Is It Wrong To Want To Be Rich?

Last updated on: September 29, 2016 at 3:25 pm by Jack Wellman

Is It Wrong To Want To Be Rich? 2016-09-29T15:25:39-05:00 Jack Wellman

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Does the Bible condemn those who want to be rich? Is it sin to be rich?

The Riches in Christ

The truest riches in all the universe are not found in material things, which are temporary, but in those things found in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul was called “to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (Eph 3:8-9), and it is “according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love” (Eph 2:16-17). These are the truest of all riches to be found, and what price would you put on a human soul anyway? Jesus asked, “what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul” (Matt 16:26)? Can money help him on the Day of Judgment? Can gold and silver earn a person salvation? Most certainly not. Our money will perish but those who have everlasting life in Christ never will.

Worldly Wealth

It’s not sin to be wealthy, otherwise many of the Patriarchs would not have made it into the kingdom, but there is a risk that comes with wealth where a person can possess wealth but it ends up possessing them. Jesus said it is “only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 19:23), although it’s certainly not impossible. When some received the seed, which is the Word of God, the seed “was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Matt 13:22), so it’s money, and more specifically, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1st Tim 6:10). Paul didn’t’ say that money is the root of all evil or that money is evil in itself, but it is the love of money that is at the “root of all kinds of evil.” Money has no life in itself and so it’s no more evil than a gun is; it’s the use of these things by evil people that’s at the root of all kinds of evil. The psalmist warned that “if riches increase, set not your heart on them” (62:10), so Paul instructs Timothy to say, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1st Tim 6:17).

Rich Patriarchs

In writing about the Patriarchs, it says that “Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold” (Gen 13:2), but his wealth was acquired by his being blessed as he was obedient to God. Abraham’s servant said, “The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys” (Gen 24:35). Isaac’s son, Jacob was also rich as it said, “the man increased greatly and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys” (Gen 30:43). Joseph of Arimathea was rich too and provided the grave that no one had ever been laid in for Jesus after He was crucified (John 19:41). The point of all these men is that “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it” (Prov 10:22). This is why God wanted them to “remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deut 8:18), as “The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts” (1st Sam 2:7). If you have wealth, it wasn’t your doing because all the earth and everything in it are the Lords (Psalm 24:1).

No Sin to be Rich

As we have read, it’s not a sin to be rich or many of the saints of old and in the New Testament wouldn’t have been able to enter the kingdom. There is no verse in the Bible that says being rich is sin. It is the accumulation of wealth and the pursuit of it that brings evil, but not the money itself. There is a danger of being rich however, as James wrote, “my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him” (James 2:5), and Paul says that “those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1st Tim 6:9). Jesus tells us once again, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matt 6:19), instead, “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt 6:20).

Conclusion

It’s not wrong to want to be rich for the right reason, like being generous to others…but we must be rich in the right things, and that is in Jesus Christ. I don’t know any Christians personally that are rich and I’m most certainly not, but in the greatest sense, they are the richest people on earth who have trusted in Christ. In many cases, the poor have more joy than those who have everything they will ever need. The tragedy of this is, the rich might think they can have whatever they want, but without Christ, it as Jesus said; “you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Rev 3:17). He counsels those who have much in this world “to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see” (Rev 3:20), for “what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul” (Matt 16:26)? It is “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son” (Rev 21:7).

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

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