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.For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
17 sermons cite this verse
… on to verses 9 and 10, Paul says, but those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge men into ruin and destruction for the love of money. Not money, but the love, the preoccupation of money is a root of all sorts of evil. And some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. We need physical provisions. We have a need for financial provision, but we have also a need for relational provision. God made us in such a way that we need other people. Specifically, we all need someone to love. We need someone to love. Now, for most of us, that someone to love is the mate that God has given us. It's not God's will for everybody to marry, but it's his will and plan for most people to marry. And God created marriage to fill that void. We need someone to love. In Genesis 2.18, God looked at Adam and said, it is not good for a man to be alone. …
… People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. And some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Those few verses there in 1 Timothy 6 were the focus of our study this morning in verses 6, 7, and 8, and now we turn to verses 9 and 10. This morning we introduced the concept of contentment, and this evening we look now at the contrast that he gives to us with this picture of contentment. Let me read to you from Philip's paraphrase once again. For men who set their hearts on being wealthy, expose themselves to temptation. They fall into one of the world's traps and lay themselves open to all sorts of silly and wicked desires which are quite capable of utterly ruining and destroying their souls. Now, as we said this morning, it is important that we recognize that he is not addressing here people who are rich. He is not addressing rich people. He is going to address the rich, or he has done, and we'll come to that in the 17th verse, those who are rich in this present world. At the moment, though, he is addressing individuals who are tempted to believe the idea that in the pursuit of wealth, in the amassing of money, in the securing of riches, then they will be fine. And he is pointing out that there are peculiar …
… It does say the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. People sometimes say the Bible says money is the root of all evil. I don't know what Bible you're reading, but my Bible doesn't say that. My Bible says the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, which while some have coveted after they've erred from the faith. Money's neutral. Money can be good. Money can help. Money can do things for the kingdom of God. Money can be problematic. It can even be evil. It can destroy a person's life. It all depends on your attitude toward it. What Jesus it says, blessed are the poor in spirit. What does this mean? Blessed is the man. Blessed is the woman. Happy is the person who sees themselves as they really are. Lost, hopeless, and destitute, and desperately in need of God. That's what it means to be poor in spirit. So you have to see yourself for who you are. You have to see yourself as a sinner who really needs a Savior. And this is hard for some people to call themselves what they are, to see themselves as they are. I mean, this is counter to culture today. We're told things like, you're more than enough. Self-love is the greatest love. You're a winner. At our games for our children, you know, we don't keep score because everyone's a winner. Everyone is not a winner. There are losers in life. …
… clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Amen. Now, before we study these verses, let's go to the Lord, in prayer. Father, grant that you will enable us to hear your voice through your Word. As we listen to the voice of a mere man, we recognize that you choose to make your voice truly heard when your Word is truly taught. And so we pray that that might happen. Free us from every distracting influence, we pray, because of the seriousness of what we do, that we, the mere children of men, would listen for the voice of the living God. So then, whether in speaking or in listening, grant that we might hear you and be prepared to do whatever the Bible says, no matter how revolutionary it will be. We ask this in Jesus' name and for his sake. Amen. …
… You say, well, wait a minute. Isn't money the root of all evil? Isn't that what the Bible says? No, that's not what the Bible says. The Bible does not say money is the root of all evil. It says the love of money is the root of all evil. Money is totally neutral. It can be used for good or bad. It can be used by Hitler to bomb Europe. Or it could be used by churches to spread good news and feed the hungry. You can use it on very selfish-centered purposes, or you can use it for very unselfish purposes. You can use it to create businesses and products that bless the entire world. Money is a neutral thing. It's neither good nor bad. It's what you do with it. But he says, put your money to work. One of the things we're going to learn in the next several weeks together is how to put your money to work. The reason why most people are in debt and the reason why most people never get out of debt is because they are always working for their money instead of having their money work for them. …
