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The Perceived Issue With Earthly Riches
Many of us experience or have experienced tension between earthly riches and following Jesus. If Jesus is not your savior, you may experience a similar tension just from trying to reconcile socio-economic inequalities, feeling guilty for having more in the face of less around the world, etc. However, no one can deny the fact that money, or “riches”, is necessary to support yourself in this world and, in many cases, make the kind of impact on the world you desire or feel called to.
So how then do we reconcile this tension?
Recognizing the root of the tension is imperative. This tension typically comes from one or both of the following:
- A reaction to bad theology – namely, the prosperity gospel
- The idea that wealth or earthly riches are inherently evil
A Reaction to Bad Theology
The first potential root of our issue with earthly riches is a reaction to bad theology. Now, we are not denying our responsibility to discern false teaching from the truth of scripture. In other words, chew the meat and spit out the bones. However, we are not to build new theology as a reaction to the bad either. In the words of Bill Johnson, “a reaction to bad theology often produces worse theology.”
Much of the “fear” that comes into play when going after riches and wealth in the Christian circles has come out of a reaction to the prosperity gospel. This teaching has become increasingly popular in the past couple decades. It’s premise “ensures” that our covenant with God is a means to material entitlement and that we can manifest our desires for divine health and riches through what Jesus has done for us.
Now, do we believe God wants to bless us extravagantly to bring glory to His name? Yes. Do we believe Jesus became poor so we could become rich? Yes. Do we believe our faith, when surrendered to His Spirit, opens the door to more in our relationship with Him? Yes. But none of these things are the point. The point is that He is worthy of it all, His sacrifice is our blessing and we are to steward that blessing in complete humility and surrender to HIS PURPOSES, not ours. This is all birthed out of relationship WITH HIM, not theology ABOUT HIM. It is not a “name it and claim it” relationship. This is pure love.
Are Wealth & Earthly Riches Inherently Evil?
The second potential root of the tension with possessing earthly riches is the idea that they’re inherently evil. After all, the bible does clearly state that the love of money is the root of all evil.
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
1 Timothy 6:10, New King James Version
Additionally, in Matthew 19:16-22, Jesus tells the rich young ruler that in order to be perfect he must sell all he has, give it to the poor and follow Him. Immediately after in verse 24, Jesus turns to his disciples and says, “… again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Both of these verses are intended to address the heart of the matter – aka where riches and wealth stand on our priority list. In 1 Timothy, the primary issue is not money itself but rather the love of it that produces all kinds of evil. We protect ourselves from this by being in constant relationship with Jesus and receiving His love continually. In that context, it is actually impossible to love anything more than Him.
The same goes for the rich young ruler in Matthew 19. As Nelson & Hayford outline in the New Spirit Filled Life Bible, “Jesus uses an exaggeration to teach that it is impossible for one who trusts in riches over God to enter heaven.” So it is not merely whether or not we possess wealth, but how we value it that determines whether it’s a help or hindrance.
And here at HNV, we believe it is a tool to be used for God’s glory, not something to be treasured and worshipped.
Revelation 21
So here is the main point: earthly riches cannot be inherently evil, because they are found everywhere in heaven. Below is a description of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven at the end of time.
“The city was pure gold, clear as crystal, and its wall was made of jasper. The twelve foundations of the wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone—the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh turquoise, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates are twelve pearls—each gate made of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, clear as crystal.”
Revelation 21:18-21, The Passion Translation
Every single material used to describe the construction of the Holy City is extremely rare, valuable and sought after here on earth. Everyone would agree that these precious stones are all considered “earthly riches.” And if they are found in heaven, they cannot be inherently evil.
According to Brian Simmons Notes in The Passion Translation, “This list of jewels matches the twelve stones on the breastplate of the high priest. What once was only on the breastplate is now a part of the new creation life (New Jerusalem) of the believer.” So not only do we see these precious earthly riches come down out of heaven, but they were present on God’s most holy servant from the Old Testament here on earth. And as believers under the New Covenant, we are now all considered kings and priests, designed for blessing and favor to be used for His glory. This is not just for us to experience in heaven but for us to bring heaven to earth now.
As Kris Vallotton outlines in his book Poverty, Riches & Wealth,
“If wealth and riches are inherently evil, what are they doing in heaven? Why would God describe heaven so lavishly if wealth were bad, or even bad for you? For example, can you imagine God describing heaven as a place filled with opium fields and heroin factories? No, because drugs speak to us of evil—bad, addictive, destructive substances that ruin people’s lives. In other words, we all know that these substances in themselves are destructive, so we would never use them to describe a positive condition. On the other hand, wealth cannot be intrinsically evil, or the Bible would not describe heaven as a place full of unimaginable riches. In fact, if heaven is God’s goal for us, then wealth must be a piece of our prize!”
-Kris Vallotton – Poverty, Riches, & Wealth
Where have you experienced tension having to do with earthly riches? What questions do you have about the wealth of heaven?
