbes 500 (1Ki 10:23). He went out of his way to tell his own son that “whoever trusts in his riches will fall” (Prov 11:28) and “do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist” (Prov 23:4).

After a rich young entrepreneur refused to release the kung fu grip on his portfolio in order to gain eternal life (Mk 10:17-22), Jesus warns His followers about money. “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mk 10:23). How difficult? You’d have better luck shoving a camel through the eye of a needle (Mk 10:25). So there are no rich people in heaven, right? Wrong. “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mk 10:27). Only God provides a loophole in His rules for the rich. And that loophole is Jesus.

But don’t think we can’t buy our way into God’s kingdom. Not with a fat tithe. Not even with a seven-figure check to the church’s capital campaign. Someone has already shelled out the unbelievable price of admission for you and me. Jesus personally spilled His own precious blood on a Roman cross in order to make that happen (1Pet 1:18-21). We have no shot at eternal life without placing our trust in the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee. Christ lived the perfect life we failed to live. He died the death for our sin we should have died. He rose to the glorious new life we don’t deserve.

Meanwhile back in Paul’s letter to Timothy, the apostle has said that money isn’t just risky. Just a few verses back, he goes so far as to write, “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1Tim 6:10). Anytime I put the love for money above my love for God and people, I’ve got a terminal case of human root rot. Money is yet another gift from our incredibly gracious God. Just a tip. Never love the gift more than the Giver.

Instead of banking on the risky investment of our own riches, Paul tells Tim that the wealthy must put their hope “on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (v17). Do you see God as the Greatest Giver in the entire universe? Or as some sort of a super-stingy supernatural Ebenezer Scrooge? The apostle puts an end to any misconceptions. He’s not only God, He “richly provides.” He doesn’t just give a little, He gives in excess! God’s rules for the rich means trusting in the One who’s not only rich but “richly provides” (v17).

All throughout Scripture we see God the Giver in action. The very act of Creation is a gift of overwhelming generosity (Gen 1). He gives life (Gen 2:7; Jn 1:3-4). He gives wisdom (Prov 2:6; Ecc 2:26; James 1:5). He gives strength (Ps 68:35; 29:11). He gives peace (Num 6:26; 2Th 3:16). He gives us the desires of our heart (Ps 37:4). He gives His Son who gave His own life (Jn 3:16). There’s no greater giver than God.

If I have anything good, it’s from God. Everything. Anything. All things. God told Adam and Eve to enjoy Eden with just one important exception (Gen 1:28-31). James tells us every gift has a tag on it that reads: From the Father of Lights (James 1:17). If our generous Heavenly Dad doesn’t hold back in giving us His one and only Son, we can take it to the bank that He will “graciously give us all things” (Rom 8:32). Earlier in this very letter, Paul tells Tim about how we’re to be grateful as we enjoy everything God has created (1Tim 4:4). God’s rules for the rich include enjoying the very good gifts that point us back to our Very Good Giver.

Let’s review the regs. Rule number one, God is talking to you and me. Rule number two, don’t get cocky. Rule number three, don’t trust the money mirage. Rule number four, enjoy the generosity of our Great Giving God. Those are God’s rules for the rich.

Immortal. Inaccessible. Invisible. Invaluable. Inexhaustible.

“who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen” (1Tim 6:16).

Who’s the greatest? Sports fans continually debate the best team of all-time. The ’72 Dolphins or ’85 Bears. Who’s basketball’s G.O.A.T.? Who you got, Kareem or Michael? Marvel and DC fans fill the interweb with rants about the most powerful superheroes. 

According to the Apostle Paul there’s one Person so phenomenal, so staggering, so astonishing that there is zero doubt He’s the most breathtaking Being that’s ever existed in the universe. Check out His awesome qualities. Totally eternal and completely unkillable. Absolutely unapproachable. An appearance so dazzling you can never really see Him. Fame and reputation exceeded by no one. Unlimited and never-ending power. 

If you haven’t figured it out yet, Paul is talking about God. Specifically God the Father. In a letter to his spiritual son Timothy, the apostle reminds him of Whose team he’s on. Our Heavenly Dad “who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen” (v16). 

Paul wants us to remember exactly Who’s got out back when the chips are down. 

Think of the Father this way. The First Person of the Trinity possesses such mind-bending qualities that we can best describe Him by what he’s not. Immortal. Inaccessible. Invisible. Invaluable. Inexhaustible.

As with anything in the Bible, context is critical for this passage. Flip back the pages of history to the first century. Specifically, around 62 to 64 A.D. The scene is a church in a large port city of Ephesus on the west coast of what we know as Turkey. Paul planted this church on one of his legendary Mediterranean tours. A few years later, Tim is in the process of putting out a blazing doctrinal dumpster fire. 

After the apostle left town to tell others about Jesus, false teachers distracted folks in the Ephesian church from following Christ with a toxic stew of religious urban legends, limitless family histories, conspiracy theories, outright lies, and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:4; 4:1-2). Paul began straightening out the mess but had a divine assignment over in Macedonia and put young Pastor Tim in charge (1Tim 1:3). 

This entire letter contains the apostle’s instructions and encouragement to his protege in Ephesus. What a great reminder that what we read in the Bible aren’t a bunch of fairy tales or mythical stories invented to inspire. The book we call 1st Timothy is a real letter to a real person in a real place facing real problems. Here in this verse, Paul wants Pastor Tim to get his eyes off the earthly problem and up on Great Big God. (Hint, hint. We should do the same.)

First of all, God “alone” (v16) is the only One who possesses these qualities. He’s unique. One of a kind. He slams the door on any other pretenders or contenders in the book of Isaiah, “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides Me there is no God” (Is 45:5). All of the qualities that follow are unique to God and God only. Think of it this way. He holds the exclusive divine copyright and trademark on all of them.

First of all, only God “has immortality” (v16). The Greek word here is athanasia, which literally means the “undeath.” It describes something or someone who has endless existence, everlasting, or undying. God is the one who never dies. He is the only one who always exists. Back when Moses stumbled on a supernatural brush fire, God tells the Big Mo that His name is in fact “the Great I Am” (Gen 3:14). The One who always was and always will be. He’s the Undeath.

He’s totally immortal.

Not only can you not kill Him, you can’t get anywhere near Him. He “dwells in unapproachable light” (v16). The word in the original language here (Gr. aproristos) simply means inaccessible. You’ve heard folks say, “Don’t go there!” (usually accompanied by a wagging finger and shaking head). Well, when it comes to God, it’s “Can’t go there!” 

