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May it turn in your Bibles to 
1 Timothy chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. We'll begin reading in verse 
3. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome 
words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the 
doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, 
but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from 
which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings 
of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth. who suppose 
that godliness is a means of gain. From such, withdraw yourself. Now 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 clothing, 
with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich 
fall into temptation and a snare. and into many foolish and harmful 
lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 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. But you, O man of God, flee these 
things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, 
gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, 
lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and 
have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 
I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things 
and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius 
Pilate. that you keep this commandment 
without spot, blameless, until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, 
which He will manifest in His own time. He who is the blessed 
and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who 
alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom 
no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting 
power. Amen. 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. Let them do good, that they be 
rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing 
up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they 
may lay hold on eternal life. O Timothy, guard what was committed 
to your trust. avoiding the profane and idle 
babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. 
By professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be 
with you. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, 
as we come to the scriptures again, we pray for the ministry 
of your Holy Spirit. We pray that he would illumine 
our minds and our hearts. We pray that you would cleanse 
us from all sin and that which darkens our understanding. and 
help us to receive with glad hearts your word. God, help us 
to take these things in. Help us to regulate our lives 
by the word of God and by the power of your Holy Spirit, so 
that we may genuinely and accurately reflect what God calls us to 
be in this lower world. Help us to shine as lights in 
a crooked and perverse generation, and grant us grace to hold forth 
the word of truth. And we pray these things in Jesus' 
name. Amen. Well, as this particular 
letter is coming to a close, the apostle now instructs Timothy, 
or tells Timothy, to command the rich in a particular course 
of action. If you are not rich tonight, 
do not tune out. It may be the case that you find 
a bag of money, or you do really well in your job, and you get 
a lot of money, and God has a demand, or God has some things for you. 
to consider. As well, when we read through 
this section in verses 17 to 19, we ought not to conclude 
that the poor have no temptations to pride, that the poor have 
no temptations to carnal presumption, or that the poor are always just 
doing good and being kind and benevolent to everyone. So there 
is something certainly in this passage for each and every one 
of us, that he is dealing with those who are rich in terms of 
monetary wealth. He speaks of this or specifies 
this in verse 17. command those who are rich in 
this present age, not in the age to come, where godliness 
is profitable for this age and that which is to come, but those 
who are rich in this present age, those who have done well 
in terms of their work. They have labored hard, they 
have labored smart, and God has prospered them in that particular 
calling. So it is people in view that 
are wealthy, those who have money. And so we'll look at this section 
with reference to the responsibility of Timothy and the church because 
Paul tells Timothy that he is to command those who are rich 
in this present age. We'll look then at the specific 
instructions given for the rich and then the reasons why they 
are to pursue this particular conduct. But note first the responsibility 
of Timothy. the implied, or it is implied, 
that you command those who are rich in this present age. Timothy 
is the subject. Timothy is the one that is to 
take seriously this injunction from Paul to do what Paul commands 
with reference to the rich. And we need to understand that 
Timothy was not to fear the rich. He was not to tread lightly around 
them. He was not to soften any blow 
of God's Word at the thought that they might leave the church. 
Unfortunately, men at times, and even ministers of the gospel, 
can be man-pleasers or can be intimidated by wealth and may 
not want to lose someone that is perhaps a big donor in the 
context of the local church. Paul will have nothing of that 
in the minister of Christ. He tells Timothy very specifically 
that you need to command those who are rich in this present 
age. He was to treat them without 
partiality as well. Leviticus 19.15 you shall not 
be partial to the poor nor honor the person of the mighty. You 
are to treat all men as men under God, who are duty-bound to do 
what the Word of the Lord specifies and mandates. The Lord God Most 
High, according to Deuteronomy 10, 17, is no respecter of persons, 
and neither are the ministers of the gospel supposed to be. 