… of all of the things it can do for us. That also explains why Paul said in 1 Timothy 6.10, for the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. And some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many a pain. and yet most people I talk to they don't have any desire to fall in love with money they don't want to worship money instead most people's attitude about money is like one couple who talked to me recently they're facing the first year tuition bill for their child's college education they said pastor we just want to have enough we just want to have enough did you know by the way that is a biblical goal for your finances to have just enough. Enough to meet your current and your future needs. Turn over to Proverbs chapter 30, if you would. Proverbs chapter 30. Solomon was the wealthiest man of his day. He understood both the benefits of money, but he also understood the limitations of money. After all, he had a lot of it. You look at Solomon's writings in both Proverbs in Ecclesiastes, Solomon taught, for example, don't worship money because it can be easily lost. …
… your life will head toward ugliness. in 1 Timothy 6 verses 8 through 12. But if we have food and clothing, we'll be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people. The word that's translated plunge there is often translated drown. That drown people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith, pierced themselves, that's, I've run out of fingers on my hands. So go to the next one, have pierced themselves with many griefs. God has, there's actually 12 things that are in this passage. warnings about what will happen to us if we are lovers of money, if we desire to be rich more than anything else. If that's our driving motivation, then we're going to have disastrous consequences. But then turn it around. Eight verses later, in 1 Timothy 6, 18 through 19, Paul urges the rich, quote, be rich in good works, be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasures for yourself as a good foundation for the coming age. And obviously he's thinking of Matthew 6, what Jesus said about storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Now, the thing that's so encouraging about that is that if you look at James, weep and howl, you rich, for the judgment that's going to come down on you. …
… Ultimately, the capacity to generate wealth was a gift from God. You've heard it said sometimes money is the root of all evil. That's actually not what Paul said in the New Testament. He said the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. But money itself is morally neutral. It can be used for good or for evil. It can be used for God's purposes or not. And the capacity to earn wealth is a gift from God. So what do we do with it? Wesley says gain all that you can as long as you're gaining it justly, fairly, appropriately. Earn all that you can. Nothing wrong with earning money. Save all that you can, though. Don't spend it all. save as much as you can. You know, you need some for your life expenses, but save as much as you can. And from that, give all that you can. Right? These three ideas are really important. All right. So finally, that takes us to the longest section of the Sermon on the Mount focused on money. And that begins at chapter six, it starts at verse 19. Excuse me, it starts at verse 24 or 25. I've got it written here and I didn't put the reference to it. So here it is. …
… is not evil. Money is not the root of all kinds of evil. The Bible says that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Money is actually amoral. We can prove that conclusively because money or gold predates sin. If you read the book of Genesis, what is God bestowing upon everything? Blessing, blessing. It's good, it's good, it's good, it's good. This is good, I made a good world, this is good. And the Bible says, and there was gold in that land and the gold of the land was good. So before there was sin, there was gold. It was the sin that was added to the equation of failing to obey God. And by the way, what was the first sin? It was being given a perfect world with only one no, but the heart panted after the one thing they were told they couldn't possess. What does that sound like? And having seen it and having known this could open my eyes and this could make me better and God's trying to hold out on me. …
… So you've heard it said sometimes money is the root of all evil. The Bible does not say that. This is what the Bible actually says. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. The love of money. The question is our heart and the position that we place money in in our lives. And then Paul goes on to say, and this is Paul we're hearing here. He goes on to say, those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. Now, Jesus, when he speaks about wealth and he talks about the desire for wealth, he describes it as like a field with thorny plants or weeds growing all around, choking out the life of the plants that are healthy and good. That's the role that the desire for wealth plays in our lives. In Luke chapter 12, we read that Jesus was teaching and in the middle of that, there was somebody, well, let me just read it. …
… desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, and this is Paul speaking to Timothy, but you, man of God, flee from all of this and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Command those who are rich in this present age, in this present world, not to be arrogant, nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life, the best of both worlds, laying up treasure for the coming age, but taking hold of life that is truly life here and now. …
… First Timothy chapter six, for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil for which some have strayed away from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many, many sorrows. Hebrews 13, 5. So therefore keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have. Be content with what you have. Be content with what you have. I've learned in life, I got to be content with a little, and I've learned in seasons to have contentment with a lot. Whether you're in the middle, in the bottom, or at the top, doesn't matter. You've got to learn how to be content when you look at your bank account and you go, Lord, you're going to need to come through here. Or you look at your bank account and go, thank you, Jesus. It doesn't matter. You've got to acknowledge God, that God's been faithful. God's been generous. God's been kind. God's been loving. And if you lose that attitude, if you lose that attitude, what will happen is you'll start to look at your account and go, look at what I built. Am I not so talented? Wow. …
… destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after, there's our word, They have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Now that doesn't say that they that are rich. The Bible is not against riches. Abraham was rich. David was rich. Solomon was rich. Joseph of Arimathea was rich. But it says they that will be rich. What does that mean? They're putting things first. And when you put things first, you know what that is? It's idolatry. Anything you love more, serve more, desire more, fear more, value more than God is an idol. Now, folks, when you are guilty of idolatry you are guilty of something terrible. Listen, Jesus said in Luke chapter 16 and verse 13, No servant can serve two masters. Well, that's wrong. No servant can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. And if you're wondering what two masters he's talking about, he said, you cannot serve God and mammon. Mammon is just another word for things. And then Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 33, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. God will not work in second place. When you put God in second place that is idolatry, and that's the reason the Bible calls covetousness idolatry. We have in God we trust on our money, but we have …
… hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. for the love of money is the root of all evil. He doesn't say money is the root of all evil. It is the love of money which is the root of all evil. Every now and then some graduation commencement speaker will tell boys and girls now just make all the money you can just so you make it honestly. Boy, that's the worst advice I've ever heard. If you're trying to make all the money you can then you're going to be making money when you ought to be doing something else. You're going to be making money when you ought to be praying or going to church or be with the children or maybe in the park trying to teach your boy how to fly a kite. Listen, nobody should have a goal to make all the money he can. Sure, he has to provide for his family. But when you determine that you're going to be rich, at that moment you put yourself in a very vulnerable position. Listen, cultivate contentment. Cultivate contentment. The love of money is the root of all evil. That literally means all kinds of evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Oh look back at chapter 15 if you will, Proverbs, and look in verse 6, in the house of the righteous is much treasure, but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. Look if you will in chapter 15 verse 27, he that …
… which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil. He doesn't say money is the root of all evil. It is the love of money which is the root of all evil. Every now and then some graduation commencement speaker will tell boys and girls, now just make all the money you can just so you make it honestly. Boy, that's the worst advice I've ever heard. If you're trying to make all the money you can, then you're going to be making money when you ought to be doing something else. You're going to be making money when you ought to be praying or going to church or be with the children or maybe in the park trying to teach your boy how to fly a kite. Listen, nobody should have a goal to make all the money he can. Sure, he has to provide for his family. But when you, dear friend, determine that you're going to be rich, at that moment you put yourself in a very vulnerable position. …
… NOW, HERE'S A DECISION THAT LOT MADE. IT WAS A, A DECISION THAT WAS BASED ON ECONOMICS. FIRST TIMOTHY CHAPTER SIX VERSE TEN, FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL. WHEN ARE WE GONNA LEARN? MATTHEW SIX VERSE 33, BUT SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. YOU SAY, WELL, PASTOR, A MAN'S GOT TO LIVE. NO, HE'S GOT TO DIE. AND AFTER HE DIES HE'S GOT TO FACE GOD. BUT THERE WAS SODOM, AND SODOM WAS SATAN'S MASTERPIECE. REMEMBER THE SCRIPTURE, FIRST JOHN TWO VERSE 16, FOR ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD, THE LUST OF THE FLESH AND THE LUST OF THE EYES AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE IS NOT OF THE FATHER BUT OF THE WORLD. THERE WAS THE LUST OF THE FLESH, SODOM WITH ITS PLEASURES. THERE WAS THE LUST OF THE EYES, SODOM WITH ITS POSSESSIONS. THERE WAS THE PRIDE OF LIFE, SODOM WITH ITS PHILOSOPHY. NOW LOT'S SIN IS NOT A SIN THAT ONLY THE RICH HAVE. YOU CAN BE POOR AND BE COVETOUS. YOU CAN BE IN A MEAGER SALARY AND BE COVETOUS. THIS OLD WORLD FLIRTED WITH LOT. HE WAS ENTICED. HE BECAME A FRIEND OF THE WORLD AND COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH GOD. THOSE SAME FORCES THAT WORKED ON LOT ARE WORKING ON YOU AND ME DAY BY DAY. …
… which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, there's our word, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Now that doesn't say that they that are rich. The Bible is not against riches. Abraham was rich. David was rich. Solomon was rich. Joseph of Arimathea was rich. But it says they that will be rich. What does that mean? It means that is their dogged determination. Just like these students that do. That is what I want. I have set my course to be rich. When you do that, you're living on dangerous ground. Ever so often, a man speaking in a university or high school will give a baccalaureate speech or whatever. And he'll give this advice, trying to get the kids to be ambitious. And he'll say something like this. Now, young people, make all the money you can just so you make it honestly. That sounds like good advice. …