God’s light is so incredibly intense that we can never get anywhere near Him. An expensive pair of Oakleys or Ray-Bans won’t help. Welders goggles aren’t enough. Or in the words of Smashmouth, you might as well be walking on the sun! You simply can’t get near Him. 

He’s absolutely inaccessible.

God’s blinding light is just one reason why “no one has ever seen or can see” (v16) Him. Paul uses a word (Gr. horao) that means so much more than laying your eyes on our Heavenly Father. He’s talking about not just observing but perceiving, understanding, and experiencing the physical presence of God. You can literally translate this phrase “no one has the power to experience Him.” 

Jesus tells a Samaritan divorcee how His Dad is “spirit” (Jn 4:24). Flip back to Exodus for the time Moses asks God for just a peak at His glory (Ex 33:18-23). Can’t do that, says Almighty God. Wouldn’t end well for any mortal man. Without some sort of supernatural protection, God’s holy presence is 100% fatal. You’re not seeing or experiencing God. The Father is so blindingly brilliant that you’re never catching a glimpse of Him. 

He’s completely invisible.

Paul says that as we stand in jaw-dropping awe of our Heavenly Father’s immortality, inaccessibility, and invisibility, “to Him be honor and eternal dominion” (v16). “Honor,” or the Greek word time’, means worth or value given someone or something. It’s the idea of reverence, respect, fame, or great price. Remember when Jesus Himself got the Rodney Dangerfield treatment back in Nazareth? “A prophet has no honor (Gr. time’) in his own hometown” (Jn 4:44). 

God’s value is completely off the charts. Jesus gives a two powerful illustrations comparing knowing God with buried treasure in a field and the most expensive pearl on the planet. He is priceless. He is precious. There’s nothing that comes close to His worth. 

He’s positively invaluable.

Ultimately, God the Father also has “eternal dominion” over the entire universe (v16). There are no term limits in heave. He’s always and forever in charge. And He’s no weak or wimpy ruler. He has what Paul likes to call kratos or “dominion.” This is incredible force, power, strength, or might. God has complete control and absolute authority.

The crazy thing is that He uses His supernatural power for those who place their trust in His Son. A few years back, the apostle told his Ephesian friends about “the immeasurable greatness of His power (Gr. kratos) toward us who believe” (Eph 1:19). Our Heavenly Dad has unlimited capacity. He’s the ultimate source of renewable energy.

He’s utterly inexhaustible.

So we’ve just described God who never dies, we can’t go near, who can’t be seen, who’s richer than Bill Gates and makes a nuclear reactor look like a AA battery. That’s all pretty awesome but, on the surface, doesn’t seem to do much for you and me. That’s exactly where Christ comes in.

Jesus made the immortal mortal so that I could live. The Son of God willingly gave up His life and tasted death so I don’t have to (Is 53:4-6; 2Cor 5:21).

Jesus made the inaccessible accessible so that I could come near. Because He faced temptation but never sinned, Jesus allows me to approach God’s unapproachable throne (Heb 4:15-16).

Jesus made the invisible visible so that I could see God. The Rabbi/Carpenter is “the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). When the disciples asked Christ to show them His Dad, He says one look at the Son is exactly the same as looking at the Father (Jn 14:7). 

Jesus paid the invaluable price for my sin that cost Him everything. He willingly emptied His wallet to cover the expense of my rebellion with His precious blood that’s more valuable than any precious metal (1Pet 1:18-19). 

Jesus gives me the inexhaustible power of His grace that will never run out. His overwhelming strength is tailor-made for my underwhelming weakness (2Cor 12:9-10). His grace never runs out. Never. Ever.

It’s only through the Son that we can have a relationship with the Father. A Heavenly Dad who is immortal, invisible, inaccessible, invaluable, and inexhaustible. Because of that we can know, love, and worship the Greatest Being in the entire universe.

Our Great Big God

“which He will display at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1Tim 6:15).

Ever been in an intimidating situation? You know, the kind that makes your knees knock, palms sweat, and bladder nervous. It just seems too big, too nasty, too hard to pull off. Folks try to help you with little gimmicks. If it’s public speaking before a large group or an intimidating boss, imagine them in their underwear. But then do you have to choose between boxers or briefs? These are kind of things I worry about.

Let’s take a page our Timothy’s playbook. The young pastor is up to eyeballs with trouble at a church in Ephesus. He’s putting out a blazing dumpster fire ignited by a destructive team of false teachers. They’ve totally distracted the followers of Jesus with a crazy combo of urban legends, boundless bloodlines, the old bait-and-switch, and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:4; 4:1-2). This was going to be tough enough when the legendary Apostle Paul was in charge, but he’s off to his next divine assignment up the road in Macedonia (1Tim 1:3). 

But in a little letter we’ve come to call 1st Timothy, the mentor encourages his protege that the King of the Universe has his back. He reminds Tim that our Heavenly Dad is in complete control of the Son of God’s guaranteed return, “which He will display at the proper time—He who is blessed and only Sovereign, the Kings of kings and Lord of lords” (v15). Yeah, you might have 99 problems but Almighty God ain’t one. Anything compared to our Great Big God gets really, really small.

First of all, I need to always remember who’s in charge of the calendar. As the Creator of time, God is in total control of it. That includes the timing of Jesus’ spectacular encore,“which He will display at the proper time” (v15). Only God the Father knows exactly when that’s going to go down (Mark 13:32; Acts 1:7). In case you forgot, Christ arrived precisely at the right moment the first time (Gal 4:4-5). Our Savior also was on schedule at Calvary when He “gave Himself as a ransom for all which is the testimony given at the proper time” (1Tim 2:6). You see, when you’re in complete control, you’re always right on time. Whether it’s false teachers in Ephesus or an 800-pound gorilla in my own life, our Great Big God’s great big hands have a firm grip on the clock.

Next we see that immense Maker is immensely happy. Paul uses the Greek word makarios, which the folks at the ESV translate as “blessed” (v15). It literally describes someone who is transcendently happy and full of joy. It’s the very same term Jesus uses in His most famous sermon during what has become known as the Beatitudes. You might remember that from Sunday School. The radical Rabbi/Carpenter from Galilee tells the big crowd about nine kinds of people who are “blessed (Gr. makarios)” (Mt 5:3-11). God will bless everyone from those who realize they’re spiritually bankrupt to those on the receiving end of persecution for doing the right thing. He’ll make sure they have a supernatural joy no one can ever take from them.