respecters of persons. And what we see in this is not 
just applicable to Timothy, but it is applicable to all men of 
God subsequent to Timothy. This is a lasting mandate in 
the context of the local church wherein the rich have specific 
responsibilities based on the reality that God has prospered 
them. He doesn't give you a lot of 
money simply so you'll buy a lot of things. He gives you a lot 
of money so that you will be in a key position to do a lot 
of good. That's the emphasis that Paul 
wants Timothy to bring to those wealthy ones in the church in 
Ephesus. The specific duty is found in 
the beginning of verse 17. Command those who are rich. Timothy 
was not to suggest this. Timothy wasn't simply to email 
them. Timothy wasn't supposed to have 
Facebook posts in the hope that the rich persons of Ephesus would 
read it. He wasn't to have fireside chats 
with them and give them recommendations on how they ought to deal with 
their money. No, Timothy was to command them. Under God Most 
High, the minister of Christ commands those persons what they 
are supposed to do. The Apostle, as well, in this 
particular passage, we've already identified, he's dealing with 
those who are rich in this present age. He's not dealing with the 
false teachers, those men who suppose that godliness is a means 
of financial gain. He's not dealing with the persons 
he's previously spoken of in terms of warning. those who desire 
to be rich, those who would rather have riches than God. That's 
not who he's talking about. He's talking about a wealthier 
class of persons that occupy a place in the life of the church 
in Ephesus. The Lord God, according to Deuteronomy 
8.18, gives wealth. Proverbs 22.2 tells us that the 
poor and the rich, the Lord is the maker of all. And then as 
well in Mark 14 verse 7, Jesus is able to say to his disciples, 
the poor you will always have with you. What's the implication? There are poor people but there's 
also non-poor people and in fact some of those non-poor people 
oftentimes are wealthy or rich. Gill describes this class of 
citizens in this manner. He says, some are poor in this 
world and rich in another. Some are poor in this world and 
rich in another. That is you and I, if we don't 
have a lot of money, but we have Christ. We're poor in this world, 
but we're rich in another. He says others are rich in this 
world and poor and wretched and miserable in the world to come. There's a lot of people that 
have a lot of money in this present world, but with reference to 
the age to come, they're poor, they're wretched, and they're 
miserable. They do not have any riches laid up for them in the 
age to come. Then Gil says, some are rich 
in both worlds, and such were at least some of those the apostle 
here refers to, who were members of the church at Ephesus, which 
was a rich city, and some rich men in it were called by the 
grace of God. So you see, it is simply not 
the case that Christianity is only for one class of people. 
This is the beauty of the Christian gospel. It transcends all economic 
states. It transcends all ethnic states. It transcends all those particular 
distinctions that we have among men. God is pleased to save among 
the poor. God is pleased to save among 
the rich. God is pleased to save among 
the middle class. And so this is who Timothy is 
to command in the context of the local church with reference 
to what God specifies. Now notice the particular instructions. It breaks down into two categories. 
There are first prohibitions and secondly positive exhortations. The first prohibition is that 
they must resist pride. They must resist pride. Command those who are rich in 
this present age not to be haughty. The idea here is not to think 
exalted of themselves, or in an exalted term, do not think 
too highly. Do not be proud and haughty. Now, this again is not confined 
to the rich. Poor people can have a pride. Well, nobody knows what it's 
like to be poor like us. Well, that's a type of pride 
as well. But Paul isn't dealing here with 
the poor. He's dealing with the rich. and 
a temptation that oftentimes associates itself alongside of 
riches is pride, haughtiness. George Knight describes it this 
way, the rich are tempted to think that their greater monetary 
value indicates that they themselves are of greater worth or value. You see, that's wrong. We see 
that everywhere outside of the church. We ought to guard against 
that taking place within the church. We have persons that 
make a lot of money that look down upon others that do not 
have the same sort of income or the same sort of resources. They're just the rabble. I'm 
the truly successful. I am the one who has achieved. 
