Contentment or Corruption? (Part 3 of 4)

Bob Lepine: How much money is enough? No matter how much you have, it's often tempting to want just a little more. All around the world, throughout history, many people have struggled to get rich by legal or illegal means. So how can you tell if you have an inordinate love of money? Today, Alistair Begg walks us through some telltale signs on Truth for Life.
Alistair Begg: Can I invite you to take your Bible and turn again to the passage that we were reading this morning and to which we said we would return dealing with this whole matter of contentment. Every so often I my proclivity for song lyrics kicks in in a sort of undeniable and overwhelming fashion and this has been one of those days and throughout today I've had the lyrics of a song in my mind a Paul Overstreet song. And I could only remember part of them and they go like this. I've I've heard tell of millionaires and billionaires and such who gathered all their treasures and still did not have enough. If money could buy peace of mind, I guess they'd have it all. But all the money in the world won't hold you when you fall. We've got a roof over our head and the kids have all been fed. And the woman I love most lies close beside me in our bed. Lord, give me the eyes to see exactly what it's worth and I will be the richest man on earth. Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 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 a few verses there in 1 Timothy 6 where 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 Phillips 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 dangers that accompany a yearning for material things. Now this of course is a salutary and important word for all of us because living as we do in the world, as Jesus said we must, asking his father in the high priestly prayer not to remove his family from the world but to leave them in the world and keep them from the evil one, living as we do within this materialistic culture, we are bombarded on every side with the idea that somehow or another money and possessions is what it is all about. And I know you think I have a thing about this, but I tire of the advertisements on the golf uh programs on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from all the stock brokers companies, playing on our nerves and playing on our emotions and playing on our fears and our anxieties and everything else. And you can't watch the golf for wondering whether your portfolio is significant enough to cope with your great, great, great, great grandchildren who apparently are relying on you somewhere down the line. And I I'm sorry, but I I put the mute button on now. Unfortunately, I know these jolly commercials off by heart, most of them, and the guy with the wee tiny glasses, you know, um what a rascal he is, whoever he is, but the fact of the matter is money buys you stuff. Money can buy medicine, but it can't buy health. It can buy you a house, but it can't buy you a home. Buy you companionship, but not friends. Entertainment, but it won't buy you happiness. Can buy you food, but it can't buy you an appetite. Can buy you a bed, but not sleep. Can buy you a good life, but it can't buy you eternal life. And the same boys who were writing that money was only one very quickly uh realized that you can buy me diamond things, my friend, if it makes you feel all right, diamond rings. You can give me anything, my friend, if it makes you feel all right because I don't care too much for money because money can't buy me love. And Seneca, the Roman, was reputed to have said money has never yet made anyone rich. And yet the desire for money is founded on the illusion that it brings with it security. But as we're noting, it cannot buy well, it cannot buy health, and it cannot secure love. It is powerless to prevent the onset of illness, nor does it make it possible to evade the chilling and cold hand of death. Ironically, money actually breeds anxiety because the more we have to keep, the more we have to lose. And the tendency is to be haunted by the fear of loss. And the writer, namely Paul here, speaks into the first century of his day and he issues this stirring word of warning, describing the circumstances and he has particular people in mind in verse 10 and a general description in verse 9, the circumstances of individuals who make it their express purpose in life to get rich. That's who he's describing, someone who is determined of all the things that I'm going to do in life, I am going to become rich because somehow or another they believe that that holds the key to everything. Now he says the people who want to get rich find themselves in these circumstances and I want to summarize them with three words. First of all, they find themselves tempted, tempted. People who want to get rich fall into temptation. Now the person who wants to get rich or craves riches generally also yearns for the things that go along with money. What goes along with money? Honor, popularity, power, an inordinate amount of leisure and satisfaction. And in the pursuit of all of these things along with cash, the individual is peculiarly susceptible to temptation on each front. And the man who wants to get rich or the woman who wants to be rich may easily be led into wrong ways of securing that goal. For example, he may be tempted to go places that he shouldn't go because he wants to get rich and he has heard that there is the possibility of riches in a certain place. So he may be tempted to go somewhere that he ought not to go. The lights of Las Vegas, which I saw for the first time two weeks ago, have special appeal for those whose hearts are already set on inordinate wealth. They have special appeal for those whose hearts have already determined that the one thing they want to do is to find a way to get rich. If that is not your passion, then frankly the lights will leave you dazzled for a moment and disillusioned in the morning. Indeed, they may well leave you disillusioned in the morning even if money is your passion. Secondly, such an individual may not only be tempted to go places that he shouldn't, but he will be tempted to form alliances with those that he shouldn't form alliances with. