Month: September 2023

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #15

Wednesday, September 20, 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 6:6-9. Now, verse 10: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Unfortunately, this is commonly misunderstood and misquoted. Moreover, not only have modern English Bible translators failed to adequately capture the thrust of Paul’s Greek words, they have contributed to the confusion surrounding the verse. They soften “For the love of money is the root of all evil” (King James Bible) to “For the love of money is a root of all kinds/sorts of evil.” Their usage of “kinds” or “sorts” is totally unwarranted, and a blatant perversion of God’s Book!

First Timothy—like Paul’s other three Pastoral Epistles (Second Timothy, Titus, and Philemon)—is a handbook for ministry workers. These words are the Holy Spirit’s instructions for maintaining a local assembly. The context of 1 Timothy 6:10, “the love of money is the root of all evil,” is ministry. Not “having money” but rather “loving money” is the root of all evil in ministry. Misconduct in ministry (compromise, false teaching, and so on) originates because someone seeks profit. They love the little “g” god, not the big “G” God (remember Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13!). Ministers must take extreme caution here, lest Satan conquer them.

Listing qualifications for bishops (pastors) and deacons (helpers), God the Holy Spirit required men “not greedy of filthy lucre” (1 Timothy 3:3,8). Titus 1:7 says “not given to filthy lucre.” Think of a “lucrative” bu$ine$$ operating according to corrupt or unethical principles. God’s ministry, including the local church, will become such a cesspool for greed if the wrong leaders are appointed. This iniquity is what Paul warned Timothy about in 1 Timothy chapter 6! Remember well the thieves robbing people in the Temple in the name of “God” in Matthew 21:12-14, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17! The “religious leaders” also cheated widows in Matthew 23:14, Mark 12:40, and Luke 20:47! Such false teachers want the fortunes of those they lead astray (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 16).

Yet, there is more….

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #14

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….

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #13

Monday, September 18, 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!

One of the 18 sins enumerated in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” In Luke 8:14, when describing how lost Israel will be distracted from believing the Gospel of the Kingdom in the ages to come, the Lord Jesus spoke of “cares and riches and pleasures of this life.” Without a doubt, the rich fool of Luke 12:16-21 and the rich man of Luke 16:19-31 preferred worldly luxury and momentary comforts to the righteousness of God in Christ. Satan’s evil world system is just as alluring in our day. Lost and saved alike are still being sidetracked to concentrate more on temporary matters than eternal ones.

The Holy Spirit through Paul adjusts our thinking. Back to 1 Timothy 6:8, “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” Another passage Paul wrote regarding contentment is Philippians 4:11-13: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” No matter his circumstances or situations (good or bad, abundance or poverty), Paul could be content because Father God had equipped him in Christ to handle all of life’s “ups and downs.” Remember, he was “in bonds” (house-arrest in Rome referenced in Acts 28:30,31) when he penned Philippians (see Philippians 1:7,13,14,16)! Yet, Philippians has well over a dozen verses about joy, joy, joy, JOY!

Yet, what if we fail to adopt this renewed mind and instead take up the world’s viewpoint in all this? Of course, the Holy Spirit anticipated the likelihood His instruction in righteousness would be willfully and totally ignored. Consequently, He issued even more warnings through Paul’s pen….

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #12

Sunday, September 17, 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!

Let us keep examining Paul’s words to Timothy: “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (1 Timothy 6:7). Could this be any plainer? We exited our mother’s womb owning nothing, and we will enter our tomb owning nothing! “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content” (verse 8). Owning basic material goods—something to eat, something to wear, shelter in which to live—is not a sin. These are needs that must be met.

However, human nature is sinful and becomes greedy (see Ephesians 4:19). It is not wrong to enjoy life and material blessings, but there is a substantial difference between this and attempting to fill God’s place with more and more worldly possessions. Remember, “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke 12:15).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Our spiritual blessings in Christ are ours forever—eternal life, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, forgiveness, acceptance, and so on (see Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:6,7; Colossians 1:14; et al.). Unlike physical possessions, these are true, permanent assets.

Once we are content with Father God and what He has done for us in Christ, we realize He is God and any material goods we have are not (recall Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). With these priorities in order, we can proceed to using our financial resources wisely for His glory….

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #11

Saturday, September 16, 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!

