1 Timothy 6:17 (NKJV) – Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
Now nearly half a year I have been forced to be surrounded by those that believe they are rich and have mistook the last part of this verse to mean they can get earthly rewards for their personal enjoyment. However, they don’t see just how haughty they behave. All because they have placed their trust in uncertain riches.
Christ said this during the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 6:19-24 (NKJV) – “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. “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “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 mammon.
This is a direct commandment from Jesus Christ NOT to seek after earthly rewards. Then what is being referred to in the last part of the verse in 1 Timothy. First off we need to look at some other verses:
1 John 2:15-16 (NLT) – Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
To understand what the world offers we must understand what “mammon” is.
Mammon is defined as riches, money, possessions and property. All these are items that those that consider themselves rich seek after. These items they believe is what is being referred to in 1 Timothy 6:17.
Once again mammon is defined as riches (jewelry, and fancy clothes), money (seeking after and hording earthly wealth beyond what is needed to make it to the next day), possessions (those objects that gather dust all over your houses and as well as luxury vehicles and any vehicle that goes beyond the basic need of transport to places you need to get to) and then property (a huge house beyond the basic need for shelter and/or multiple houses as well as empty land filled with nothing to help those in need.)
And who gives these rewards?
Luke 4:6 (NKJV) – And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
Satan gives earthly rewards, which is why Christ is saying this in Matthew when commanding all not to seek after earthly wealth:
Matthew 6:22-23 (NKJV) – “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
In Ephesians those that choose to follow Christ are told this:
Ephesians 5:1-11 (NLT) – Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
Key teachings that show what it is we are to enjoy:
“Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.”
The third item mentioned is not to be greedy. This is then expanded upon:
Ephesians 5:5 (NLT) – You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
“For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.” And once again what are the “things of this world?”
Mammon which is defined as riches, money, possessions and property. All the things that those that act haughty and call themselves rich seek after. Not realizing they seek after damnation not salvation. For they do not worship God through Jesus Christ. They worship and adoringly follow their true master. Themselves and in turn Satan.
Their fate has already been determined by their own haughtiness and their faith not in God but in rewards given by Satan not by God through Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:24-27 (NKJV) – Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.
PERIOD!!!
