Tuesday, September 19, 2023
“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:20 KJV).
He was “one of the world’s richest,” but now he is among its poorest!
Re-read 1 Timothy 6:6-8: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” Failure to apply these verses to life by faith, will doubtless bring the contrast and calamity of verse 9: “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
“They that will be rich” highlights people’s will or volition—an ambition, desire, objective, goal, aim. They are also described in Proverbs 28:20,22: “…he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent… He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye [envy], and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.” They live solely to prosper in the material realm (only temporary!), to the extent of overlooking their needs in the spiritual realm (forever!). “He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts [bribes] shall live” (Proverbs 15:27). “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven” (Proverbs 23:4,5).
The “temptation [enticement] and snare [trap]” of materialism (“I want to get as much money as I can, and retain as much of it as I can!”) means falling into worse sins (namely, “I will go to extreme lengths, even brutal and/or dishonest means, to obtain and keep it!”). Here are the “many foolish and hurtful lusts,” the stupid and harmful or damaging desires (longings, yearnings) that overcome such a person’s heart. The result is like men sinking in water, drowning in “destruction [ruin/death] and perdition [damnation].” How truly awful!
Let us now move on to examining 1 Timothy 6:10 and how it really amplifies the admonition….
333 Words of Grace 