THIS PRESENT AGE
1 Timothy 6:10, 17-19 NKJV
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
As Paul is completing his letter to Timothy, he speaks to the topics of money and rich people. His words have been twisted over the years, but there are some important truths we need to see about money in this present age.
Money is not evil. Some have taken money to be the source of all evil, but that's not what the Scripture says. It's the love of money that is a root of all kinds of evil. Money is not evil. It is neutral. We can take money to fund gospel and humanitarian efforts, or we can take that same money and buy drugs and support illegal activities. It's the longing for money that has caused some people to wander away from their faith in Christ Jesus. And they wind up hurting themselves. If money in itself is evil, then Paul's instructions to Timothy in verses 17-19 are erroneous.
Command those who are rich in this present age. That short phrase tells us a great deal. There is a present age, which is the world we are living in today. But there is also an age to come. Paul had a good sense of this eternal perspective. He was conscious of the fact that this world is not all there is. There is a world and an age to come that will be for eternity. This is why he told Timothy to exercise himself to being godly. Godliness will profit in this life and the one to come.
Rich in this present age also implies that riches may not carry over. If rich here automatically meant rich in the next age, there would have been no reason for Paul to use that particular wording. Paul was not overly amazed with rich people in this age, most likely because he was aware of how temporary life is in this world.
And Paul had a great sense of God being the source of all good things. So, he instructs Timothy to tell the rich people to not be arrogant and conceited. And he tells them not to trust in the uncertainty of earthly wealth. Their trust is to be in the living God, who gives to all richly all things to enjoy. Side note: it’s okay to enjoy the good things God gives us. Paul was much more enamored with God than he was with rich people.
So Paul continues to instruct the rich. Be generous and willing to share, rich in good works, ready to give. Paul is advocating that the rich use their wealth for the good of God's Kingdom. And then catch what he says next—storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come. Paul once again is pointing to the next age, the world to come. In their giving and sharing and doing good with their money, they are taking to themselves that which is life indeed. True life is not found in having money but in using money to be a blessing and advance God's Kingdom. Jesus said that a man's life does not consist in the abundance of things he owns. (Luke 12:15)
APPLICATION
If money was evil, Paul would have instructed Timothy to warn the rich to get rid of it in order to not be corrupted. Instead, Paul simply warns of putting money on too high of a pedestal. We trust in the living God and use money to be a blessing.
Also, it is important to remember that what we do in this present age has an impact on the next age. We can not afford to live as if this world is all there is. So we enjoy what God gives us in this life but don't fixate on the material stuff. Keep a spiritual eye out for the world to come, an eternal perspective. It will be here sooner than we think.
PRAYER
Thank You, Father, for giving me richly all things to enjoy. Help me to become more aware of the age to come and show me what I must do to store up a good foundation for that day.