Do you think of God as transcendently happy? Or do you picture a grumpy God standing on the edge of heaven locked and loaded with lightning bolts ready to zap you when you get out of line? Now we can’t be sure that our Heavenly Father has Pharrell’s “Happy” on endless repeat on the cosmic iPod. But Paul wants us to know we worship a joyful God. This is exactly what Nehemiah wanted God’s people to know when they got down in the dumps over their own sin. “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Neh 8:10). He’s certainly not angry at those who place their trust in His son. As a matter of fact, our Great Big God has a great big smile on His face when He thinks about His kids.

The Almighty isn’t just transcendently happy, He’s the “only Sovereign” (v15). The original language here (Gr. dunastes) literally means the one with the most power or the powerful one. It’s from same Greek word that we get words like dynamo and dynamite. Listen, when you can create absolutely everything from less than nothing with just the sound of your voice, you’ve got serious power. There may be no way I can do something on my own, but having God and His limitless power on my side is total game changer. Or as Jesus told His crew, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26). What appear to be enormous problems become microscopic when I compare them to our Great Big God and His great big power.

Paul tells Timothy that God the Father is “the King of kings and Lord of lords” (v15). Now that sounds VERY familiar, doesn’t it? The Apostle John uses those very same words to describe the resurrected Jesus (Rev 17:14). As a matter of fact, that’s Christ has on the back of His jersey and tattooed on His thigh when He roars back to earth at His Second Coming (Rev 19:16). But the man from Tarsus is clearly talking about the First Person of the Trinity here. He wants us to be sure that every Person of the Godhead sits at the top of org chart. Father. Son. Spirit. Every single person on the planet answers to Him. Kings. Lords. Presidents. Prime ministers. Regional managers. Dog catchers. You. Me. Our Great Big God is the king-sized “King of kings and Lord of lords” (v15)!

We’re all going to face some incredibly tough situations in life. We’ll be intimidated. We’ll be tempted to turn and run. But remember the One who didn’t back down when He stared down death itself and punched it in the throat. Remember you worship the One who is in total control of the calendar. One who is transcendently happy. One who possesses limitless power. One who sits at the top of the universe’s org chart. I might have 99 problems but Almighty God ain’t one. Anything compared to our Great Big God gets really, really small.

Fight on and Keep on Fighting on

“I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Tim 6:13-14).

This one is going the distance. Like Rocky and Apollo (both times). Like Rocky and Clubber Lang. Like Rocky and Drago. Like Rocky and (Insert name of opponent from any sequel here. You get the idea.) This slugfest that won’t end early. No matter the foe and no matter the flick, the Italian Stallion will fight on and keep on fighting on. Yo, Adrian!

A couple of thousand years before Stallone gave us the original Balboa, a young slugger named Timothy was in the fight of his life. But check out who he had in his corner. Paul. We’re talking about THAT Paul. Yeah, the APOSTLE Paul. The same Paul who wrote a hefty chunk of the New Testament. You think that’s something? Father God and Jesus Christ are right there too giving Tim the supernatural strength and encouragement to go the distance. 

We pick up the action late in the fight. The camera zooms in on Tim’s corner. Let’s listen in to what Paul tells him. “I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v12-14). Don’t give up. Don’t EVER give up. Fight on and keep on fighting on.

Because Jesus fought hard for us when He was cornered, we can to! Yo, Timothy!

It’s been a brutal battle so far. A team of false teachers dominated the middle rounds at the church in Ephesus. They used all sorts of funny business to fool the followers of Jesus. Wacky religious theories and complicated family histories (1Tim 1:4-7). Outright lies and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 4:-2). And you thought Mike Tyson chomping down on Evander Holyfield’s ear was a dirty move! By the way, folks are still throwing these low blows in church’s today.

But truth made a comeback. Then again, God’s truth always does. Jesus’ church gets up off the canvas and fights back to take control. In the corner, Paul grabs Tim’s tired shoulders. “I charge you” (v13). He uses a Greek verb (Gr. paraggello) which means to give strict orders or make specific instructions. It’s the same word Matthew uses when Jesus orders His posse to do advance work for one of His preaching tours. “These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing (Gr. paraggello) them” (Mt 10:5). He gave them detailed instructions just as the apostle coaches up his protege.

I’m no different than Timothy. God has to get up in my grill to get my attention too. Sometimes I forget I’m in a fight. Other times I get tired. Or distracted. He has this amazing ability to reset my focus. He’ll do it through a friend. Maybe through prayer. But consistently use His Word through people like Paul. The Lord regularly grabs me by the shoulders and gives me a hard shake when I’m reading Scripture. It’s time to fight on and keep on fighting on!

Paul then reminds Tim of Who’s in his corner. God the Father. God the Son. You can bet God the Spirit is there too but He’s not the One to draw attention to Himself. The Trinity is total agreement on the strategy. The apostle encourages his spiritual son that our Heavenly Dad is the One “who gives life to all things” (v13). God is not just the Life Producer but the Life Preserver. Take a look around you right now. What do you see? What’s alive? Well, if it’s breathing, creeping, barking, hopping, flying, blooming, or growing, God is the One who makes it happen.

The Son of God is there and brings a ton of experience to Team Timothy. Paul tells his young fighter how it was “Christ Jesus who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession” (v13). This is certainly a big bout but it’s nothing compared the fight Jesus won against sin and death for us. Forget the Fight of the Century. It’s the Fight of Eternity! And Christ won the belt!! Place your trust in what He did that we could never do. 

The apostle jogs Tim’s memory about one specific aspect of Jesus’ fight on our behalf. In one of the toughest rounds, Christ stood toe-to-toe with a local Roman governor and “made the good confession” (v13). Let’s swing over to the Gospels to see what made His confession so good. When Pilate interrogates the Rabbi/Carpenter directly and asks if He really is the king of the Jews, Jesus replies “You said it” (Mt 27:11; Mk 15:2; Lk 23:3; Jn 18:37). When backed into a corner, Jesus delivers a devastating short right of truth. He is indeed the One the Father promised would come to rule and reign (2Sam 7:12-16).

