My Thoughts on 1 Timothy 6:17-19 on Charging Them Who are Rich
17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
What does it mean to lay hold on eternal life? This doesn't mean that salvation is faith plus works. Rather, this laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come is proof of having eternal life. The ESV may have had an easier to understand translation which says "take hold on what is truly life" or what truly matters. Riches are bound to fade. Some people can have that much money today and all of it is gone tomorrow. The translation of the ESV (or in Charles Spurgeon's time, referred to as the Revised Standard Version which he seldom used) does make it a little easier to understand with saying to take hold on what is truly life. Life is not about accumulating much wealth but to see the eternal - which is in the hands of God. Worldly wealth is very fickle such as how the stock market has its buying seasons or selling seasons. You had the infamous stock market crash too. Christians may invest in the stock market (which is also something that conspiracy nuts like David J. Stewart and Steven Anderson would warn against) but do it so carefully.
This brings to my mind the rich young ruler. Paul had mentioned Luke in Colossians 4:14 (calling him the beloved physician) and 2 Timothy 4:11 (where Mark is also mentioned). I think Paul probably had the encounter of Jesus with the rich young ruler in mind when he penned that verse. Better said, the Holy Spirit may have guided Paul to think of that encounter. The encounter is found in Matthew 19:1-30, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30. The encounter of the rich young ruler shows the problem of riches. It's not a call to renounce your riches to be saved. Rather, the problem when the rich are so focused on their riches that they would actually fail the good test. The rich young ruler wanted to justify himself. Jesus showed the rich young ruler how he was cut short. It's all about loving riches and not riches themselves. The rich man was required to be sell everything he had, give to the poor, and follow him. It didn't mean he had to be poor. To sell everything meant there was still some money. Give to the poor was to help the poor. The rich young ruler failed in this test because he trusted in his riches (Mark 10:24). The big problem is also that the rich young ruler thought he could justify himself when he couldn't.
What would be interesting is that 1 Timothy 6:17-19 goes back to the verse that says that the love of money is the root (or better translated, a root) of all kinds of evil. Much evil happens today not because of money but because of covetousness. I think a better way of translating love of money is loving God more than money. A businessman, no matter how honest, will always love to make money. The problem is that a businessman who loves money over God will end up giving up honest livelihood in exchange to do anything without thinking if it can rake in more money. Paul is condemning the irresponsible use of money. Many people enter into gambling (whether as a vice or as an unethical business) to get rich fast. Many people enter into the hard liquor or narcotics industry because it pours in more money at the fastest rate than investing in stocks. Even worse, law enforcement tends to get so badly done when policemen who love money accept bribes from wealthy criminals. It's a sad thing when poor criminals get caught while their wealthy henchmen continue to get rich. All of that is rooted in not money but in the love for money.
The command to charge those who are rich is to acknowledge the fact God has allowed certain people (both the righteous and the wicked) to be rich. The charge is to be a responsible steward of money. It's like how Job acknowledged that his wealth was from God. Job mentions that God gives and God takes away then blessing His name. The command for the rich is to use their wealth for good. It's a call for those who are materially rich and have converted to Christ to finally stop pursuing worldly pleasures and use their wealth for God's work. This is the call to be rich in good works. It's doing charity for the whole year round and not just during Christmas or the Lenten Season. I was thinking about William Colgate, a Protestant Christian businessman, who was said that he ended up using 10% of his wealth for himself and 90% for God's work when he got so rich. Some people end up revealing their true character when they get rich. Truly saved people are much less bound to get arrogant when they get rich because God will spank them if they do.
This should make one ask about one's motives for becoming rich. Does the person want to become rich so one can help others or does want to be rich so one can bully others? Honest entrepreneurs seek to become rich so they can help others. Dishonest entrepreneurs seek to become rich so they can trample others. Some poor people want to be rich so they can help one's fellow poor get out of poverty. Some poor people want to be rich so they can pursue their sinful pleasures. Some tyrants started out very poor before they become terribly rich through tyranny. Some wealthy criminals started out poor and became criminally rich through immorality. I'm also made to ask myself what are my motives in my quest to earn more money. Am I trying to get rich to get even with others who bullied me? Am I trying to get rich so I can have the power to exploit to hurt others? Instead, I should be focused on having money in order to be a wise steward that will acknowledge that in the end, all the money is not truly mine. If I do end up with more money then I have to remember the charge not to be high-minded or arrogant but to have a God-centered focus on finances.