I am the one who has attained. Again, we expect such attitudes 
out in the world, but we ought to resist such things within 
the context of the local church. The Lord is the maker of both 
the poor and the rich. We have a common identity under 
Jesus Christ, and it ought not to be the case that those within 
the context of the local church who have more money than others 
are haughty, or high-minded, or exalted, or think that somehow 
they are better than other people. The sin of pride does not always 
accompany the rich. This is a temptation. you might 
meet some rich Christians that are very unassuming, that are 
not haughty, that are not proud, that are not arrogant, that do 
not look at it in that particular way. Again, Paul is not suggesting 
that every man who has a large bank account is necessarily proud, 
but Paul is telling Timothy to warn those who are rich that 
this is a possible corollary to the riches that one possesses 
and you need to guard against it. You must watch your hearts. God resists the proud, but he 
gives grace to the humble. There is no place in all of the 
Bible that indicates that pride is something good for a believer 
to possess. Pride is evil. Pride is wicked. Pride is bad. We can't say enough 
bad things about pride. Resist that tendency. Resist 
that temptation. Paul tells Timothy to command 
those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty. Secondly, 
by way of prohibition, they must resist idolatry. Notice what 
happens with the rich man. He says, nor to trust in uncertain 
riches but in the living God. Now again, it's not the case 
that every rich Christian is trusting in his wallet. It's 
not the case that every rich Christian is trusting in his 
retirement plan. It's not the case that he's going 
to his gold in his home vault and bowing to it. It's not necessarily 
the situation, but what can happen if a man is successful? What 
can happen if a man does have what we might call the Midas 
touch? He works well and everything turns to gold under his hand. 
He might seem to have this self-sufficiency or an independent spirit or a 
pride or a presumption that indicates that now it is this money that 
holds his heart in command. The idea here is to shift one's 
hope and confidence and trust in God to money. The idea is 
that man has now erected in the place of God an idol. It's interesting, 
in Ephesians 5, at verse 5, the Apostle says this, For this you 
know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man who 
is an idolater A covetous man is an idolater. A covetous man 
casts his longing upon an object that is not God. And in this 
particular instance Paul says, tell them not to trust in uncertain 
riches but in the living God. For this you know that no fornicator, 
unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater has any 
inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Proverbs 23 verses 
4 and 5. It says, do not overwork to be 
rich. Now, men, if your employer wants 
you to stay an extra hour, do not take Proverbs and say, well, 
I can't do that because God says not to. He may fire you and he 
may be within his rights to do so. Tony is an employer going, 
yeah, you're out. Do not overwork to be rich. Do not make that your pursuit. Overwork if your employer asks 
you. Typically, as younger men, you 
have to work more hours. It's just the way it is. We have 
strength and energy and vitality in our youth so that we can work 
more hours. As you get older, I didn't used 
to think this, but you start to slow down a little bit. The 
old body doesn't do what it once did. The mind doesn't track as 
quick as it once tracked. It's just the way it is. Young 
men are typically going to have to work harder and longer hours 
and then they hopefully will get promoted so that they don't 
have to do those sorts of things. Unless they own a business, then 
they work pretty much all the time. Listen to what Solomon 
says. Do not overwork to be rich. Because 
of your own understanding, cease. Will you set your eyes on that 
which is not? Do not trust in uncertain riches. If you're bowing to the bale 
that is gold, And something happens, not that it ever has, but gold 
loses its complete value. It goes from $1,200 an ounce 
in a day to zero the next day. That's uncertain. You can't rest 
upon that. There's no stability in that. 
There's no security. There's no lasting joy and blessing 
there. This is the same idea that Paul 
is encapsulating for us that is contained here in Proverbs 
23. Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches 
certainly make themselves wings, they fly away like an eagle toward 
heaven. Imagine living in the Great Depression 
in the late 20th century. What happened? Overnight the 
economy collapsed. What happens to those who are 
trusting in uncertain riches? Well, if you do a little research, 
you'll see what happened to at least some of them. They ended 
their lives. Their God no longer delivered. 
