Weekly sermon4-25-10 For The Love Of Money
Last week we talked about being happy with the things we have and what the repercussions are if we are not joyous and happy with God for the things we have. This week I want us to talk about, probably one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. I want us to talk about money.
Turn with me if you will to 1 Timothy 6:10, "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."
The biggest misinterpretation with this verse is the word "money". Many folks believe that money is the root to all evil, or that the Bible believes that money is the root to all evil. As we can see here such is not the case. Now I want us to look and really understand WHY this verse is so misunderstood. The reason for the problem is that one single word we have mentioned, money.
Let us break this verse down so that we can fully understand what it really means.
The first thing I want us to look at is the first part of the verse, "for the love of money". The Greek for this particular part of the verse is "Philarguria", which means, the love of money, not money itself. The love part, not the money part, is the root to all the evils that were mentioned in the previous verse. 1 Timothy 6:9, "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." If we really look at things, even the love is not the root to all the evils that have ever been. Lucifer and Adam both fell to the evils of sin and it was not over love at all. Lucifer thought that he would be as powerful as God and Adam was betrayed by Lucifer. Neither of these evils happened because of love. I know this part sounds a bit confusing because I have just said that it is not the money that is the root to all evil and it is not the love that is the root to all evil, but it is the love of money that is the root to all evil.
All roots of evil were not caused by the love of money either. If you look at Sodom and Gomorrah and many others in the Bible fell and it was not due to the love of money. We would have to look at the rest of this verse to totally understand what is being said here.
The next word I want us to pay notice to here is "covet". The Greek word for covet is "Orego", meaning to covet or desire. If our whole desire is that we have money, then we have lost the true desire that we should be looking for. If we have the love of money so much that we covet or solely desire it, then we have erred in faith.
What does that word err mean? The Greek word used here is "Apoplanao" meaning, a total err. This type of err means that if we covet and love money that we err totally from the faith of Christ that we once had. It would be hard to err from a faith we never had, if we solely desired money and not focused our eyes on the real prize, that of our inheritance in Heaven.
Many folks really misunderstand this passage of scripture because of two reasons. One they have fallen to the sin of greed and they love the money more than they should and have lost focus on the real prize, or they have never had money and do not understand what it is that money can do to them. Once money is found many folks get a taste of something they never had and it excites them so much that they lose who they really were.
My dad told me many stories of long ago and how they lived. My dad never missed or understood having a cell phone, because he had never had one. Once he got one he could not go without it. The reason he could not understand is because you can not miss something you have never been exposed to, but if you are exposed to a certain thing, and enjoy that thing, you will become accustomed to that thing. Once you have become accustomed to that thing, you start to love the thing more than you should.
This is the main reason that the Bible talks to us about not relying on worldly possessions. There is an old saying that says, what do you get a man who has everything?, nothing. Well I would like to say, what do you get a man who has nothing?, nothing. Why do I say nothing? I believe that if a man has nothing then they keep their eyes focused on the one thing that God did want them to have, the ability to worship and spread God's word. I am NOT saying that man should never have possessions, because God intended our stay on earth to be one of pleasure and enjoyment, but at the same time be like Christ and perform the will of God.
I am not saying that we should not enjoy the things that have been offered to us while we spend our time here on earth, but I am saying that we must maintain our focus on the true prize. The true prize I am talking about is a place where our possessions will never rust or tarnish, a place where we will have true wealth, our place at the right hand of God, in Heaven.
Christ came and died for one reason and that reason was not so that we could love money or worldly possessions, but for our sins that we, as sinful man, could spend eternity with a loving God.
If you have never put yourself into a position to receive your just inheritance into the Kingdom of Heaven and live life that is wealthier than any other, we give you this opportunity to take advantage and say a simple prayer with me that will totally change your life.
Say this simple prayer with me, Dear Lord, I want you to be the Lord over my life, forgive me of my sins, and give me the gift of everlasting life. Amen.
If you have said this simple prayer, then we believe that you have received salvation. We would love to rejoice with you, so please drop us a note, in our link, to let us know and confess Jesus before man, so that we may send you a few things that we hope will help you in your new Christian walk.
With Love in Christ,
Pastor Stone
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