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers because what what fellowship does light have with darkness? Says Paul, what communion is there between the evil one and those who walk with Christ? The answer is absolutely none. But when an individual has as his expressed desire to get rich he will be tempted to sidestep the clear instruction of the Bible, not only in terms of where he goes but in terms of who he joins. Thirdly, such an individual may well be tempted and caused to look in directions he would never have considered otherwise. In other words, instead of being the man at the beginning of Psalm 1, he has become the wicked man. Blessed is the man who doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of the scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night. And this individual will be like a tree who is planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season. But the wicked are not so. They are like the chaff which the wind blows away. And the wicked will not stand in the day of judgment. But the individual who has determined that they're going to be rich will be tempted to go places that he shouldn't with people that he shouldn't and turn his gaze in a direction that is all wrong. You see, a discontented spirit is peculiarly susceptible to temptation. And we could apply that adversity at any level. But we're thinking of money here. And someone who is discontented with their lot, always desiring more, making it their aim to amass as much as they possibly can, such an individual will be tempted constantly to capitulate to that which makes it possible for them, they believe, to attain their goal. So such individuals who desire to get rich are tempted. Secondly, they're trapped. Trapped. They fall into temptation and also into a trap. Having snatched at the bait as it's been dangled in front of them, they find themselves caught. Hendrickson puts it in this way. As a snare keeps an animal imprisoned so the ungovernable passion for wealth fastens its clutching tentacles about those who pant after the dust of the earth. It's a graphic picture of someone going for all that they can grab and discovering that they are tempted and then they are trapped and the tentacles close around them and squeeze out their very life. Now Paul doesn't actually say what this trap is, but earlier in 1 Timothy, you may remember in verse 7 of chapter 3, he talked about the trap of the devil and falling into the devil's trap. He does elsewhere in the pastoral epistles. And I think that he would clearly have this in mind. The appeal How could somebody find this to be appealing? Well, it's made all the more appealing because of the many desires to which we're prone. And what are the desires to which we are prone? Well, they're foolish desires and they're harmful desires. And the word here for foolish is the same notion as you have in the psalmist where it says the fool has said in his heart there is no God. It's not an expression of intellectual impoverishment. It is an it is an indication of moral indifference. And when an individual starts down this path they'll be tempted and they will be trapped and it is quite staggering just how foolish and ridiculous and pathetic an individual's actions may prove to be once having set foot on this slipping slope. Such foolishness will pursue a deplorable vice as if it were a desirable virtue. One of my good friends far away from here I cannot speak of this passage at the moment without thinking of him. And his the wreckage of his marriage and the massaging of his ego and the foolish, stupid, ridiculous, pathetic activities in which he finds himself tonight in one of the largest cities of Britain is directly related to pound signs in his eyeballs. And he didn't realize that when he took his eyes off God and put his eyes on gold that it would be very, very difficult for him just to come up with what he wanted. And he has discovered now that he couldn't get what he wanted without at the same time getting what he didn't want. And he is a a tragic expression of this. Desiring to get rich, he has fallen into temptation. He is trapped. He is engaged in foolish, moral foolishness and spiritual harm to his own destruction. He has become susceptible to the enticements of the evil one and none of us should think for a moment that we are immune to this. I do not stand for a split second in in judgment on my friend lest I join him. Eve was seduced by the evil one in the garden. He tempted her to eat death by offering her what? A slice of life. Only a fool would eat death, wouldn't you say? But of course it would be possible to be conned into believing that what was offered as life was actually something different. And having fallen into temptation, such individuals find themselves plunged into ruin and destruction. And the circumstances described here of these individuals is that they are tempted and they are trapped and their condition is