Paul compares Jesus’ “good confession” of Jesus to with to the time Tim did the same thing and “made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1Tim 6:12). When did this happen? Who were those witnesses? It might have been when the young buck from Lystra first placed his trust in Jesus. It might have been answered God’s call to ministry, which by the way included getting circumcised…as an adult (Acts 16:3)! I’m pretty sure I would have made a confession that day and it wouldn’t have been good!! Or it may have happened once when Tim had his back to the wall as a member of Paul’s team in places like Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9), Berea (Acts 17:13-15), or Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41). Since the apostle connects these two incidents, you have to believe he’s refreshing Tim’s memory of when God gave his partner the strength to stand strong. Fight on and keep on fighting on!

There are going to be times as a follower of Jesus when you and I are stuck in a corner. Times when we have to stand our ground. Times when we’ll need to make our own “good confession” (v13). When there’s no seeming escape, remember that we don’t have to answer every question. We’re not going to argue anyone into heaven. We simply point to the One who won the fight for us. Or as the writer of Hebrews tells us, run the race with everything we’ve got while keeping eyes locked on Jesus who endured the cross on our behalf (Heb 12:1-2).

In the critical moments of the fight, Tim is “to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v14). Folks have wondered about just what command Paul is talking about here. The best answer is probably his instructions to “fight the good fight of the faith” back in verse 12. That would be the big idea of this entire letter. In other words, there are a some specific things to do in the Ephesian church but the big idea is to fight on and keep on fighting on. 

If you want a more specific commandment to follow, think back to what Jesus tells His dozen disciples the night before His own death. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (Jn 13:34). As a matter of fact, it’s through keeping this command that people around the world can be sure we’re followers of Jesus. You just can’t go wrong when you love the folks God puts in your life. 

Just before the bell rings to start the next round, Paul delivers the last part of his instructions to Tim. Keep this command “until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v14). We win the fight when we continue the fight. Jesus has already won it for us. And He’s returning one more time. In the words of LL Cool J, don’t call it a comeback. Christ isn’t like one of those sad aging heavyweights who continue to come out of retirement for one more shot at former glory. No, when Jesus returns, He returns in top form (Rev 19:11-16). Fire in His eyes. Crown on His head. Tattoo on His thigh. Sword in His mouth. 

This fight is going the distance. But instead of being saved by the bell, we’ll be saved once and for all by God Himself. We don’t know when, but we can be certain He will return. Until then, remember you’re not alone. The Holy Trinity is in your corner. Jesus already won the fight for you. Until then, tell folks about Him. Tell them you trust in Him and not yourself. Remember that He’s returning one final time. Until then, fight on and keep on fighting on.

Because Jesus fought hard for us when He was cornered, we can too! Yo, Timothy!

A Slobberknocker

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1Tim 6:12).

Your team leads late in the fourth quarter of a tight game. Your offense has the ball and must do everything possible to move the chains and get first downs. There’s just one problem. One very BIG problem. You’re facing one of the greatest Ds in football history. They’re agile, mobile, and hostile. They specialize in creating turnovers. As the running back, you won’t just have to fight for every inch but do everything in your power to hang onto the ball. They’re coming after you. They’re coming after it. 

It’s going to be a painful gain, but it’s worth the fight.

You might think you’re watching one of those NFL Films highlight reels. You know the ones with a golden-throated narrator, a symphonic score, and super-slomo shots of spinning footballs. But this is also the scene near the end of Paul’s first letter to Timothy. The game is on the line. It’s been a seesaw struggle. After the apostle’s team got off to a hot start (Acts 19), the team of false teachers got the Big Mo on its side and got rolling big time. They took control with a combo of trick plays, cheap shots, and a demonic defense (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3). 

Just when it looked like the fat lady was warming up her vocal cords, the Ephesian squad makes a miraculous comeback. After Paul knocks out two of the opponents best players (1Tim 1:20), Tim takes over (1Tim 1:3). The apostle gives him the ball in crunch time. He must avoid the same mistakes made by the opposition and start a long, hard drive for the things of God (1Tim 6:11). 

Paul calls a timeout and wants to talk it over with the young pastor about what is about to happen. “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (v12). Tim’s totally gassed but he now has to gain some of the toughest yards of his career. And the defense is coming after the ball with everything they have. 

It’s going to be a painful gain, but it’s worth the fight.

The apostle goes all Vince Lombardi and gives Pastor Tim a first century version of “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” He tells his young protege, “Fight the good fight of the faith” (v12). He wants us to know the road ahead will be agonizing. Think I’m being a little melodramatic? Not according to the original language. Check out the two forms of the word “fight” we read in the ESV. 

First he commands Tim to “fight” (Gr. agonizomai). You don’t have to be a freak in Greek to see the English word “agonize.” It means to struggle hard to the point of pain or expend all effort to win. Give it all you’ve got. Leave it all on the field. We’re talking ripped jersey and turf in the helmet stuff. In one of his letters to his friends in Corinth, Paul compares following Jesus to painful training of a long distance runner. “Every athlete exercises (Gr. agonizomai) self-control in all things. They do it receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable” (1Cor 9:25).

This isn’t a scrimmage. It’s no preseason game. This is going to be a “fight” (v12). This time Paul uses the noun agon. There it is again. This time it’s “agony.” The word describes a contest against powerful competition or an incredibly intense conflict. Ancient writers like Paul use it when talking about everything from a race to a game to a battle. The man from Tarsus reminds Thessalonian believers of the wild riots in their city when his team came “to declare to you the Gospel of God in the midst of much conflict (Gr. agon)” (1Th 2:2). 

It was a painful gain, but totally worth the fight.

This fight is all about “faith” (v12). But we’re not talking about gritting my teeth and simply believing in myself. This is faith in Jesus. Faith in what He’s done that I could never dream of doing on my own. It’s not about the strength of my faith. Don’t get my wrong, I want my faith to be super strong. “S” on the chest strong. Faster than a speeding bullet strong. Able to leap tall buildings strong. More powerful than a locomotive strong. But Paul is talking placing our faith in One who is makes Superman look like 98-pound weakling. 

There’s an all out assault on that faith. Paul tells Tim to “take hold of eternal life” (v12). Get both hands on what God is handing to you and do NOT let go! I constantly have to remind myself that eternal life isn’t something I have to wait for. Eternal life starts NOW! And because of that, the opposition is  will do everything they can to pull it from your hands. They’ll talk trash about how you’re going to fumble. They’ll try to get in your head. 