They were left in the lurch, and as a result, they engaged 
in all manner of wickedness. Psalm 62 verse 10, we read this 
at the outside of worship. Did you capture what the psalmist 
said? Do not trust in oppression, nor vainly hope in robbery. If 
riches increase, do not set your heart on them. You see, that's 
what Paul is telling the rich in Ephesus not to do. Do not 
trust in uncertain riches. You ought never to put your affections, 
and your longing, and your desire, and your hope, and your confidence, 
and your trust in anything that isn't God. We call that idolatry. The man is worshipping his mammoth. 
The man is worshipping his stacks of gold. The man is worshipping 
his portfolio. The man is trusting in something 
that is here for a day and not tomorrow. The idea is trust in 
the living God. Trust in the creator. Trust in 
the provider. Trust in the One who alone has 
power to sustain and power to bless and power to keep and stabilize 
you. He goes on and gives this as 
the antidote with reference to this not trusting in uncertain 
riches. He says, do not do this but in 
the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Isn't that 
beautiful? He gives us all things richly 
to enjoy. He doesn't give us all things 
so that we'll forget Him and worship the things. That's simply 
inaccurate. You don't trust in the gift, 
you trust in the giver. You don't trust in the uncertain 
gift, but you trust in the living God who has given you those things 
so that you can enjoy them, not idolize them. not worship them, 
not bow to them. You see, God in His grace, God 
in His mercy, God in His kindness, prospers some in their labor 
such that they make money. He doesn't do that so that they'll 
take that money and forget about God and pour their lusts out 
in an extravagant manner. That is simply not the case and 
Paul tells Timothy to 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." 
This idea of all things to enjoy. I think when we enjoy the gifts 
that God gives us and we are thankful to Him, it is a constant 
acknowledgement of the gift nature of the thing itself. In other 
words, when I'm enjoying a particular thing, instead of worshipping, 
instead of bowing to it, something I can take or leave, but while 
I have it, under God's kindness, I can enjoy it, and then I return 
thanks to Him, I think this is a great antidote to kill the 
sin of idolatry. It keeps us in a humble acknowledgement 
of where these good things came from, and it causes us to praise 
and adore and glorify Him. We also ought to have the idea 
that we hold it with a very loose grip, because God Most High may 
give it for a time and take it from us another time. So those 
are the prohibitions. Resist pride, resist idolatry. This is an absolutely necessary 
necessity that every proud man has. If somebody you know is 
a Christian and they've done well in their work life, do not 
automatically conclude that they're proud idolaters. Don't do that. Man, he must be proud. He must 
be an idolater because Paul says right there, no. Command them 
not to be these things. There are temptations that present 
themselves in a given situation. And in a given situation like 
the acquisition of riches, two things you need to be alert for, 
pride and idolatry. And you know, maybe God in his 
grace and mercy hasn't caused you to find a bag of money or 
to inherit a great amount of wealth or labor in such a way 
that you've broke the bank. Maybe there is a tendency in 
our hearts that he's trying to keep us from pursuing. Notice, 
secondly, the positive exhortations. Three given here. Let them do 
good. That's the first. They must do 
good. Turn to Acts 14.17 for just a 
moment. Acts 14.17. When Paul uses this statement 
in 1st Timothy chapter 6, this first time, they must do good, 
it's used here in a general sense, and I think it is fleshed out 
in the two following clauses. But just notice in Acts 14 at 
verse 17, nevertheless, this is Paul at Lystra and Barnabas. Remember that the men of Lystra 
wanted to bow down to Paul and Barnabas because they healed 
a particular man. So the men of Lystra wanted to 
worship them, and Paul and Barnabas said, don't do that. We are men 
of the same nature. We are men of like passions as 
you. The implication is that God is 
not of like passions. God is impassable. Acts 14.15 
is a proof text in the Westminster Confession of Faith for the statement 
that God is without passions. And there is a very good reason 
why it is there. He is not of the same nature. He is not of the like passion. Anyways, I digress. Let's go 
to 14.17. them speaking concerning the 
living and true God. Say in verse 17, nevertheless 
he did not leave himself without witness in that he did good. It's the same word that Paul 
enjoins upon the rich. They are to do good. the rich 
man has a means or a way by which he can imitate God. He can do 
good. Now certainly a poor man can 
do good as well. If you have two mites and you 
cough up one of them to somebody who's suffering or struggling, 
that is certainly good. But remember the context, he's 
not dealing with the poor man, he's dealing with the rich man. 
