1 Timothy 6:17,18 - Handling wealth properly

6:17

Earlier we had very severe warnings about those who see the gospel as a means of making money. Now we get more teaching on wealth. Note first that there is absolutely nothing wrong in being rich! We need to be very careful that in reacting against some forms of prosperity teaching we do not fall into other errors. The consistent teaching of the Bible is that wealth can be a blessing from the Lord. So those who are rich in this world are commanded first not to be arrogant. Having money does make life an awful lot of easier. It does not get rid of all problems by any means, but it certainly avoids a lot of them! And it can be a blessing. The danger is that we then become arrogant, thinking we are better than others, or thinking that we are in total control. It can deceive us into putting our hope in wealth. Money is uncertain, it can all be gone in an instant. So instead we must ensure that we put our hope in God. Then note that it says he “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment”. So we are not to feel guilty if we are rich, rather we are to be grateful. Note also that it is provided “for our enjoyment”. Now we must never take this phrase in isolation, as the next verse will show, but one of the reasons God gives us good things is so that we can enjoy life.

6:18

Next the rich are commanded to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous towards others. It is significant that doing good comes before giving financially. If we are well off then can be a tendency to think that because we have given money we have no further duty. This is not so, indeed it would impoverish us spiritually. We are to do good. We are also to be generous towards others. God gives us wealth for three essential reasons: (i) to be generous to God and to others; (ii) to provide for our needs; (iii) for our enjoyment. All three are important. Note that Paul tells Timothy to command those with wealth to give, not merely to invite them to give.