terminal. Terminal. These two words that he uses here describe a terminal condition. They either heap one word on another to describe spiritual destruction or one word speaks for physical impoverishment and the other one speaks of spiritual demise. But the words are graphic and they are powerful in their implications. If you turn back just a verse, just a couple of pages in your Bible to 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 and to verse 9, you will see the same expression used, speaking of these individuals. Those who do not know God and don't obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus, he says they will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified. Shut out from the presence of the Lord. For a dollar? For a hundred? For a thousand? For a hundred thousand? Would you sell your soul for a million bucks and live in hell for all eternity? Now it is at this point at this very telling point that we come in verse 10 to one of the most misquoted statements in the Bible. This little sentence, for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. And of course people misquote that saying that the love of money is the root of all evil. And in point of fact, what is being expressed here is the sentiment that there is no kind of evil to which the love of money may not lead men. When that love of money once takes hold of someone, that's the point. Once a love of money takes hold of someone, there is no kind of evil to which it may not lead. And therefore it is imperative that we ask ourselves, well, am I a lover of money? Because if a love of money brings with it temptation and a trap and termination, this is something that we would want to find out about, don't you think? How can I tell if I am eager for money? Number one, when thoughts of money consume my day. Secondly when the financial success of others makes me jealous. Thirdly, when I am tempted to to define success in terms of what I have rather than what I am in Christ. When I think about myself in relationship to what I possess rather than I marvel that I am Christ's possession. Fourthly, when my family is neglected in my pursuit of money. When I am prepared to discard all other considerations, schedules and meals and games and everything. Not because I am fulfilling the duty of an emergency vehicle driver and there are a lot of emergencies out there, but because I am using up all the time that I have to the detriment of my family because I want money. Fifthly, when I close my eyes to the genuine needs of others because you see I don't want to spend any of it. I just want to keep it all. Sixthly, when I live in the paralyzing fear of losing my money. And I wake up and I think, oh, if I don't have all this, what will happen to me then? You see, then we're a long way away from the the large black coffee and the blueberry muffin at that point, right? Because all you need for that is a buck 74. Right? You don't need all that other stuff. You need a dollar 74, another dollar for the New York Times. It's 2 74. Now if you need a Rolls Royce to go pick it up, that's a problem. Seventhly, I love money when I'm prepared to borrow myself into bondage. When I'm prepared to borrow myself into bondage. I'm not prepared to live in a certain kind of house or drive a certain kind of car or drop back into a rented apartment or put myself in in in half a trailer home beside a stream because I am so consumed with all of this stuff that I'm prepared to borrow myself into total bondage. And eighthly, it is a safe indication that I love money too much when God receives my leftovers rather than my first fruits.
Bob Lepine: You're listening to Truth for Life with Alistair Begg. He's titled today's message Contentment or Corruption and we'll hear the conclusion on Monday. Now as I'm sure you're aware, there are many ages and stages of life from childhood to adulthood, from raising kids to retirement. And there are many books that address these milestones. But there's an in-between stage that is often overlooked and it's the subject of the book we are recommending to you today. It's called Not Old, Not Young, Not Done. Following Jesus in your 50s and 60s. If you're in that age group, life probably looks different for you now than it did 20 years ago. Maybe your kids have moved out or gotten married, maybe you have more time on your hands, or maybe your extra time is spent caring for your elderly parents. So what does serving Christ look like in this stage of life? Is it possible that this could be the most fruitful season of loving and serving and growing in the Lord? The book Not Old, Not Young, Not Done is a thought-stirring book that answers these questions and highlights the unique opportunity that this time of life presents, opportunities to pray, to serve, and to encourage the next generation. Ask for your copy of the book Not Old, Not Young, Not Done when you donate today to support the Bible Teaching Ministry of Truth for Life. You can give using our mobile app or online at truthforlife.org/donate or call us at 888-588-7884. And if you'd rather mail your donation along with your request for the book, write to Truth for Life at P.O. Box 398000, Cleveland, Ohio 44139. I'm Bob Lepine. Thanks for studying the Bible with us this week. Hope you have a great weekend and are able to worship with your local church. On Monday, we'll learn why even solid Christians need to be unceasingly on guard against the lure of riches. I hope you can join us. The Bible Teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life where the learning is for living.