And the first imperative, or the first infinitive, the first 
thing they are told is that they must do good. You are not given 
this money, you are not given these riches, you are not given 
these things to do bad. You are not given these things 
in order to pursue your lusts. You are not given these things 
in order to build whatever it is that gratifies and satisfies 
your particular bent. You are to do good. Notice, secondly, what the Apostle 
says. Let them do good. One. Secondly, that they be rich in 
good works. You see, there's a responsibility 
that is enjoined upon the rich. Again, not that the poor man 
isn't to be rich in good works, but Paul uses this word rich 
over and over and over again in this particular context to 
essentially tell us this, the ones who are rich with goods 
are such because God gives richly all things to enjoy. Therefore, 
those who are rich with goods ought to be rich in good works 
with the resources that God has supplied." You see? He doesn't 
give you those things so you can bury them in your backyard 
and say, that's my God, that's my idol. He gives you those things 
so you'll cough up. so that you'll be rich in good 
works. Calvin said it this way, for the richer any man is, the 
more abundant are his means of doing good to others. Isn't that 
beautiful? The richer any man is, the more 
abundant are his means of doing good to others. When you get 
a raise at work, do you typically say, wow, now I can do more good 
in the kingdom of God. You say, no, I'm thinking about, 
wow, I can eat more burritos, or I can do this in my house. Brethren, we need to reorient 
the way we think. Perhaps we got that raised so 
that God the Lord will use us to do good works to those who 
have need. You see, we've got to rethink. 
What does Paul tell us in Romans 12? Do not be conformed to this 
world. The man of the world gets a raise, 
and he thinks big screen TV. The man in Christ gets a raise, 
and I'm not saying necessarily the big screen is sin and evil 
and abominable, but the man in Christ ought to be thinking good 
works, can be kind. There's brethren that hurt in 
the midst of the church. Brethren in Mosul that no longer 
have a house. Brethren in Mosul that no longer 
have jobs. Brethren all over the world that 
suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ. And I've just been given 
this raise, I ought to think in terms of how to engage in 
good works. The richer any man is, the more 
abundant are his means of doing good to others. Do not be conformed 
to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 
If God blesses and prospers you, think in terms of how you can 
do good works. Then thirdly, Paul goes on to 
say, after being, or let them do good, that they be rich in 
good works. Now notice he says, ready to give, willing to share. ready to give, willing to share. 
The idea here is generous. The cognate verb is used in Romans 
12.8 and Ephesians 4.28. The believer is to follow the 
pattern of the early church in Acts chapter 4. What did they 
do? They sold everything they had, 
they brought it to the apostles, they laid it at their feet, so 
that they could then distribute those things among the needy 
in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The believer, the rich 
believer in Ephesus, is to conduct himself the way the churches 
of Macedonia did. Notice in 2 Corinthians chapter 
8, verses 1 to 4, Moreover, brethren, We make known to you the grace 
of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, that in a great 
trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty 
abounded in the riches of their liberality." This wasn't a rich 
church. Specifically, Philippi is in 
view. It's a church that we see the latter, the Philippians. 
