Is Having Money Wrong? Is Trying To Be Successful Wrong?

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. 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.

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. 

1Timothy 6:7-10

     Many people live their lives as though it will never end. It isn't that they do not know about death, it is that they live as though it will never happen to them. Women are taught, preached at, demanded that they get empowerment, to be as a man, to be as good as a man, get a job, have independence, live a cosmopolitan life, and if married, live as though you are not, only living together. This may seem as though I am speaking against women. I am not! Men, have become effeminate, taught to look into themselves and see the feminine side of themselves, to be rich, independent, worldly, look "macho," be tough. Men have done exactly that: they have foregone their role as men, to be the provided as women have foregone their role to be a woman, to be a mate, and men have also, as they have silently said: "If they want to do what a man does, well, I will sit back and let them." The root of all this is "money," to have all the "play toys" a person can accumulate, to have the biggest house, the most expensive furniture, cars, and more, all to show the world that this person is successful and important. He or she is not! God does not care one iota about your success as a person of this world. God cares about your relationship with Him, with Jesus Christ and that you are led by the Holy Spirit according to His word. An Authentic Christian, one who has Authentic Christian Faith does not have the business of this world as their main focus, no, he or she has as their main business to bring others to the Saviour of their souls. You have brought nothing into this world and you will not take anything with you when you leave this world, and you are leaving whether you like it or not. In time for almost everyone people will no longer think of you, or remember you, example: Do you know the name of your great grandfather, what he did? Maybe, some may but most cannot remember this long past history. So why this rush to be rich, to be successful as the world determines success? Why not be successful in the eyes of God, Whom you will have to give an account of for all you have said and done? Are living now for God, or for yourselves? Oh! You say: "I am doing this for my children, good, I am doing this for others, good, I am doing this for my retirement, good, all this is necessary but all this does not supersede what you are to be doing as first and foremost in your lives. It is God first, second, third, etc., and you in the last place. If you are doing all for God, doing good, work, setting aside money for you children, good, but all this is not your most important focus or work as an Authentic Christian: you are to be doing all for God and if there is some good that comes from this, (I say this for there is trouble in this world which we cannot run from, some by our own hand and some by the hand of others), some will recognize what you are doing and others will not: but God sees all things. 

     Liberal Christianity has hurt the cause of Jesus Christ the most for it has allowed the culture of this world to infect the Church leading people to believe they are doing the will of God when in fact all they are doing is the will of this world. Do good things come for liberal Christianity? Yes! They have orphanages, do medical care, aid the homeless, even send out missionaries, and yet they do this for reasons that are in line with the transformation of society. The Church is the answer to societies needs, this is what the Church must achieve, but not at the expense of bringing the Gospel to the world. Many people join with this liberal ideas of Christianity, they feel somewhat godly, but their faith is not based upon Scripture, their faith is in their work. 

     Seeking riches will bring upon a person many snares, even going so far as to turn a person from Authentic Christian Faith to a faith in themselves, in this worlds attitudes. There is a most pressing need in the Church and that need is education according to the doctrines set forth in Scripture, not some new ideology or theology, rather the simple words of Scripture. Yes, some words are hard, we may even rebel, but those words are there not to hurt us, but to deliver us from error, from heresy, and turn us into the people that God is leading us to be. 

     It is good that by our good work money and success may come but that is not the primary focus for our money or success. What are you doing with your money, or success? Buying a bigger home? Buying fancier, and faster cars? Buying "play toys?" Or are you using this money and success in the service of God, to bring the Gospel to a lost and dying world? Are you caring for those in your Church? Those who have nothing and have needs, are you making sure that they have the necessities of life? Or, are you just attending Church, building up big stockpiles of money for a later day? Man, what a foolish thing that is for no one knows the day or hour, the minute of their death, sickness, and debilitating disease that makes all this wealth some foolish to have worked so hard for and now, this person cannot use it. Start at home, start in your Church, then extend to the world of Christians, and then the world that are not Christians, not necessarily in sequence but done, and bring comfort, peace, joy to those who need comfort, joy, and peace. Isolation is sticking your head in the sand but the problems of this world will not go away. Prepare now for the battle of life making a place where people who are the children of Christ may gather together, and forget your pride, your need for riches and success, bring all to the foot of the cross. 

Better is the poor that walketh

     in his uprightness, than he

that is perverse in his ways,

    though he be rich.

                   Proverbs 28:6

Store treasures in heaven

Richard L. Crumb