Wealth is not the Sign of God's Favor
Wealth is not the sign of God's Favor! Many wicked and devious individuals have acquired great wealth!! Those who are truth-believers, must begin by summarizing what the scriptures says about—money wealth, riches and poverty.
In Jesus' time it was a common belief that great wealth was a sign of God's favor and poverty was God's punishment for sin.
Some Old Testament verses do reflect the idea however, that poverty is a natural consequence of foolish actions.
Jesus denied that having wealth is ‘the’ way, nor the ‘only’ way), as sign of God's favor…nor is poverty, God's punishment for sin!
This is shown most clearly in His parable of the rich man and Lazarus. I’ve found that part of the reason the rich man ended up in hell was because of his hard-heartedness toward the beggar Lazarus. His great wealth was obviously not a sign of God's favor. The beggar Lazarus ended up in heaven although he was about as impoverished as a man could be.
Despite the scripture’s many warnings against it—the idea that wealth is ‘the’ sign of God's favor, and that the poor have done something to deserve their condition, still persists as an undercurrent today, and is sometimes used to justify a callous attitude toward those who are poor or lacking in resources!
Believers must stop mimicking people who repeat fallacies, in order to downplay the value of the gifts that God has empowered in them, and must purge out and re-evaluate what is real truth!
Wealth Is a Gift from God
Those of us who have been blessed with wealth, have a responsibility to share generously with the less fortunate, and avoid the sins of arrogance, dishonesty and greed. We should view our wealth as a gift from God, entrusted to us, to carry out His work on earth.
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Wealth Can be very Dangerous
Jesus looked at his disciples and said, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!" The disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said it to them again:
"Children, how hard (not impossible), it is to enter the Kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"
They obviously assumed that since they were wealthy, then this was God’s favor—His grace, acceptance, approval and preference—and that they would automatically get into heaven! The assumption was that because of other’s poverty, that they would not be accepted and gain entry into heaven. They felt that the favor of God requires that one be wealthy! Wrong again!
Jesus looked at them and addressed their understanding of those who were not wealthy or rich, and thought to be without God’s favor and consequently would be hindered or stopped from entering into the kingdom.
On the contrary, if someone has lived un-righteously—unethical, immorally, and without virtue, whether rich or poor…an un-righteous life/lifestyle, in itself will stop the favor of God and entrance into heaven. Let’s remember this when we attempt to verbally put ungodly, uncommitted people into God’s heaven, as if He will change! He said, He is God and that His word cannot be altered or broken!
It is not that wealth is intrinsically evil, or that poverty is blessed, but a ‘devotion to gathering wealth’, is incapable of existing together with ‘devotion to God.’
God must always be the most important thing in our lives!
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
The craving for wealth and possessions can lead us into all kinds of temptation
Many who spend evenings and weekends earning extra money, are depriving their families of love and attention. Oftentimes taking unfair advantage of their customers, employers and employees. They may attempt to rationalize this greed by closing their minds and hearts to the needs and rights of others, but in the process could end up being stingy, bitter and isolated.
Don't weary yourself to gain wealth. Those who toil to acquire wealth never get rest or sleep. They become strangers to their families, sorely tempted to work even on God's day of rest, turning themselves into slaves.
God is not against people becoming wealthy. There are people in the history of the scriptures who became wealthy because of God's specific blessing upon them. So God is not "anti-wealth" as some people would suppose. But He is concerned with how people view money and wealth - and how they pursue it. This is where the real danger lies.
Wearying oneself to gain wealth, to the point of putting forth great effort and exhausting exertion to try to accomplish something, loses focus on God’s purpose!
God is for hard work, and wants us to work hard at the things we do. He wants us to offer excellence and effort to our jobs and in the things we do for Him and for others. The Lord is not encouraging laziness here. He is however, saying that those who put forth exhausting labor with the ultimate goal being to become wealthy are focusing on the wrong goal!
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul…(and pursues something that will lead to his downfall), or…what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Those who incessantly strive to get rich, usually fall into temptation, a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that will plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
we all must Avoid Dishonesty
Integrity is usually defined as doing the right thing when no one is watching. A person who lacks integrity and is dishonest, will make decisions based on how it will make them look rather than how it will benefit others.
The rationalization process of interpreting and explaining one’s pursuit of wealth, as a priority over the will of God, and the pursuit of dishonest gain can make a person cold, cynical and separated from God! In whatever form…dishonesty brings only fear of being discovered, and never, ever…peace of mind.
The LORD hates dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. (Proverbs 11:1)