Carefully read 1 Timothy chapter 6: “[3] If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; [4] He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, [5] Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. [6] But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. [8] And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

The Holy Spirit through Paul counsels Timothy (and all Christians, but especially church leaders) to be on guard for false teachers and “from such withdraw thyself [get away from them!]” (verse 5). These charlatans in religion—these so-called “spiritual guides”—are described most vividly. One error motivating them is they are “supposing that gain is godliness” (verse 5). They promote the erroneous concept that any material prosperity, physical increase, or worldly profit is automatic worship of God (that it glorifies Him when someone prospers or increases or profits in the physical realm). Do not forget: these false teachers can “praise the Lord” (HA!) when they swindle their devotees to gain their fortunes!

On the contrary, “the doctrine which is according to godliness” (verse 3) is that which glorifies God and allows us to worship Him. That sound Bible teaching worthy of our trust is provided in Paul’s words to Timothy, including, “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (verse 6). To worship the Lord in keeping with Pauline revelation, and to be thankful to our Heavenly Father in all situations and circumstances for what we do have (regardless of amount, little or much), that combination (worship of God and contentment) is true gain, real increase, eternal advantage….

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #10

Friday, September 15, 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!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1,2). It is ever (!) so (!) critical (!) that we Christians think about prosperity and success as the Lord does, and not as lost people do. Again, “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind….”

For example, in the eyes of the world (“this present evil world” [Galatians 1:4] and all its supporters—following Satan [2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2]!), we are “successful” if we have acquired much knowledge (advanced degrees, long-time professional jobs, and so on), if we have many physical possessions (lands, houses, vehicles, gadgets, and so on), if we have an active social life (many children and grandchildren, friends, and so on), and the like. But, what saith the LORD?

The Church the Body of Christ has a tendency to adopt these secular standards and bring them into the local assembly. Allegedly, a church or ministry is “successful” if it has a “seminary-trained” (“scholarly!”) minister leading thousands or tens of thousands of people who meet to “worship” (?!) in a lavish, state-of-the-art auditorium. But, what saith the LORD? The Church the Body of Christ is also prone to taking these standards and evaluating an individual’s conduct. Supposedly, someone is a “successful” Christian if he or she attends church, earns a steady income, owns a nice home, has many social connections, and so on. But, what saith the LORD?

Dear friends, we should examine 1 Timothy to realize the Holy Spirit’s warnings through our Apostle Paul. Such dangerous thinking threatened Timothy’s own Christian life and ministry. Let us avoid this precarious situation before we find ourselves in it….

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #9

Thursday, September 14, 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!

Whether a costly bronze casket or a cheap cardboard coffin, whether a Mercedes-Benz hearse or a horse-drawn buggy, whether wearing a three-piece suit or tattered rags, billionaire and beggar alike carry nothing away after death. Both corpses go into the same earth, for neither is spared decomposition. The beggar lost what little he had, and the billionaire lost everything he had!

Hence, in the grand scheme of things, it is definitely more prudent to concentrate on acquiring a sizable spiritual bank account than a massive physical bank account. For example, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:30,31). Once we trust Christ as our personal Saviour—that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)—we get “in Christ.” We share His identity! Father God has made Jesus Christ our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption.

The ability to properly apply knowledge to life—we have it in Christ because He is our wisdom. A right standing before God—we have it in Christ because He is our righteousness. Holiness or being set apart for God’s purposes—we have it in Christ because He is our sanctification. Our being bought out of sin’s slave market—we have it in Christ because He is our redemption. If there is to be any pleasure, if there is to be any boasting, let it be that we are pleased in the Lord and see the worth only in Him. Instead of, “Look at what I did or look at what I have!” (works-religion!), true Christianity is, “Look at what Jesus Christ has been made for me and look at what He is to me!”

Here is wealth far, far beyond every scrap of precious metal and every specimen of precious stone….

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #8

Wednesday, September 13, 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!

Indeed, if you have enough money, you can purchase the most expensive house, the most luxurious vehicle, and the most exotic vacation. Yea, if you have sufficient funds, you can join the most exclusive club, buy the most prestigious political office, and bribe the most powerful judge. Most definitely, if you have enough money, you can attend the most scholarly institution, afford the most comprehensive healthcare, and maintain the most lavish lifestyle. Owning wealth is not a sin, but, if it becomes our priority, then we are well on our way to be sorely disappointed—whether in this life… or the next.

