Wealth In Its Proper Place

Have you ever wished you were rich?  If only we had a fat bank account?  That we could walk into a department store and buy stuff without even looking at the price tag?

There are numerous people who dream of becoming rich.  There are get quick rich programs that says, “Be a Millionaire before 30”.  My Dad said that the closest he ever got was to have a millionaire . And to own a Mercedes, even though it was a second hand 20 year-old car! 

There is so much out there that urges us to get rich, invest into all kinds of wealth generating schemes, etc.  And it can all be so tempting.  But what does the Bible have to say about all this?  So today we will put Wealth In Its Proper Place.

As we examine the Scriptures, we find 1 Timothy 6:17-19 addressing the issue of wealth.  1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NIV) 17 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. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 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.

The city of Ephesus was a centre of commerce.  It was a prosperous city and there were some wealthy members in the church.  The instructions given in Scripture to them are instructive to us as well today.  Let us look at some of these principles.

HOPE NOT IN WEALTH

Scriptures puts it very clearly – do not put our hope in wealth.  Why?

Wealth is uncertain

1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV)  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain…

Scriptures throw a very different light on wealth. For material wealth is a temporal asset.  It will come and go. Proverbs 11:28 (NIV) Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.  Proverbs 23:4 - 5 (NIV) 4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

There will be those who race up the mountain of wealth and seem to bask in the limelight, but soon they fade away.  Eddy Groves was the founder and CEO of ABC Learning, once one of Australia’s largest companies and one of the world’s biggest childcare providers.  The company was worth $2.5 billion at one point making him one of the richest man in Australia. He lived a lavish lifestyle and was known as “Fast Eddie”.  He even bought the Brisbane Bullets basketball team and made them a successful team. But in 2008, everything fell apart.  ABC Learning went into bankruptcy with debts exceeding $1 billion and Eddy Groves lost almost everything.  He was pursued in court over many millions of debt.  It was then revealed that his marriage to his wife was a sham for business reasons.  They had actually separated in 1998 but never made it known until last year.

Australia has a whole list of people who became incredibly successful and almost disgustingly rich, only to fall into hard times.  The disgraced Alan Bond and Christopher Skase were the most well-known in Australia.

Even though the wealthy and famous may be admired, often their personal lives are in disarray.  Wealth does not guarantee us happiness nor peace in our hearts.  Eddy Groves with his sham of a marriage, Tiger Woods with his broken marriage.

In fact, often wealth can create incredible stress. There was an interview at 96.5FM, where a young man was once a very successful marketing manager at Harvey Norman.  He was instrumental in marketing of the Computing Division at Harvey Norman.  He helped grow the company from scratch to a highly successful, multi-million division.  He had a wonderful reputation.  Then one day his wife gave him a short business proposition.  Quit his job or be divorced.  His success was limited to only one facet of his life while he was failing in his family life.  

Those who place their hope in wealth will be greatly disappointed.

Beware arrogance of wealth

1 Timothy 6:17 also warned the wealthy not to be arrogant.  Why this warning to the wealthy? No doubt, those who have worked hard and grew wealthy often did this through hard work and by having insightful business acumen.  Through smart business deals, wisely reading the sign of the times, by building strong business relationships and so forth.  No doubt, evidence of wisdom.

Yet what does the Bible have to say?  The Scriptures gave a warning to a wealthy man in Ezekiel 28:2 - 5 (NIV)  2“Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “‘In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.”  But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god. 3 Are you wiser than Daniel? Is no secret hidden from you? 4 By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries. 5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud.

We can become rich because of natural wisdom.  But natural wisdom can lead us down the path of pride.

This ruler had great skills, wisdom and understanding!  He became exceedingly wealthy.  And he became exceedingly proud!  There is a difference between natural wisdom and godly wisdom.  We can become rich because of natural wisdom.  But natural wisdom can lead us down the path of pride, where we may begin to think too highly of ourselves. Proverbs 28:11 (NIV) A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.

A poor man with discernment sees an arrogant man, not a wise man.  One danger of having built our wealth is that we may begin to think too highly of ourselves. I am not saying only the wealthy face this problem.  Many other people can become proud.  But for the rich, this is a particularly strong danger.  If we have been fortunate to be wealthy or to become wealthy one day, it would be good to remember to keep humble before God!

For some of us perhaps not being wealthy may be a blessing. Otherwise we may easily become arrogant! Though some of us may wish, can we just be a little rich?

HOPE IN GOD

1 Timothy 6:17b (NIV) “...but to put their hope in God...”

The Scriptures urge us not to put our hope in wealth, but to place our hope in God.  We are to take our focus away from wealth and towards God!  Why?