But remember, we’re actually trusting in what Jesus has already done for us. He lived the perfect life that we failed to live. He died the death on a cross for our sin that we should have died. He rose to a spectacular new life that we in no way deserve. Jesus trades His total goodness for our wretched badness (2Cor 5:21). That’s the only way we have a snowball’s chance of meeting God’s perfect standard (Rom 8:3-4). The writer of Hebrews encourages us to run hard and keep our eyes on our Hero who fought the ultimate fight on our behalf from start to finish. “Let us run with endurance the race (Gr. agon) that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:1-2). That’s what we hang onto. That’s Whom we hang onto. You can be sure He’s never letting us out of His hands. He hasn’t lost one yet and it’s not happening here!

It’s going to be a painful gain, but it’s worth the fight.

Do you get the point that following Jesus isn’t for wimps? This is no flag football game at the family picnic. It’s not a lazy game of H-O-R-S-E in the driveway. We’re talking about a knock-down, drag-out slobberknocker. “Game of the Century” kinda stuff. Don’t buy the lie that faith in Jesus is rainbows, unicorns, and an endless supply of Skittles. It’s hard. VERY hard. I must put the crap which destroys me in the rearview mirror and put the hammer down toward the things of God which He uses to build me up (1Tim 6:11). It’s going to be a hard road, not a skip down the path. It’s going to be a fight. Agonizing at times.

Just before his own death, the apostle tells Tim how he’s played he’s emptied the tank for the cause of Christ. “I have fought (Gr. agonizomai) the good fight (Gr. agon), I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2Tim 4:7). He left it all on the field. Following Jesus was hard for the apostle. He gave it everything he had and to the finish line. He had no regrets. Why should we expect anything different? Don’t let our cushy, 21st Century, first world life fool you. Buckle your chinstrap. 

It’s going to be a painful gain, but it’s worth the fight.

Hot Pursuit

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1Tim 6:11).

A police cruiser races down the interstate with siren blaring and blue lights flashing. A linebacker sprints toward the ballcarrier breaking down the field. A hungry cheetah flies across the savannah toward its prey. Each one of them totally focused. Each one undistracted. Each one in hot pursuit.

In this letter to the young pastor of the Ephesian church, Paul encourages Timothy to stop chasing stuff that tears you down and start chasing stuff that builds you up! “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (v11). Quit wasting your time with things that waste your life. Start chasing after things that really matter. Put the hammer down! Be in hot pursuit!

Getting the church of Ephesus back on track is priority one for Pastor Tim. A team of spiritual con artists weaseled their way into the congregation and done all sorts of damage (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3). Paul did what he could to straighten things out at this once proud church, kicking two of the ringleaders to the curb (1Tim 1:20). Now on divine assignment up the road in Macedonia, he’s handed the keys to his protege Timothy (1Tim 1:3). A key to getting the church out of the ditch and back on the road is for Tim to be personally in hot pursuit of the things of God.

It’s at this point that Paul gets personal. “But as for you, O man of God” (v11). I’m talking to you, Tim. Yes, you. Not the entire church. Just you. Y. O. U. It’s as if the apostle wants his spiritual son to look him in right the eyes and pay full attention. By the way, the phrase “man of God” only appears twice in the entire New Testament. Both are by Paul and both are in his letters to Tim. In the sequel to this epistle, the apostle writes how God personally inspires Scripture so “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (1Tim 3:16-17). There are times in our relationships when we need someone’s total attention. Are you listening? I mean REALLY listening? Get it. Got it. Good.

Step one is to stop doing stuff that does damage. “Flee these things” (v11). Paul uses a a Greek word (Gr. pheugo) which means to quickly escape danger, run away, or take flight to seek safety. An angel tipped off Jesus’ dad Joe that King Herod had put a hit on his Son and told the carpenter to “flee (Gr. pheugo) to Egypt until I tell you” (Mt 2:13). Remember when Christ chased the demons out two dudes living in the graveyard and puts them in a herd of pigs and how the pig farmers “fled (Gr. pheugo)” and beat feet for the village (Mt 8:33)? 

Just what exactly are “these things” we’re to escape? A quick review. “Conceit” and “an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth” (1Tim 6:4-5). It’s thinking that religion is a get-rich-quick scheme (1Tim 6:5). Specifically, it’s “the love of money” which causes all sorts of human root rot and can draw people further away from Jesus (1Tim 6:10).

A follower of Jesus makes sure to put all of this garbage in his rearview mirror. When folks in Corinth thought they could play fast and loose with their libidos, Paul told them, “Flee (Gr. pheugo) sexual immorality” (1Cor 6:18). Can we talk? We can’t simply manage our destructive desires. I can’t store my harmful habits in the closet, use them occasionally and expect to truly grow in Christ. I can’t play footsie with sin. I’ve got hate it, kill it, and run from it…as fast as my little tootsies will carry me! Take a lesson from Joseph. When his boss’ desperate housewife put the move on him, he hightailed it out of the house in his tighty whities (Gen 39:12). Now THAT’S what I call some serious fleeing!

Now that your sprinting from sin, you need a target. Don’t just run randomly away from what ruins you. “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (v11). Paul doesn’t tell Tim to swing by a few of these good things when he gets a chance. The apostle commands him to do it in a New York minute. He uses the Greek verb dioko, which paints a picture of someone press forward quickly, or running after something with great intensity. It’s a chase with the purpose of catching. The relentlessly hunt for an object. 

Writers of the NT actually use this word in a negative sense more often than not. As a matter of fact, it’s how the apostle formerly known as Saul described his search-and-destroy mission for the followers of Jesus. “I persecuted (Gr. dioko) this Way to death” (Acts 22:4). When the resurrected Jesus blindsided the man from Tarsus outside of Damascus, He wanted to know, “Saul, Saul, what are you persecuting (Gr. dioko) Me?” (Acts 22:7). Paul told King Agrippa he hunted down disciples anywhere and everywhere and “persecuted (Gr. dioko) them even to foreign cities” (Acts 26:11). He was in hot pursuit of Christ’s disciples.

Instead, let’s relentlessly run after “righteousness, godliness, faith, steadfastness, gentleness” (v11). 

So the question is, am I pursuing the things of God with the same veracity and intensity as Saul hunted and hounded first century Christians? Am I willing to let nothing get in my way in order to obtain the stuff on this list? Like a defensive end rushing the passer on third and long, it’s time to pin your ears back. Don’t worry about a screen pass. Don’t concern yourself with the draw. Just get to the QB with great prejudice. Cut it loose. Nothing else matters. Or as Paul told his friends in Philippi, “I press on (Gr. dioko) toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14). Let’s be in hot pursuit of our Savior!

