With money we can accomplish a lot. We can use money to buy food, clothes, and medicine for our family, pay utility bills, and pay for our transportation needs. In the Lord’s work we can use money to help preach the gospel to the lost, help purchase Bibles and sound literature to build up the church, and help those that are in need. Yes, with money we can do a number of things that are beneficial to our families, the church, and other people.

There is another part of the story of wealth that Jesus wants us to see. When He explained His parable of the sower, He said that the thorny soil represents the situation when the seed or word of God is sown and a person hears it (and it is implied that he obeys it, becoming Jesus’ disciple), but in the course of time ". . . the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful" (Mark 4:19). Brethren, the "deceitfulness of riches" can cause Christians to become unfruitful. Jesus made it plain that a follower of His that does not bear fruit does not glorify God and will be cast off! (John 15:1-8). Whereas many have a craving for riches, few seem to comprehend that riches can be deceitful and pose a potential danger to any of us.

Riches, in and of themselves, are neither holy nor evil. Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, and were blessed with great material riches, yet they remained faithful servants of Jehovah. The danger of riches lies in one being tempted to "trust" in them (Mark 10:23,24). Realizing that "the love of money is the root of all ["all kinds of," ASV] evil" (1 Timothy 6:10), we need to take seriously Jesus’ warning about "the deceitfulness of riches."

(1) We are deceived by riches if we think that possessing them can solve all the problems of life. If we in haste say unkind words that hurt the feelings of a close friend, money, regardless of the amount, cannot undo the damage done. When we hurt inside because we have lost a loved one, riches can do nothing to soften the pain. No, riches do not solve every difficulty of life.

(2) We are deceived by riches if we think that possessing them is the key to being successful in life. It is true that worldly-minded people may equate the possession of riches with success and the absence of riches as proof of failure in life. But, God told Joshua to meditate on His law, ". . . that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have success" (Joshua 1:8). If you and I do God’s will, then in His sight we are a success, regardless of the amount of material riches we possess!

(3) We are deceived by riches if we think that possessing them is the key to being happy in life. We often hear of rich people committing suicide, but it is not because their life is filled with joy! Riches, yes, but not joy. Remember, we can have true "abundant life" through Jesus (John 10:10). Remember, the saints of Macedonia were in "deep poverty," yet they were filled with joy. Why? Because they first gave themselves to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:2,5).

(4) We are deceived by riches if we love them more than we love the Lord. Our love for the Lord God must be greater than our love for anything or anybody! (Mark 12:30). One cannot serve with all the heart both riches and God (Matthew 6:24). Again, the key is not the amount of our material riches, but our attitude toward them.

(5) We are deceived by riches if we think that the amount of money we possess is a measurement of our righteousness. Possessing riches, or lacking them, does not prove anything about our spiritual relationship with God. The Bible does not teach that every rich person will be saved (nor does it teach than every rich person is headed to hell). Jesus described one rich farmer as a "fool" (Luke 12:16-20), and He told of another "rich man" that was in the torment of fire after he died (Luke 16:19-31). At the same time, the Bible also plainly shows that those who lack great material riches can still be faithful followers of the Christ. We think again of the poor, but faithful saints in Macedonia (2 Corinthians 8:2,3).

Let us strive to follow the charge of Jesus: "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Matthew 6:20).

-- Roger D. Campbell