Is Money the Root of All Evil? Not at All!
Money is something that everyone needs, but it is also something that is very misunderstood by Christians.
The misconceptions about it can lead to some very confusing times, especially for new Christians and those who are just beginning to study up on the subject.
1 Timothy 6:10 is often misquoted as saying “money is the root of all evil;” however, people leave out two important words “the love.” The Bible verse actually says, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
As you can see, it isn’t the money that is the root of all evil, but rather it is the love of the money that causes problems. Money is nothing more than a specialty paper that has specific ink markings. It isn’t evil or good, but is rather a tool that can help people to get what they need in today’s society.
Love of Money Isn’t New
People’s love for money isn’t anything new. If you read over the Ten Commandments, you will see that they deal with coveting things, lying, and idolatry. All of these can be tied to money because some people will do anything to make money. They think it is so important that they will lie, steal and kill for it.
In the Bible, Jesus dealt with a situation regarding the love of money. When he went to his Father’s temple, there were money changers there conducting business. He threw over their tables and drove them out. Mark 21:12-13 tells the full story.
“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written. ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it into a ‘den of thieves’.”
More and more people are using money as a way to gain worldly wealth. They want to have more money than anyone else. Granted, there isn’t anything wrong with wanting to have money to live a comfortable life, but you shouldn’t be greedy about it. The Bible notes that those who have money should use it to help others.
Money Can Make Life Difficult
You might think that money makes life easier, but it can make it much more difficult. Jesu discussed this in a parable found in Matthew 19:24, which says, “And again I say to you, it is easier for a came to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
This verse should make you really think. It doesn’t mean that you will automatically be sent to hell if you have wealth. Instead, how you came about that money and what you do with it will matter. You can’t think that you are better than anyone else just because you have money. Instead, use your money to help the less fortunate in your community.
Good Deeds Must be Done Properly
If you do have enough money to perform charitable works, don’t go out and advertise them to the world. Instead, do them in secret. Matthew 6:1 to 4 sets a clear standard for these. It says not to do charitable deeds before man, but to only be done to please God. If you advertise your good deeds, you won’t get a reward from God in heaven.
Verses 3 and 4 say:
“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”
You also can’t do good deeds just for the purpose of getting something in return. Doing charitable deeds must be based solely on wanting to help others. Giving freely is one way that you can show that you aren’t in love with your money.
Another consideration is your tithes to the church. Be sure you keep up with your tithes since those are used to care for God’s house and the individuals He has put over His church.
The tithes you give to the church should be given with a good spirit and not out of a sense of obligation. Joyful giving is what will please God. Tithes are a way that you can thank God for providing for you.
You Can’t Serve God and Money
Christians have to make a choice. They can either focus on money or they can focus on God. You can’t do both because one of them will begin to suffer. Matthew 6:24 gives some clarification about this. It notes, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches.”
You must think about your goal for your life. Do you want to serve God and do His will or would you rather live by your own motives? This is a great decision that has significant implications for your life. Falling into the habit of focusing on money can be difficult to break. You might find that you have to make some major lifestyle changes to make it happen.
During this transformation, you will have to focus heavily on God’s love and comfort. You will need to turn to Him for your strength. It might be as difficult as breaking a drug addiction. In fact, it may be a bit more challenging because you do need money to live, which means you will have to deal with it daily.
It can be difficult for a Christian to come to terms with what it means to give up the love of money that is holding them down. Once you realize you need to do this and come up with a plan to make it possible, you might feel like a weight has lifted off your shoulder.
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