Let’s take a quick look at our targets. “Righteousness” (v11) is doing what is right to both God and people. It places an emphasis on action. Next up is “godliness” (v11), a word Paul uses a grand total of eight times in this little letter alone. It’s a compound word that literally means “good worship.” It describes our reverence for God expressed in our behavior. We’re to follow hard after “faith” (v11). This is placing total trust in Jesus alone as the source of salvation. He lived the perfect life I should have lived, died the death I should have died, and rose to new life I don’t deserve. It’s what Luther called “The Great Exchange.” Our rebellion and defiance for His perfection and obedience (2Cor 5:21).

Paul calls us to run hard after “love” (v11). This isn’t just a warm fuzzy feeling but actual sacrificial love-in-action. Remember, love is a verb. Let’s sprint hard toward “steadfastness” (v11). This is hanging tough when things get hard. When the going gets tough, the tough IN CHRIST get going. God gives us the power to stand strong in tough times. Last but certainly not least is “gentleness” (v11). This is more than simply not being a grouch. We’re to pursue  composure, a calm disposition, and a soothing manner. Ancient writers used this term to describe taming wild animals. As followers of Jesus, we’re not to throw gasoline on the fire. Instead, He calls us to be firehoses of His grace and peace.

Pretty simple actually. Step one, quit jacking around with the things that jack you up. Come on. You know what they are. Is it a TV show? A website? An app? A substance? A person? Lace up your sneakers and run like the wind out of there! Now make a beeline for best God has for you. Be rapidly intentional. This is certainly no trivial pursuit. Stop chasing stuff that tears you down and start chasing stuff that builds you up! Picture yourself as a cop on a high speed chase. A linebacker bearing down on a running back. A big cat about to pounce on its prey. Let’s be in hot pursuit!

Human Root Rot

“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1Tim 6:10).

Anyone with a green thumb (Confession time: I am NOT one of them!) will tell you about the dangers of root rot. It’s a condition found in both indoor and outdoor plants. Rotten roots affect and infect the entire plant. Trunk. Branches. Leaves. Fruit. Root rot is both untreatable and fatal. Curiously, it’s caused by overwatering. Think about that. What kills the plant is actually something that should be good for it. 

Did you know that you and I can suffer from a form of root rot? It doesn’t come from standing out in the rain or taking long showers. If you’re like me, your parents were loud and clear that both of these are bad. No, human root rot is caused by a passion for cash. An obsession for possession. Greed. Or in the words of Paul, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (v10). Just like in plants, rotten roots affect our entire being. It causes all sorts of problems. It leads me further and further away from Jesus. What kills us is actually something that can be good for us. The sad part is, we do it to ourselves. It’s a self-obsession that results in a self-inflected wound. The love of money is human root rot.

Paul’s words in this verse are often misquoted. Well, not so much misquoted and incompletely quoted. You’ve heard folks say, “Money is the root of all evil.” Money by itself isn’t evil. According to Moses, wealth is a gift from God (Dt 8:18). He blesses us to be a blessing to others. It’s the LOVE of it that gets us in big trouble. Things get WAY out of whack when we use people to love money. We’re to use our money to love people. Jesus went out of His way to say we’re not worship wealth. “You cannot serve both God and money” (Mt 6:24). Gold makes a terrible god. 

What you and I see in English as “the love of money” (v10) is actually just one word in the original language (Gr. philarguria). This compound term literally means “brother (phil-) of the shiny (-arguria)” or “lover of the silver.” It describes greed and avarice. If it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that bling, that’s a sure sign that you’ve got a bad case of human root rot. 

We see a slightly different form of the word a few other times in the NT. Jesus tells His crew that it’s impossible to serve both God and money, “the Pharisees, who were lovers of money (Gr. philarguros)” made fun of Him (Lk 16:13-14). In his followup letter to Tim, the apostle warns that just before Jesus returns for His encore, folks will become “lovers of self, lovers of money (Gr. philarguros), proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy” (2Tim 3:2). Looks like Christ will make His second coming during an election year. But I digress. Earlier in this letter, Paul uses a negative form of the word to tell Tim how an overseer must not be greedy and “not a lover of money (Gr. aphilarguros)” (1Tim 3:3).

Did you know there’s something MUCH more valuable out there than straight cash, homey. Relax, this isn’t an infomercial pitching precious metals like gold or silver. The apostle Christ called Rocky says our Savior paid something much more costly for our sin. “You were not ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1Pet 1:18-19). When it comes to currency, there’s nothing more costly. Our salvation may be a free gift we could never earn or buy (Eph 2:8-9) but it is ridiculously expensive. It cost Jesus everything.

Just as too much water causes serious problems for a plant, greed is the “root of all kinds of evils” for you and me (v10). Paul puts on his horticultural hat and uses the Greek word rhiza, which describes the underground part of a plant. It’s the structure of vegetation we can’t see that is its lifeline. The roots suck up water and nutrients from the soil to interact with the sunlight captured by the leaves. Don’t worry. This won’t be on the final. When Jesus cursed a fruitless tree, the disciples couldn’t believe their own eyes when they saw later how “the fig tree withered away to its roots (Gr. rhiza)” (Mk 11:20).

But the term also symbolically describes the cause, reason, origin, or source of a something. It’s the problem behind the problem. The disease causing the symptoms. The writer of Hebrews says anytime we fail to appreciate God’s descending one-way love, we provide just the right kind of soil where a “root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble” (Heb 12:15). When my heart turns greedy and ungrateful, it results in “all kinds of evil” in my life (v10). I can either treat the symptoms or pull the real problem out by the root.

If I don’t deal with the real cause, this bad root causes bad fruit. Paul tells the Galatians all about what the putrid produce of root rot. “Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Gal 5:19-21). But when God’s Spirit goes to work, He produces a bumper crop of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23). The grace of Jesus and His Holy Spirit are the remedy for human root rot.

How bad will this root rot? According to Paul, “It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (v10). Some folks become so fixated on cash that they lose their way. Their chase of money leads them a long way from the Lord. Does that mean people can actually lose their salvation? Say it ain’t so! Well, this obsession with money reveals that God had never saved them in the first place. Or they could be followers of Jesus who get so distracted by the dollars that they take a long and painful detour in their journey. Don’t believe that’s possible? You may want to have a little chat with someone who’s earned the nickname of the prodigal son (Lk 15:11-32).

