Topical Bible: Riches: Often Lead to Self-Sufficiency

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The Bible frequently addresses the theme of riches and their potential to lead individuals away from reliance on God, fostering a sense of self-sufficiency that can be spiritually detrimental. Throughout Scripture, wealth is portrayed as a double-edged sword, capable of both blessing and leading to spiritual peril.

Old Testament Insights

In the Old Testament, the dangers of wealth are highlighted in several passages. Deuteronomy 8:11-14 warns the Israelites against forgetting the Lord in times of prosperity: "Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commandments and ordinances and statutes, which I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud, and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."

The wisdom literature also addresses this theme. Proverbs 30:8-9 expresses a desire for balance, asking God to provide neither poverty nor riches, lest one becomes self-reliant and forgets God: "Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion. Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God."

New Testament Teachings

In the New Testament, Jesus frequently speaks about the spiritual risks associated with wealth. In the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21), Jesus illustrates the folly of placing trust in material abundance. The rich man, who stores up wealth for himself, is called a fool because he is not "rich toward God." This parable underscores the danger of self-sufficiency and the neglect of spiritual priorities.

Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22) further exemplifies the challenge wealth poses to spiritual devotion. When the young man asks how to inherit eternal life, Jesus instructs him to sell his possessions and give to the poor. The young man's sorrowful departure highlights the difficulty of relinquishing wealth and the self-sufficiency it engenders.

The Apostle Paul also addresses the issue in his epistles. In 1 Timothy 6:17-19, he advises the wealthy not to be arrogant or to place their hope in uncertain riches, but in God: "Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."

Theological Reflections

The biblical narrative consistently warns against the spiritual complacency that can accompany material wealth. Riches, while not inherently evil, have the potential to lead individuals away from dependence on God, fostering a false sense of security and self-sufficiency. The Scriptures call believers to maintain a posture of humility and reliance on God, recognizing Him as the ultimate provider and source of true security.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 28:11
The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that has understanding searches him out.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Duty of Self-Denial.
... that they do this at best, for it often happens, as ... spoken by David, who, if any,
had riches and power ... to us; their very service and adulation will lead us to ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon vii the duty of.htm

The Last Incidents in Per??a - the Young Ruler who Went Away ...
... There was not in him that pride of riches, nor the self-sufficiency which they so
often engender; nor the ... What matters it, if it equally lead to Him, and ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxiii the last incidents.htm

The Spiced Wine of My Pomegranate;
... Yet such is often the believer's case ... and bless thy loving Immanuel for the invaluable
riches with which ... Spirit, while we enjoy the grace of Jesus, lead us into ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/till he come/the spiced wine of my.htm

The Sermon on the Mount
... the hated Romans, and possess the riches and splendor of ... as teachers chosen of God
to lead others into ... He knew that they would often suffer from disappointment ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 31 the sermon on.htm

Why the Divine Invitation is Refused.
... as it were, a preliminary way, and often repeated; but ... endure agonies of repentance,
or to lead them to ... with God, we recognise the unutterable riches of the ...
/.../selected sermons of schleiermacher/xix why the divine invitation.htm

Of the Sacraments.
... in Gen.9:6). As often as we look upon it, we read this ... to direct and almost lead
us by the hand to Christ, or rather, were ... Christ, with his spiritual riches. ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 14 of the sacraments.htm

The Preface to the Commandments
... a Christ, but it is a star to lead to Christ ... God often gives the purse to the wicked,
but the Spirit ... not the comfort of beauty, nor beauty of riches, nor riches ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/1 3 the preface to the.htm

The Evangelical Revival.
... In the case of any other man scandal would often have been busy; but Wesley ... expressed;
and what is known of Whitefield's mental powers would hardly lead us to ...
/.../chapter ix the evangelical revival.htm

Footnotes
... They were printed from notes taken by the hearers, and we may easily conceive
how imperfect and inaccurate these must often have been. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/footnotes.htm

part i
... for their good behaviour by the great riches he has ... Those who are trying to lead
a spiritual life have to ... Very often it happens that prayer is on the lips, but ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm