While there are those in America who can’t afford food or shelter, but generally speaking, if you compare yourself to others around the world, you are filthy rich. American Christians are among the wealthiest believers to have ever lived! I remember reading a book in seminary called, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger (ethics class), and I have been empathetic to the poor ever since.
There’s nothing wrong with being rich, but God has some very specific things to say to rich Christians. I even delivered a message back in 2010 about Investing in Eternity.
Take a look at 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Paul tells Timothy to give rich Christians some information.
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
So let’s take a look at 10 things God wants rich Christians to do:
1. Don’t Be Proud: Some translations use the word, haughty, which is blatantly and disdainfully proud. It might indicate the stereotypical rich snob, who feels they have more self worth than others because they have more net worth than others.
2. Don’t Put Your Trust in Money: It’s funny how we feel more comfortable and at ease when our bank account is full, and much less comfortable when our bank account is empty. Those are natural feelings, but where do they come from? Many times it’s because money is our idol and we put our hope and trust in our cash instead of the sovereign Creator of all things.
3. Put Your Trust in God: God is the One who promises to take care of his children. Everything we have ever earned, received, or worked for is a direct gift from him. He is the One we look to for our hope, faith, and trust, not wealth.
4. Enjoy Your Money: God created us to glorify and worship him by enjoying Him forever. We enjoy Him by enjoying the things He has given us. God gives us money to invest in eternity, but he also wants us to enjoy it as well. Use it to glorify him by enjoying what he’s given you, and always remember him as the source!
5. Do Good: Use your money for good things, like helping others and giving to the poor. Don’t just spend lavishly on yourself.
6. Be Wealthy With Good Works: Instead of constantly trying to dream of ways to build wealth with your business or work, dream about how to build wealth in terms of your good works towards others.
7. Be Generous: Generosity should be the mark of every Christian, especially rich Christians. After all, Christ gave up all the riches of heaven to become poor so that we (through his life, death, and resurrection) might become eternally rich!
8. Be Ready to Share: You become ready to share by getting rid of generosity killers like debt, greed, pride and busyness!
9. Store Up Treasure in Heaven: What does it mean to store up treasure in heaven? Back in those days, Jews would have understood treasure in heaven to mean deeds of mercy and deeds of kindness to those in need. We build great wealth in heaven by eagerly helping the poor, needy, and distressed of this world.
10. Experience True Life: True and lasting life is an eternity spent with your heavenly Father who loves you and sent his Son to die for you. Jesus lived the perfect life that you and I never could to make atonement for sins we have committed. He died a gruesome and horrendous death on a cross, one that you and I deserved to die. And yet, he laid his life down willingly. For the joy that was set before Him, he endured the beatings. He scorned the shame of a Roman cross, for you. He went to that hill to die and all the while he whispered that he loves you.
That is what we cling to, not our wealth. Not our money-making plans, or our business ventures. Those things aren’t wrong, but they aren’t true life! Look to Jesus Christ, the source of true life!
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