Greed vs Riches

June 6, 2019 Edited by: Anthony Tijerina

Finances

Stewardship

Leaves of Healing

John Alexander Dowie

Zion City Bank by Deacon W. S. Peckham
Leaves of Healing Volume 8 No. 1
edited by Anthony Tijerina

It is always a great mistake to consider a single verse in God's Word apart from the passage from which it is taken. Most of the false teaching of the centuries can be traced to this unfair way of handling the Word of God. In reading the Word, the reader should always keep in mind the thought of the inspired writer and the particular truth which he is setting forth in the passage read. Never separate a verse from its content and draw conclusions from it alone. The Christian world has again and again been torn by controversies, resulting from taking a single verse and building up some theory or theories which were never in the mind of the writer. Much, if not all, of the bitter strife between sects and Church members can be traced to this source. Sects are always founded up on sections of truth. Men will throw aside passage after passage of direct and plain teaching, and stubbornly hold to a single verse to uphold some theory of their own. We know of no case in which this has been so persistently done as in the topic of riches. Many people conscientiously believe that riches will keep a man out of heaven and that it is positively wicked to accumulate money or property.

Such people quote the passage:

Lay not up for yourself treasures upon the earth, . . . for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

The thought of the Master is that we are not to make treasures of riches or set our hearts upon them. There is no condemnation of riches; only a warning that we must not seek worldly riches and neglect the greater spiritual riches.

One version makes Jesus say:

Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body what you shall put on.

Matthew 6:25

But Jesus really said:
“take no anxious thought”

In the same passage, He says we shall have these things as a byproduct if they are not our first concern:

But seek ye first His Kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

Jesus could not have spoken against a wise provision for the future, for in many other passages we are taught to do so and to increase the money God gives us.

Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.

Matthew 25:27

He said therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called ten servants of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said unto them, Trade ye herewith till I come.

Luke 19:12-13

Then wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank, and I at my coming should have required it with interest?.

Luke 19:23

The Apostle Paul said it was the duty of parents to lay up for their children:

Behold this is the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a burden to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

2 Corinthians 12:14

When the rich young ruler came to Jesus and would not give up his riches for Eternal Life, Jesus turned and said unto His disciples:

How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God!

Mark 10:23

But in the following verses, Jesus plainly says it is because he trusted in his riches:

And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!

Mark 10:24

Note: I added this because I noticed most versions leave out “trust in riches” because of bias towards having riches.

In the same chapter Jesus says if we are faithful and obedient we shall have riches:

Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for My sake, and for the Gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and [children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come Eternal Life.

Mark 10:29-30

According to this promise, Believers will become very rich.

Jesus would not promise riches and condemn them at the same time. We are taught in God's Word not to seek after riches, but to use the talents God gives, and if riches increase, to hold them as God's stewards.

Riches in the hands of a godly man are always a source of power and great blessing. Some men give their whole thought to making money and love it as an idol.

This is what is condemned in the Scriptures:

But they that desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows

1 Timothy 6:9-10

Many fail to distinguish between being rich and setting the heart upon riches.

Paul in the eighth chapter of 2 Corinthians, in speaking about poverty, riches, and liberality, says Jesus became poor that we might be rich.

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, that ye through His poverty might become rich.

There is a great deal of sentimental nonsense taught about riches and laying up money, and also providing for the future. "It is a sin to hoard up money as a miser does, and all money- must be used for God." Shall we be bigger fools than the squirrels who in the fall store nuts for the coming winter?

Where would a man get his coal and wood, silver and gold, metals, etc., if God had not stored them up for his future need? God will supply all our needs when we have done our part. We are never to worry but must use all diligence.

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Proverbs 10:4

There is no virtue in being poor, nor sin in being rich. A poor man may be a great sinner, and a rich man a saint. The man who boasts of his poverty is as bad as the man who boasts of his wealth, and pride dwells in each of their hearts.

There is a class of sanctimonious people who uphold poverty and look upon riches as something to be shunned. How will they get along in the New Jerusalem, whose streets are paved with pure gold, whose gates are pearls, whose walls are Jasper, and within whose walls are riches and glories untold?

Thank God, there are no almshouses or hovels in heaven. There should be none on earth. God help us, there shall be none in church. All cannot be equally rich, but none must suffer or know grinding poverty.

There are spiritual riches and there are worldly riches, and these must not be confounded in the reading of God's Word. Spiritual riches are above all, but worldly riches must not be despised. Blessed is the man who has both.

A bankrupt man or Church or nation can never do as great things for God or humanity as if each were rich.

Without vast sums of money missionaries cannot be sent forth, and the worldwide work of God's Kingdom cannot be pushed.

Let us turn to the Old Testament and consider a few of the men whom God made rich.

Abraham

And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.—Genesis
13:2.

And Abram said to the King of Sodom, I have lifted up mine hand
unto the Lord, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich. — Genesis 14:22, 23.

David:

Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation:

and David said, Blessed be Thou, O Lord, the God of Israel our Father, forever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of Thee, and Thou rulest over all; and in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand, it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.— 1 Chronicles 29:10-12.

And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor. — 1 Chronicles 29:28.

Solomon:

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee, all thy days.— 1 Kings 3:13.

So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. — 1 Kings 10:23.

Hezekiah:

And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honor: and he provided him treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of goodly vessels.—2 Chronicles 32:27

Moreover he provided himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance:

for God had given him very much substance.—2 Chronicles 32:29

These men were all leaders of God's people, and it is expressly said of them that they were very rich, and also that God made them rich. But God led Israel as a people and dealt with them as a Nation. Not until they turned away from God, and refused to obey God, did He cease to so lead them. Had they remained faithful, God would have blessed them and they would have continued a rich and mighty people.

God is now showing what He can do with a consecrated leader and a faithful and obedient people.

Greed vs Riches

Zion City Bank by Deacon W. S. Peckham
Leaves of Healing Volume 8 No. 1
edited by Anthony Tijerina

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Greed vs Riches

Zion City Bank by Deacon W. S. PeckhamLeaves of Healing Volume 8 No. 1edited by Anthony Tijerina

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Zion City Bank by Deacon W. S. Peckham
Leaves of Healing Volume 8 No. 1
edited by Anthony Tijerina

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