Untold billions of people will stand before God one day to argue why He should allow them into His Heaven. The wealthy will tell Him then what they tell us now. “But God, I was a bestselling author or musician. I was president of this lucrative business. I was an award-winning actor or actress. I left all my fortune to help the poor and needy.” Of course, such status and deeds gave them incomparable praise before people on Earth—but Almighty God will not be impressed!

Dear friends, let it be clearly understood. Never will the LORD God count trophies or award certificates, calculate grade point averages, examine bank records, identify winners of popularity contests, or review testimonials of preachers or professors. You had better believe He would not waste even five seconds of His precious time going over any of that nonsense! He has a much higher standard of determining who will get into Heaven and who will not. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). Here it is, dear friends, as plain and simple as 19 one-syllable words can make it. Everyone’s eternal destiny hinges on this basic Bible truth, regardless of earthly poverty or earthly affluency….

He Was One of The World’s Richest! #7

Tuesday, September 12, 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!

Recently, I read the protracted (and pompous) obituary of a woman whose earthly sojourn was just under a century. Her many accomplishments had been laid out in great detail for everyone to notice and admire. From a large family, she attended college, obtained a degree, and became a schoolteacher. She joined a certain prestigious club. The lady liked to be at the center of attention, especially when hosting or attending parties. She and her husband went on many pricey vacation trips. They played sports at their neighborhood country club. She taught her children and grandchildren how to plan meals and properly set tables. Being wealthy, she owned real silverware, fine china, and crystal! She cooked magnificent dishes and loved books. Quite religious, she “strove to be close to God.” Deeply devoted to her works-religion denominational church for decades, she taught religion classes and volunteered to participate in various charitable events.

The above profile is commonplace. Billions of sincere people spend much time, energy, and money pursuing happiness in this world. They are under the (false) impression that, provided they believe and do what they wish, they will lead a full and significant life. Yet, we mature Christians wonder. While they amassed physical possessions, what spiritual riches did they acquire? They enjoyed education and books, but did they ever read and believe so much as a single verse in the Holy Bible? Though they taught their children this skill or that ability, did they impart sound Bible doctrine to them? While they made important social connections, did they know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour? They attended church services and busied themselves with religious affairs, but was it ever the Holy Spirit working in their life?

Dear friends, when we contemplate these grave questions, disconcerting truths come into focus. A life that society applauds now seems unimportant, a person who appeared wise and successful is now revealed to be foolish and a failure, and the soul who seemed to be prosperous was in fact eternally bankrupt….

God’s Offer to the Nations

Monday, September 11, 2023

“…[T]hat God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is God’s offer to all the nations of the world today.

September 11, 2001 was a day that changed our nation forever. It was the worst terrorist attack in our two-century national history. Afterward, many Americans began to talk about “God Bless America” and “God Save the United States.” These phrases are not as commonplace as they used to be.

In the 22 years that have passed since that awful day, it is a sad commentary that “God” is now the least of our nation’s concerns. With the redefining of marriage, controversial political arena, moral decay, skyrocketing national debt, and the uncertainty as to what constitutes a human life and what does not, obviously, the God of the Bible has been largely pushed out… until we need His help, and then we cry out to Him. Unless we need Him, we rather not think about anything He has to say.

While many argue that God is judging America today for its sins, the Bible does not support such an idea. Certainly, God dealt with Israel in that manner—“Do good and I will bless, but disobey and I will curse” (Leviticus chapter 26; Deuteronomy chapter 28)—but we have no relation to that Old Covenant of Law.

For the last 20 centuries, God has offered His grace to all the world’s nations, to have a right standing before Him by trusting Jesus Christ. People still die and go to hell, but today’s Scripture says that God is not judging nations for their sins. Through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork, God offers reconciliation to sinners, whether here or around the world. However, that grace is exhaustible, and one day, it will be replaced with His wrath (Romans 2:1-16). Still, we believers are not appointed to God’s wrath; we are saved from all wrath through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).

The only hope for America—yea, for any nation—is faith in Jesus Christ alone!

*You can also see our 2011 Bible study commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. It can be watched here or read here.