Notice in verse three, for I bear witness that according to their 
ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 
imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift 
and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. They coughed up. They were willing to share. They were ready to give. And then as well, Hebrews 13, 
16, But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices 
God is well pleased. Now notice, this isn't state 
mandated. It's not the government telling 
you to give all your money away. That's communism. This is God's 
command in the context of the local church. If you have been 
prospered, if you have profited, if you have been blessed by God, 
then it must be the case that you are ready to give, willing 
to share. Jonathan Edwards said, how unsuitable 
is it, or I'm sorry, how unsuitable it is for us who live only by 
kindness to be unkind. What would have become of us 
if Christ had been so saving of his blood and loath to bestow 
it as many men are of their money or goods? How unsuitable it is 
for us who live only by kindness to be unkind." So you see, the 
prohibitions given, they must resist pride, they must resist 
idolatry, the positive exhortations, they must do good, they must 
be rich in good works, they must give to others, and then finally 
notice the reason in verse 19, storing up for themselves a good 
foundation for the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal 
life. Calvin highlights the papists 
view he says the inference drawn by Papists from this passage 
that we therefore obtain eternal life by the merit of good works 
is excessively frivolous The idea is not 17 and 18 do these 
good things so that 19 you get eternal life That is not the 
way that the text is supposed to be read or understood. It 
is by grace We have been saved through faith It's not according 
to works, it is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ 
Jesus alone. I think the idea that is in view 
here is the same as what Jesus speaks to in Matthew chapter 
6, at least with this first clause. Storing up for themselves a good 
foundation for the time to come. Matthew 6, Lay up for yourselves 
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where 
thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there 
your heart will be also. The idea is that a man who has 
wealth in this present age, he ought not to seek all of the 
dividends and all of the benefits and all of the payback in this 
age. He is storing it up in another 
place. MacArthur captures it well. He 
says, storing up can be translated amassing a treasure, while foundation 
can refer to a fund. The idea is that the rich in 
this world should not be concerned with receiving a return on their 
earthly investment. You don't give good things or 
willing to share or engage in these good works just so you'll 
get back. Well, if I just do what God says, then I'll get 
more. That's popular teaching out there. Give to get. Give 
to get. Give to get. Now, God is nice. God is good and God is kind. 
Typically, when people are benevolent and charitable and kind, He does 
tend to give back. He gives good things to people. 
But it's not a formula. Give $100 and then hopefully 
you'll get $100 back. Give $100 and maybe you'll get 
$110 back. Keep that up and you'll be able 
to retire when you're 55. That's not it. That's not it 
at all. MacArthur says, the idea is that 
the rich in this world should not be concerned with receiving 
a return on their earthly investment. Those who make eternal investments 
will be content to receive their dividends in heaven. That's the 
idea behind this storing up for themselves a good foundation. 
for the time to come. And then that last clause, that 
they may lay hold on eternal life, it's parallel to what we 
see in verse 12. Fight the good fight, lay hold 
on eternal life. In verse 12 we see that Timothy 
is to lay hold on eternal life. Hold on to that which God graciously 
gave him. It's the same thing in view here. 
The rich is to hold on to that which God has graciously given 
him. In verse 12, Timothy is to do 
so by being faithful in the ministry of the Word, by being a fighting, 
fleeing, following man, being faithful in the calling that 
is his. By doing so, he manifests the 
reality that he is a blood-bought child of God and that he has 
eternal life. The same thing is true with the 
rich. by manifesting this benevolent spirit, by manifesting this charitable 
attitude, by engaging in the sorts of things that God has 
called them to, they give evidence to the reality that they possess 
eternal life, having been given to them graciously by God Most 
High. Timothy's faithfulness evidences 
the presence of eternal life The rich man's benevolence evidences 
the presence of eternal life. Towner said it requires not an 
earning of salvation or eternal life, but rather a demonstration 
of genuine godliness in the present age. If the man of God gives 
evidence that he is a possessor of eternal life by being a faithful 
preacher, by being a faithful shepherd, then the rich man gives 
evidence that he has eternal life by being charitable, by 
being large-hearted, by being kind, by not being a proud idolater. So that's the exposition. We 
conclude with a few thoughts and then we'll go. First, the 
temptations associated with riches. First, the pride that highlights 
one's own accomplishments rather than God's gracious provision. 
