Christianity and Money

Matthew 25:14-22

We are between 5% of the world's most privileged. 95% of the world's population either suffer hunger or at least don´t have many of the basic necessities of life. 

That elite of "enlightened" that controls the world because they have so much money and influence, even those, everything they have was given by God and God loves them like any one of us, the problem is that they don't share, don't teach what they know to others, don’t benefit others, and that’s their only condemnation. The rust from their gold and silver will witness against them (James 5:1-6) Note that it’s not the gold and silver that is a witness against them, but the rust of gold and silver, namely, in that they do not used it, do not put into circulation, did not benefit others, this gold and silver accumulated rust and this witnesses against them.

We should never judge anyone for being rich, because that's not the issue, that's a blessing, a talent that God gave them. But we have every reason to be angry with those who have not shared this blessing with others, who did not use what they have to benefit others, but refuse to the world the opportunity to prosper. They hid their talent that will be taken away form them and given to the faithful ones.

Matthew 25:14-22  For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey.

Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents. In like manner he also that received the two gained other two. But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And he also that received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter; and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own.

But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest.  Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

James 5:1-6  Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.   Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Poverty versus Riches

Who is righteous before God?

In the Old and New Testament there are many mentions of rich and poor people, some were righteous others were unrighteous, but never were they judge by the amount or lack of riches.

You see, Job was a very rich man¹ and he went through a big test and tribulation not because he was rich but because he somehow believed that he was blessed by God because of all the good and right things he was doing.² Until he learned that even his righteousness was a gift from God. Then God gave him everything back in double measure.⁴

¹ Job 1:1-3  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

² Job 32:1  So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

⁴ Job 42:12  So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning…

Abraham was tested not because he was rich, but God wanted to see if he still believed in His promises in spite of all the “evidences” against them. Rom 4:20-21  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; Being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.

The Apostle James slams the rich in his epistle! James 5:1-6 “… ye rich men, weep and howl… your riches are corrupted,… your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you,…” Was he slamming the rich just because they were rich? No way! He was slamming them for hoarding their riches and not put them in circulation to bless others, “the rust of your gold and silver gives testimony against you”. Their gold and silver was stacked away and were getting rusty and that was a testimony against them. Also because they were not giving the fair amount of salary to their employees, they were exploiting them. In other words, God is saying, “I’m giving you all these riches and you are not using them for what I intended to give them to you for”.

 The rich man in the parable that Jesus tell us, had a very good year financially, and what did he do? He stacked all away in the “barn” (bank?) instead putting it to use.  God asked him: “Those goods you stacked away for yourself and your future to whom will they be?” In other words, you should immediately put them to use and to circulate and bless others, that’s what I gave them for.

Luk 12:16-21  And he spoke a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have  much goods laid up for many years; take it easy,  eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?  So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

The rich young man came to Jesus, he was a righteous man, Jesus loved him, the only thing that he was lacking was to put his heart in the much greater riches that Jesus was trying to give him. But he wasn’t able to because his earthly riches were a bit bigger in his heart then God’s eternal riches.

Mat 19:16-26  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

He saith unto him, Which?

Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Just the easy ones first)

The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. (Now the difficult one, the first commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul)

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, (in the walls of Jerusalem there were narrow passages for just one man to pass called “eye of a needle) than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? (Usually the rich and educated were considered the most righteous people) But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Moses on the other hand forsook the treasures of Egypt (he could have been an emperor) because he was embracing incredibly much greater riches of eternity. And he got them! Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

It’s spiritually very dangerous to put our eyes in the uncertainty of riches but there’s absolutely nothing wrong in having riches and using them for God’s glory! Are you able to be rich and still put God first? Then He can really fulfil His promise, Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and ALL THESE THINGS shall be added unto you.