Not only have some people “wandered away from the faith” (v10), but they suffer from self-inflicted wounds. They have “pierced themselves with many pangs” (v10). Today we worry about people who harm themselves through cutting, picking, and suicide. The love of money results in self-mutilation. When we worship our bank account over Christ, our biggest enemy is the person in the bathroom mirror. Nobody else. I’m not saying the Evil One won’t bait the hook. But he can’t make you take the bait.

A couple of thousand years later, a group called The O’Jays sang a little ditty about human root rot called “For the Love of Money.” It’s an incredibly catchy tune about a terribly terminal condition. Get your groove on and sing along with them…

Money, money, money, money, money. 

Some people got to have it. 

Some people really need it.

Listen to me y’all, do things, 

do things, do bad things with it. 

You wanna do things, do things, 

do things, good things with it.

For the love of money, 

people will lie, Lord, they will cheat. 

For the love of money, 

people don’t care who they hurt or beat. 

For the love of money, 

a woman will sell her precious body 

for a small piece of paper. 

It carries a lot of weight. 

Call it lean, mean, mean green almighty dollar.

"For the Love of Money" by the O'Jays

Listen to Paul. Listen to The O’Jays. Avoid human root rot. 

It's a Trap!

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1Tim 6:9).

Long, long ago, in a land far, far away, a rebel leader suddenly realizes the evil empire has suckered his troops into an ambush. In “Return of the Jedi,” Admiral Ackbar quickly understands Darth Vader has played him for a fool and shouts the legendary line, “It’s a trap!” How did he not see this coming?!?

In another long, long ago, in a land far, far away, another leader sees the danger ahead of time. In a letter to a young pastor named Timothy, Paul carefully points out the hidden threat ahead. “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (v9). The lure of money is incredibly tempting. Getting rich sure seems worth the risk. But before you get bamboozled into taking the bait, listen to the apostle and Admiral Ackbar. “It’s a trap!”

This wasn’t just a good idea or a suggestion from a highly paid consultant. Paul and Timothy have personally witnessed the damage done by those consumed with a quick cash grab. It wasn’t that long ago that a team of spiritual snake oil salesmen weaseled their way into Ephesus Community Church. These hucksters distracted the followers of Jesus with a phony gospel filled with kooky myths, monotonous genealogies, religious flimflam, and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:3-4; 4:2-3). As profitable prophets, they understood that there’s no business like God’s business (1Tim 6:5).

The apostle has already given the old heave-ho to a pair of these false teachers named Hymenaeus and Alexander and handed them over to Satan (1Tim 1:20). When the Lord had an assignment for Paul in Macedonia, he turns over the helm in Ephesus to his young protege Tim (1Tim 1:3). Continue the reforms, find new leaders with godly integrity (1Tim 3:1-13), keep the main thing of following Jesus the main thing (1Tim 3:15-16; 4:3-16), and institute Gospel style care of the elderly (1Tim 5:1-16).

Eventually it was greed that brought down the false teachers. They bought the lie that “godliness is a means of gain” (1Tim 6:5). They worshiped at the altar of More. They didn’t realize they had a terminal case of affluenza. They didn’t understand the secret of godly wealth is appreciating what you already have. Contentment in Christ is not only the vaccine but also the cure for the disease (1Tim 6:6-8).

For those who fail to get their affluenza shot, greed is their downfall. Paul describes them as “those who desire to be rich” (v9). The Greek word he uses translated “desire” is boulemenoi. It paints a picture of someone who doesn’t just have a vague desire to pad their portfolio. No, this is a person who intends on piling up cash and has put a plan in place. They don’t just think being rich is a great idea. They have a strategy. Spoiler alert! This isn’t going to end well. 

Our enemy loves to bait his trap with Benjamins. Don’t believe me? The apostle points out that those making plans to get rich quick will “fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (v9). Yeah, we’re not talking about doing something for kicks and giggles. This isn’t seeking thrills on a zip line, going sky diving, or hang gliding. Paul uses the word “fall” (Gr. empipto) which means to unexpectedly drop into a pit or suddenly experience disaster. When talking about what you should and shouldn’t do on your God ordained day off, Jesus said, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls (Gr. empipto) into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?” (Mt 12:10). If you’re wondering, that sheep didn’t intentionally swan dive into the trench. It never saw it coming. And when we fall under the temptation of money, we won’t either. 

If the fall isn’t bad enough, the landing area is worse. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Check out Paul’s not-so-subtle description of your destination. Temptation. Snare. Senseless and harmful desires. Ruin. Destruction. Doesn’t sound like a day at the Magic Kingdom, does it? While we could take an in-depth look at each of these terms, let’s take a closer examination at one. “Snare” is the Greek noun pagis. We’re not talking about a piece of Ringo’s drum kit. This describes any kind trap, net, noose, or pit.  It’s concealed danger. Something that catches fast and holds tight. A booby trap. A hidden mine. A roadside I.E.D. A bear trap slamming shut on your ankle. The empire’s tie-fighters have locked onto your spaceship. Can you hear Admiral Ackbar? “It’s a trap!”

But instead of blowing you out of the solar system, the result of this ambush is something else entirely. When we take the money bait, it will “plunge people into ruin and destruction” (v9). The enemy isn’t taking prisoners. It’s taking them down. All the way down. The word the ESV translates as “plunge” is buthizo, which paints a terrifying picture of being thrust down under the surface and dragged down to the bottom. When Jesus joined a commercial fishing crew, they miraculously hauled so many fish onto their boat that “they began to sink. (Gr buthizo)” (Lk 5:7). But the deadliest catch is in fact the lure of money. It will drag you to the sea floor of your own sin.

I’m not saying Paul would have sniffed out the empire’s ambush ahead of time. But he certainly sees the booby trap of greed before anyone else. Listen to the apostle. Listen to the admiral. “It’s a trap!”

Getting an Affluenza Shot

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1Tim 6:7-8).

There’s a nasty bug going around. This crud is highly contagious. I’m not talking about West Nile virus. This isn’t Zika. And it’s not the bird flu. No, as a matter of fact, it’s not a new illness. It’s been taking people down for several thousand years and there’s no sign of it slowing down. It’s affluenza. Scientists define it as “a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more.”

