Faith and Wealth “Real Life” [James] Series [11] James 2:5-7

WHY SHOULD WE SHOW NO PARTIALITY AS BELIEVERS IN LORD JESUS? [RECAP] Because of our faith in Lord Jesus (vs.1-4): We must see people through the eyes of Christ [New Values]. [TODAY] Because of how God views and treats the poor: 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. (vs.5-6a)  God has chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom—i.e., to love God.  Being poor itself is NOT a good thing; but the poverty is a conducive condition for faith in God’s grace.  It is God’s way of shaming the wise and the strong in the world (See the wisdom of God in this).

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

WHY SHOULD WE SHOW NO PARTIALITY AS BELIEVERS IN LORD JESUS? Because of the reality of how the rich were in their time: Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? (vs. 6b-7)  In those days, it was very common that wealthy unbelievers oppressed and exploited the poor.  Most Early Christians in dispersion were poor and personally experienced the oppression of the rich.  The rich also blasphemed and slander the name of Christ in mistreating “Christians”; if so, why would you show partiality to the rich?

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 1)Wealth/possession is a God-given gift that requires faithful stewardship [vs. wealth = God’s blessing]. No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24 19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 1)Wealth/possession is a God-given gift that requires faithful stewardship [vs. wealth = God’s blessing].  We ought to view wealth not as mere God’s blessing but as God’s “talent/gift” entrusted into us.  Why? We will someday be accounted for it—how we handled the possession/wealth in our stewardship.  It’s not that faith is a means to get wealth [“blessing”] but that an extraordinary faith is a prerequisite for good stewardship of wealth [“gift”].

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 2)Wealth/money is not bad in itself but our desire for wealth can destroy us. 6 Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.8But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 1 Timothy 6:6-10

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 2)Wealth/money is not bad in itself but our desire for wealth can destroy us.  In the worldly culture, we are encouraged to pursue wealth; but Scripture urges us NOT to desire to be rich.  Why not? How our greedy attitude toward wealth causes us to fall into temptation and snare.  Desiring wealth eventually can ruin us in the most valuable things (e.g., the rich ruler in Luke 18). “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." Luke 18:25

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 3)Wealth/affluence must be handled with extra caution and wisdom. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 3)Wealth/affluence must be handled with extra caution and wisdom. 7 Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: 8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. Proverbs 30:7-9

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 3)Wealth/affluence must be handled with extra caution and wisdom.  We are to keep ourselves free from love of money/wealth.  This requires vigilance, discipline, and simplicity in our values and lifestyle.  In all this, we need wisdom to see [1] the reality of our weakness to affluence/wealth and poverty and [2] to keep the character of godliness as the key axiom in life.

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 4)Wealth requires unwavering faith and responsibility. 17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

HOW SHOULD WE VIEW WEALTH IF WE ARE TO BE GUIDED BY SCRIPTURE? 4)Wealth requires unwavering faith and responsibility.  Those who are wealthy must uphold these responsibilities for a faithful stewardship: [1] to stay humble; [2] to put hope not in wealth but in God; [3] to excel in doing good; [4] to be generous and ready to give; [5] thus storing up treasures in eternal perspective.  Why? Because the Lord of all of our possession—in little or in affluence—is Jesus Christ!  Hence, Christ must be treasured as our supreme joy and satisfaction in life here as well as in life eternal.

Three Levels of How to Live with Things In other words, there are three levels of how to live with things: (1) you can steal to get; (2) or you can work to get; (3) or you can work to get in order to give. Too many professing Christians live on level two. Almost all the forces of our culture urge them to live on level two. But the Bible pushes us relentlessly to level three (2 Cor.9: 8). Why does God bless us with abundance? So we can have enough to live on and then use the rest for all manner of good works that alleviate spiritual and physical misery. Enough for us; abundance for others. The issue is not how much a person makes. Big industry and big salaries are a fact of our times, and they are not necessarily evil. The evil is in being deceived into thinking a six-digit salary must be accompanied by a six-digit lifestyle. God has made us to be conduits of his grace. The danger is in thinking the conduit should be lined with gold. It shouldn't. Copper will do. - John Piper

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.Be vigilant against YOUR DESIRE TO BE RICH in this world.  See things from Christ-centered values.  Choose to be content and choose simplicity. 2.Treasure Christ as YOUR SUPREME JOY AND SATISFACTION.  Turn from all false joys—especially the lures of wealth.  Taste and see how Christ is good daily. 3.Be faithful in your STEWARDSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY as you live with things.  Remember that all your possessions belong to God (you are only the manager/steward).  Be active in living out level-three lifestyle as God’s steward!