Wednesday, August 16, 2017

On "Money & Prosperity"

The most important question here is what does God / Jesus think of money?


It seems Jesus made the answer to this question quite clear by appointing Judas as the  treasurer of his ministry!!! (Judas was a thief - John 12:16 - and a betrayer who treacherous led his master Jesus to death. You may think what was Jesus thinking when he appointed Judas?? Why did he not appoint someone like Nathanial, of whom Jesus said he had no deceit, as a treasurer of his ministry? - “https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-was-judas-carrying-the-moneybag”)


From the above incident, it is very clear what God / Jesus thinks of money.

And, obviously Jesus did not depend on money for his life & ministry. He depended on the power of the Holy Spirit.


Great Caution
Scriptures offers abundance caution against wealth. A prime example is the story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22). When Jesus suggested that he give away all his possession to poor and follow him, he walked away. The rich ruler did not want to trade his possessions with God, and that is idolatry
Verse 22-24 shed more light: “for he had great possessions ... (Jesus:) it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. I can understand why the more one has, harder it is to give it all way, and hence “great possessions” can pose great spiritual challenges (Jesus - Matthew 6:21: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also", Matthew 6:24: "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."). 
In contrast, the poor widow in Mark 12:41-44 was able to “put in everything she had”.
Another cautionary verse:- Matthew 16:26:- "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?"

Also Jesus’s cautionary words "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal … ” (Matthew 6:19), reminds of an extreme illustration with the well known Macedonian King Alexander (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great), as worded by Bryan Huie: “Alexander left a huge empire at his death. His family and his generals jostled for control of this kingdom. When the dust settled, only two of his top officers remained alive. His other generals, his mother, his wife, his son, his illegitimate son, his sister, his half-sister, and his half-brother, were all dead. Of this group, only one general (Antipater) died of natural causes.***


It is about steward-ship
Scriptures make it clear that everything belongs to God (Psalm 24:1-2, Hebrews 2:10). The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) indicates that God expects his children to be good stewards of their possessions, all of which belong to God. When John Wesley's house burnt down, he clarified that it was not his but God’s house and now he had one less responsibility!!  
Also heed, Luke 3:10: “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”


True prosperity may not be what you think, as indicated by Jesus in Revelation 2:9:- ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich). Hyperbolic passages such as Matthew 18:8-9 
("And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire." https://www.gotquestions.org/pluck-out-eye-cut-off-hand.html) also indicate that God is primarily interested in spiritual prosperity than material or physical prosperity.
On a related note, have you ever wondered why some are born with billionaire parent and some are born in extreme poverty? How can a good God allow that? As you seek an answer, also consider John 9:1-7. Here on encountering a man who was has been blind since birth, Jesus clarifies (John 9:3) "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. "

Build Treasures In Heaven
Matthew 6:19-21:- "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

More Illustrations From Scriptures:-
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Resources
  • Men are undoubtedly more in danger from prosperity than from adversity. for when matters go smoothly, they flatter themselves, and are intoxicated by their success” - John Calvin

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(***) On fact-checking: (a) I am not sure if "all" of Alexander's "other generals" were killed - Ptolemy and Antipater were the two generals (the "two of his top officers"?) who died of natural causes (b) it is not confirmed if Alexander had the illegitimate son mentioned here, (c) the bloody war for control happened over many years - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wars_of_the_Diadochi

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