There’s a recent case that’s making headlines. A Texas teenager named Ethan Couch is using affluenza as his defense for driving drunk and killing four people. Whether that defense will hold up in court is something else altogether. Couch’s attorney attempted to link his reckless behavior with his parents’ affluent lifestyle. One of the symptoms of affluenza is your belief that you can outspend your sin and stupidity. 

As we mentioned before, this illness is nothing new. A wicked strain of it ran rampant through the church in Ephesus. The Apostle Paul and his young sidekick Timothy faced the outbreak head-on. Paul not only understood the dangers of this highly contagious disease but also that it is easily preventable. He writes to Pastor Tim and reminds him the very simple treatment for affluenza to keep it from spreading. “For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (v7-8). The key to containment of greed contentment in Christ. It’s a guaranteed affluenza vaccine. 

So just how did this Ephesian epidemic get started? The source of the infection was a team of spiritual hucksters who peddled a false gospel of goofball religion, conspiracy theories, and legalistic self-salvation (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-3). These false teachers were incredibly cocky and loved nothing better than to distract folks from following Jesus with all sorts of endless arguments and debates over things that really didn’t matter (1Tim 6:3-4). They quickly figured out that there’s no business like God’s business when it comes to turning a fast buck from unsuspecting suckers (1Tim 6:5). 

I would LOVE to tell you the carriers of this crud are no longer around. But I can’t. As long as church doors are open, there are going to be greedy charlatans looking to put the squeeze on believers. I fully realize I’m treading on tender turf when it comes to this topic. The so-called “prosperity gospel” is what happens when affluenza infects the followers of Jesus. The only people to prosper are the preachers and peddlers of this garbage. The sell a false message that turns our great Giving God into a supernatural vending machine that must deliver each time punch His buttons. Yeah, it doesn’t work that way.

Now before we limit the blame of this illness to a small sample size, we’re all carriers of affluenza. You. Me. Us. Them. All of us. If we trace the spread of the contagion, we’ll see that our first parents, Adam and Eve, are actually Patients Zero in this pandemic. God places them in paradise and tells them enjoy His entire creation (Gen 2:16). Go for it. There’s only one restriction. See that tree over there? Yeah, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Don’t eat any fruit from it. It’s fatal (Gen 2:17). That’s when a satanic snake convinced Adam and Eve that God was actually holding out on them (Gen 3:1-5). Suddenly they weren’t content with God’s overwhelming goodness. They ate. Sin takes the stage. Affluenza begins to spread. But don’t miss the announcement of the ultimate Cure that on its way. Or should I say His way. One is coming to heal us all (Gen 3:15)!

Meanwhile back in Paul’s letter to Tim, the apostle reminds the young preacher how “we brought nothing into the world” (v7). I’m not sure how many of you had the blessing of being in the delivery room for the birth of your children (I do realize that when it comes to moms, the answer is 100%!), but I don’t remember seeing any luggage carousels. We don’t roll into this world as newborns with any checked or carry-on baggage. We don’t even have anything in our pockets…since we don’t have any pockets!!!

At this point, Paul fast forwards from the maternity ward to funeral home. Just as we arrive into this world without a single possession, we leave empty-handed as well. “We cannot take anything out of the world” (v7). My hearse won’t have a trailer hitch. My coffin won’t be pulling a U-Haul trailer. Oh, it’s not like we don’t try. We just can’t. God won’t let us. 

This idea of “naked in/naked out” is a mega-theme throughout the Bible. When Satan sideswiped God’s servant Job (at God’s invitation, mind you!), the man from Uz STILL worshiped the LORD. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed by the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). One of the songwriters of the OT wrote a similar lyric. “For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him” (Ps 49:17). Solomon is the wisest and wealthiest dude who ever walked the earth. Despite a portfolio that would make Bill Gates blush, this king new his treasure was temporary. “As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand” (Ecc 5:15). 

Paul reminds us that we simply need to find satisfaction in the necessities of life. “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (v8). Do I have enough to eat? Do I have water to drink? Do I have clothes to wear? Do I have a place to sleep? Has God given me the basic necessities of food, water, clothing, and shelter? It all comes down to wants and needs. Am I obsessed over getting everything I want? Or am I grateful to have all that I need? That’s the key to kicking affluenza.

When we have appreciate having everything we need, we’ll be “content” (v8). The apostle drops a Greek word here (Gr. arkeo) which means to have enough, satisfied, or be sufficiently supplied. It’s from a root word (Gr. airow) which means raising up a barrier to establish a defense. Contentment builds a wall against want. The key to containing greed is contentment in Christ. 

Check out some of the other uses of arkeo in the NT. John the Dunker encouraged Roman soldiers to stop putting the squeeze on civilians by running protection rackets. Instead, “be content (Gr. arkeo) with your wages” (Lk 3:14). In one of his letters to the Corinthian church, Paul tells how he has pleaded with Jesus to remove a painful thorn in the flesh. Instead of pulling it out, Christ left it in and told the apostle He did it in order make sure the former Pharisee would only rely on God’s goodness. “My grace is sufficient (Gr. arkeo) for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2Cor 12:9). The writer of Hebrews tells us to not get sucked into an obsession with money but “be content (Gr. arkeo) with what you have,” remembering God is your ultimate treasure and will ALWAYS be with you (Heb 13:5)!

The key to containment of greed in contentment in Christ.

Scripture is absolutely jam-packed with finding our satisfaction in our Savior. Jesus made this a major point in His most famous message. “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will wear, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing” (Mt 6:25). The Rabbi/Carpenter reminded the crowds that God feeds the birds. Aren’t you more important to him than they are? Check out the flowers. They are gorgeous, but they’ll be gone in a few days. Stop freaking out. God will make sure you have something to wear. There’s absolutely no reason to wig out when it comes to your what you eat or your wardrobe. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Mt 6:33).

We all might want to take a lesson from a guy named Agur son Jakeh. Late in the Book of Proverbs, he shares his two-pronged prayer which was the key to his contentment. “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (Prov 30:8-9). Don’t give me too much. Don’t give me too little. Give me just what I need, God. Do you have the guts to pray that prayer? Yeah, I’m not sure I do either. I pray one day that I will.

Affluenza still threatens every church and every follower of Jesus. But there’s one sure fire cure. Satisfaction in our Savior. Contentment in Christ is the key to containment of greed. It’s the ultimate affluenza vaccine.