Do not trust in uncertain riches. If you possess wealth, do not 
trust in those things. Do not look to those things as 
your doing, as your accomplishment. Now, certainly God uses means. 
I think it was Ronald Reagan that said, the luckiest men are 
the ones that work the hardest. Typically isn't the case that 
you just get lucky and money falls into your lap. You gotta 
go out and work hard. God blesses means. But God blesses 
means. It's not you that has acquired 
or achieved or made this wealth. Wealth comes from the Lord, Deuteronomy 
8. As well, we need to at least 
recognize the selfishness that manifests itself in a lack of 
care and concern for others. God has prospered you, there 
ought to be that charity, that benevolence, that concern for 
others, that willingness to share, that readiness to give, that 
richness in good works. And then as well, a temptation 
associated with riches is the neglect of the kingdom's priority 
as highlighted by Jesus in Matthew chapter 6. Remember in verses 
19 to 21, do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth 
and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up 
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, 
and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your 
treasure is, there your heart will be also." So those are some 
temptations. Certainly there are others, and 
these ones attach themselves to poor people as well. So we 
need to be mindful of the fact that poor have inclination to 
pride. Poor have inclination to selfishness. poor have an inclination to neglect 
others. These are all typical of man. 
Whether we're poor or we're rich, we all have the same sorts of 
sin. And then I wanted to set forth 
some perspectives from the Bible concerning wealth or riches. 
And I had, as I developed this little list, it wasn't, you know, 
it's not comprehensive, it's not exhaustive, it's not the 
end all be all. But I thought I'd sure like to 
be able to see into people's hearts when I say there are 10 
of them because they're going to go, man, it's 6.05 and it's 
still 90 degrees and 10 is going to take a while. It's not going 
to take long. Ten perspectives on how to manage 
your financial world. No, I'm just kidding. Just ten 
perspectives, or ten elements, or ten characteristics that we 
need to reckon with in terms of money, benefit, resource, 
blessing from God Most High. First, we must understand that 
God owns everything. If we have anything, it's because 
of stewardship. is not a comprehensive, sovereign 
possession of things. It is because the One who comprehensively, 
sovereignly possesses all things has given us these resources 
for a time. We're not going to take them 
to the grave. God owns everything. Secondly, we must understand 
that God gives wealth. Deuteronomy 8.18. Thirdly, we must understand that 
godliness does not consist in the renunciation of wealth. We must understand that godliness 
does not consist in the renunciation of wealth. If any of you are 
convinced of this, there'll be a hat at the end. Just throw 
everything you own in there. We'll give it to Pastor Camp. Some have interpreted the Bible 
that way. Some have seen godliness as being 
poor. Some have seen that the necessity 
for ministers of the gospel is to take an oath of poverty. In other words, we ought to just 
walk around through the fields eating whatever berries we might 
find, living a bare, B-E-A-R, existence, because owning things 
is terrible! Command those who are rich in 
this present age to get rid of all their riches. That's what 
Paul would have said in the mindset of some who think that godliness 
consists in poverty. That's simply not the case. Paul 
doesn't tell them to get rid of everything they own and then 
they'll achieve true godliness. A rich man can be a godly man. 
A poor man can be an ungodly man. Fourthly, we must trust 
the giver, not the gifts. Fifth, we must pursue humility 
and resist the sin of pride. Number six, we must enjoy the 
gifts he gives. It's an interesting statement. 
One of the curses of the covenant in Deuteronomy 28 is that they 
would go into the land and they would not receive with thankfulness 
the good things that God gave them. How many of you parents 
would be happy to hand your child a gift and he doesn't even say 
thank you. He doesn't even give you a hug. 
He doesn't even kiss your cheek because you just can be bestowed 
on him this good gift. Say, wait a minute Brad, I just 
bought you this thing. You need to give me a little 
bit of love here. He said, well that seems a bit 
odd, but God gives us these gifts to enjoy. And if we don't enjoy 
them and express thanks to Him, that's wicked. Notice 1 Timothy 
chapter 4, verse 1. Now the Spirit expressly says 
that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving 
eve to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking 
lies and hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a 
hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from 
foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by 
those who believe and know the truth. God created both food 
and marriage to be received with Thanksgiving by those who believe 
and know the truth. We receive it with Thanksgiving. 
You sit down before that steak, thank God. When you enjoy the 
conjugal bliss of the marriage relationship, thank God. When 
you enjoy the companionship and the camaraderie that the Lord 
has given to you in a husband or a wife, praise God. You don't 
have to go alone. This is a blessing and we ought 
to be thankful. Verse four, for every creature 
of God is good and nothing is to be refused if it is received 
with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. Seventh, we must function as 
stewards over the resources he gives. It's not comprehensive 
sovereign possession of stuff. God has given it to us. God has 
blessed us with it. God has entrusted it to our hand. 
We are stewards functioning under His command. And 6.17-19 is filled 
with command on how we are to utilize that. Eighth, we must 
engage in charitable deeds. When Jesus teaches on acts of 
piety in Matthew chapter 6, He assumes that the people of God 
will fast. He assumes that the people of 
God will pray. And he assumes that the people 
of God will give alms. When you give alms. Don't be like the hypocrites 
who do it so they can be seen by men. But when you do it, do 
it for the glory of your Father. Your Father who sees in secret 
will reward you openly. You don't give to get praise 
from men. We must engage in charitable 
deeds. Ninth, we must do these charitable 
deeds in a cheerful manner. 2 Corinthians 9, 7. so that each one gives as he 
purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves 
a cheerful giver." I mean, if it's going to take an act of 
Congress for you to open your wallet and cough up, and it's 
everything in you that hates it and despises it, you've missed 
the point. If your wallet creaks open in 
the sight of the poor, You're going to blow the dust off it 
and pull out those old bills and hand them over grudgingly. This is everything else I'm giving 
to you. Don't do it, man. God loves a cheerful giver. Be 
happy. Rejoice. The Lord in his kindness, 
mercy, and goodness gave it to you. Don't just like it's everything 
killing you to hand it over to someone else. We must do these 
charitable deeds for God's glory not man's praise. So you see those 10 perspectives 
hopefully didn't take too long. Well as we conclude May God Most 
High, in His infinite mercy and grace, cause us to capture some 
of that in our own lives and in our own hearts. God does good. God calls his church to do good. God calls his people to do good. And may we, by his grace, take 
these things to heart. And may we seek, by his grace, 
to be charitable, to be benevolent, to be those who are ready to 
share, those who are willing to give all the things that are 
stipulated here upon the rich. May God, in His mercy, convey 
that upon us. And may He as well, in His mercy 
and grace, reach down and save any and all who are not saved. 17 to 19 doesn't contain a statement 
concerning Christ and Him crucified. But all of this is relative, 
or related to, rather, Christ and Him crucified. These are 
the ethics of the kingdom. How do we enter the kingdom? 
It's not by doing good. It's not by being rich. It's 
not by giving to others. It's by grace alone, through 
faith alone, in Christ alone. The only means by which we can 
actually be the sorts of persons that are described here is through 
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray and ask God to help 
us with these things. Our Father in heaven, we give 
you thanks that your word speaks to every area of our life. As the Confessions say, it speaks 
to all matters of faith and practice, and we have seen this to be the 
case. We thank you for this letter 
to Timothy. We thank you for all of the New Testament letters 
and the Gospels and the that the Old Testament and everything 
it sets forth concerning God and the way of salvation and 
the way of sanctification, I pray that you would seal these things 
to our hearts, help us to repent from sin, help us to be large-hearted, 
help us to be kind and gracious and generous. And I ask these 
things through Christ our Lord. Amen.