Which other scriptures caution against the love of money and wealth? Setting the Stage: Psalm 62:10 “Place no trust in oppression or false hope in robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.” David reminds us that wealth may come, but devotion to it is forbidden. Wisdom’s Warning in Proverbs • Proverbs 11:28 — “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.” • Proverbs 23:4-5 — “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. When you gaze upon wealth, it is gone, for it will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” • Proverbs 28:20 — “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who is eager to be rich will not go unpunished.” • Proverbs 28:22 — “A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will overtake him.” Reflections from Ecclesiastes • Ecclesiastes 5:10 — “He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.” Solomon exposes the emptiness of chasing more. Jesus on Treasures and Masters • Matthew 6:19-21 — “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” • Matthew 6:24 — “You cannot serve both God and money.” • Luke 12:15 — “Watch out and guard yourselves against every form of greed, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” • Luke 12:33-34 — “Sell your possessions and give to the poor… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus constantly redirects hearts from earthly hoards to eternal riches. Paul’s Counsel to Timothy • 1 Timothy 6:6-10 — “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil… By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” • 1 Timothy 6:17-19 — “Instruct those who are rich… not to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God… to be generous and willing to share.” Riches become safe only when surrendered to God and shared with others. A Call to Contentment in Hebrews • Hebrews 13:5 — “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.’” Contentment grows when security shifts from assets to God’s abiding presence. James: The Peril of Hoarded Wealth • James 5:1-3 — “Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you… You have hoarded treasure in the last days.” James pictures unused wealth as evidence against its owner. The Revelation Wake-Up Call • Revelation 3:17-18 — “You say, ‘I am rich…’ But you do not realize that you are wretched… I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire…” Christ urges self-satisfied Laodicea to trade material affluence for spiritual riches. Taking It Home Scripture speaks with one voice: wealth is fleeting, dangerous when loved, yet capable of eternal impact when held loosely and stewarded for God’s glory. The heart that treasures Him above all else finds the only riches that never fade. |
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