God has the final say, not wealth.

Luke 12:16 - 21 (NIV) 16And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  17He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  19And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

 Wealth is like a painkiller, it can help dull the pain of sin but it is no cure. 

Wealth is no saviour, it saves no one.  Only God can.  Wealth is like a painkiller, it can help dull the pain of sin but it is no cure.  In fact, it often hides the fact there is a serious problem.  Wealth is no panacea, but in fact may be a drug.  On the other hand, God loves us enough to want to help us deal with our root problem.  And that is sin.  God is faithful and will not let us down, if we would trust in Him. 

God provides generously

1 Timothy 6:17c (NIV) “...who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”

When we pursue after God first, rather than wealth – it does not mean we become poor and destitute because we run away from wealth.  The Bible never speaks about fleeing from wealth.  It speaks about feeling idolatry, sexual immorality, wicked deeds, greed, but never wealth. It is ok to be wealthy and God does bless some of His people to be wealthy.

For some of us, God probably knows better that we should not be wealthy – otherwise we may become proud, etc.  But nevertheless, when we walk with God properly, we will experience God’s blessings.  For God will provide generously.  God wants us to be able to enjoy the fruits of our labour. Isaiah 65:22 (NIV)...For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands.

God knows what we need.  He will provide as we seek Him first. Matthew 6:33 (NIV) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

It is fine to be wealthy, but make sure it is never at the expense of our focus on God.

BRING HOPE WITH WEALTH

Be good stewards of wealth

1 Timothy 6:18 (NIV) Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

The rich are to be commanded to be rich in good deeds.

The rich are to be commanded to be rich in good deeds.  They are to make use of their wealth generously to bless others.  Why?  Because we must understand that we are merely stewards of all we have.  You see, God owns everything. Psalms 24:1 (NIV)  The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;

Everything we have comes from God, our giftedness, even our personality comes from God.  James 1:17 (NIV) Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights... 

God has allowed, even blessed some of us to gain wealth.  But we should understand that we are called to be stewards of all that we have.  That we may use it wisely for His glory and for His kingdom. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.   

For example, the parable of Matthew 25:15 tells us different servants being given different amounts of talent.  One is given 5 talents, another 2 and another 1.  When the master returned, he expected each to have been faithful with these talents.  The one with 5 gained 5 more and was rewarded by the master.  The one with 2 gained 2 more and was rewarded as well.  When we are faithful stewards, God is pleased and reward us.  Hence, should we have wealth, we should be wise stewards and use it wisely to be a blessing to others.  Be generous to help.

God will not measure how much wealth you generated.  But how much of your wealth did you use faithfully to bring glory to God.

In the end, God will not measure how much wealth you generated.  But how much of your wealth did you use faithfully to bring glory to God.  I believe that God wants to bring wealthy Christians together to strategically make an impact for His Kingdom.  If God has given you funds, perhaps you can consider how to strategically sow it in the Kingdom.

Sow to build people’s lives.  Perhaps to encourage different ones to grow in God’s Word.  Helping fund them for conferences.  Perhaps to help certain ministries – helping them to purchase equipment or fund them to get training. Perhaps fund different community projects that help the needy.

Seek eternal treasure

1 Timothy 6:19 (NIV) 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.

Put priority into building their treasures in heaven, more than treasures on earth. 

The Scriptures urge the wealthy to put priority into building their treasures in heaven, more than treasures on earth. For the treasures in heaven is eternal.  Matthew 6:19 - 21 (NIV) 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

It is far more important to build treasures that last, than treasures that are fleeting, quickly gone.  I rather be a poor man on earth and a rich man in God, than a rich man on earth who is poor in God!  There will be many today who are not wealthy on earth, but wait till they get to heaven.  God will roll out the red carpet for some of them.  The angels will give them a celebrity treatment.  They will cheer them on as they walk past the pearly gates.  They will be awarded the Heavenly Oscar awards for Best Giver, Best Steward, Best Builder of the Kingdom.  Perhaps an award for being the Richest Poor Believer.

When we do what is right before God.  When we bless others.  When we do good deeds, God will give a tick! You gain heavenly brownie points!

CONCLUSIONS

Wealth must be put in its proper place.  Wealth can be a curse if approached wrongly.  It can be a blessing if approach God’s way.  Wealth when properly used for God’s Kingdom can be a blessing to many.  Most importantly, build treasures in heaven first rather than on earth.

---

Copyright©️2025 by Wilson Lim. All rights reserved. Materials are free to be distributed in whole or part as long as proper acknowledgement is given to the author and not sold for profit.