During the 1849 Gold Rush, the body of a prospector, who had apparently died of thirst, was discovered in the California desert. He was found clutching a bag of pyrite or ‘fool’s gold’ and in his pocket was a paper on which he had written, “I died rich.” He had given up his life for worthless treasure. 

       What does it profit to gain wealth and lose one’s life?

       Wealth is intoxicating, not only because of the hard goods but also because it offers the thrill of the chase; there’s always more out ahead. Wealth captivates and disillusions; it attracts friends and destroys relationships. It offers pleasure and produces depression. It buys prestige, but the honor is empty. Wealth promises freedom and opportunity but, ultimately, produces bondage.

       Wealth is an abundance of valuable material possessions or resources. Should the follower of Jesus be wealthy? 

       A longtime association with the Bible does not automatically produce sound belief and practice. We readily accept what suits our way of thinking and struggle to understand what is objectionable to us. The Protestant puzzles over I Corinthians 11, and the Anabaptist wrestles with Luke 12.

       There is over three times as much teaching in the New Testament on wealth than there is on non-conformity, separation, nonresistance, the swearing of oaths and the head covering combined. Yet, we place few restrictions on ourselves relating to finances. Financial success is promoted. Worldliness is condemned but affluence is admired, and overall, our standard of living is higher than that of the common people around us. If the ledger is balanced, we can work as hard as we choose, spend what we want, give what we believe we should, and keep the remainder. All this with almost no accountability. 

       Does good management entitle us to a deluxe lifestyle? When does saving become hoarding? We give liberally. Does this justify the pursuit of wealth?

       The teaching of Jesus in relation to wealth could be summarized as, “Give more and own less.” Or better said, “Give all and own nothing.” Natural man’s giving comes from a sense of duty. Material involvements are his passion. The follower of Jesus gives with passion and manages his finances out of a sense of duty.

       Pursuing wealth is often promoted under the guise of stewardship. Stewardship is not business acumen. A steward is a manager, not a holder. The resources we claim are not our own; they have simply been entrusted to us during our service to the Master. There is nothing in the New Testament to suggest that God is impressed by our gathering of great earthly assets, even when we give large amounts of money back to Him. 

       The wealthy and self-sufficient church of North America has many of the same characteristics of the Laodicean church in Rev. 3:14-19. The warning to them is a warning to us. Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that that thou mayest see...be zealous therefore and repent.

       Jesus’ counsel to them and us has three themes: values, morals, and vision. 

Values

       Buy of Me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich. 

       Life consists of the exchange of resources. Everything has a price tag. Our choices are based on our perception of what is valuable. The rich young ruler turned down eternal life in favor of his possessions. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. Moses exchanged pleasure and riches to receive affliction and reproach. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, and the Apostle Paul lost everything to win Christ. 

       Jesus’ gold is eternal life and there are two steps to receiving it. To illustrate them, He gave us the parable of the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price. First, it must be sought and found, and second, it requires a complete sellout. Many today have embraced the first step; they’re brought to the foot of the cross and they make the commitment. But then they hesitate, reluctant to let go of what they had always considered valuable. The cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for things takes over. They are absorbed into professing Christendom, becoming salt without seasoning and lights under a bushel.

       Eternal life is worth everything and costs everything. Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Morals

       Buy of Me white raiment…that thou mayest be clothed and that thy nakedness do not appear...be zealous therefore and repent.

       Wealth is a moral issue. 

       Nakedness is the result of Adam’s sin. White linen is the righteousness of the saints. Jesus’ offer of white raiment and the call to repent shows that the materialism of the Laodiceans was a salvation issue and not simply a weakness, or "an area in which they needed to grow."

       Some choices are not right nor wrong of themselves but are judged by motive alone. Others are right when done in moderation but become wrong when taken to excess. For these reasons, choices relating to wealth can seem subjective. What is need and what is luxury? How much is too much? With varying opinions, the absolutes get lost in the muddle and we downplay the seriousness of the issues at stake. We forget or ignore the fact that riches affect eternal destinies.

       The rich young ruler was honest and morally upright, but his love for his wealth cost him eternal life. The rich fool in Luke 12:16-21, for the sake of financial security, laid up wealth for the future and lost his soul. Another rich man (Luke 16:19-31) indulged in the good life and ignored the beggar who lay at his gate. He is in hell crying for water.

       Technology has brought the beggar to our gate. We know or can know of needs all around the world. Wars generate refugees and famines produce starvation. Charitable organizations have made giving to these needs as simple as writing out a check. Can we ignore these needs, live in luxury, and expect different consequences than what this formerly rich man is experiencing?

Vision

       Anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see.

       The first step to healed vision is seeing our need. If ye were blind, Jesus told the Pharisees, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. Only by seeing God can our vision be restored. We must see His greatness and our smallness, His goodness and our selfishness, His righteousness and our sin, and His grace and our need. 

       We need to see the needs of our families. The love of money is the root of all evil and is probably, at least partly, the cause of every dysfunctional home. The greatest resource required for good relationships is time and when time for good relationships is in short supply, the pursuit of wealth is usually the culprit. To lose the soul of one of our children for the sake of financial success is a terrible exchange.

       We need to see humanitarian needs. Ye have the poor always with you. We need to see the social needs, the lonely, the depressed, and the sick. We need to see the plight of lost souls. Lift up your eyes and look on the fields; for they are white and ready to harvest. This is the ‘Go Vision.’ It is Jesus’ vision, shared in His last words to His disciples and embraced by those willing to forsake all to follow Him. 

       Alternatively, there is the ‘Stay Vision.’ Stay in the comfortable environment that we know and love. Protect and enjoy prosperity and thank God for the good life. This is the vision of the complacent who value the secure and predictable. It’s our default vision and it produces earthly wealth and spiritual poverty.

       Approximately 120 people die each minute. That’s 7,200 every hour, 172,800 per day, over 5 million each month and over 62 million per year. Most of these die without Christ.

       The ultimate vision is anticipation of Christ’s return. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching. Picture the glorified Lamb of God stepping down from His throne to receive us with honor, seating us at His table, and serving us. We’ll be changed from our sin-cursed body and made into His image. We’ll freely drink of the Fountain of Life and eat of the Tree of Life. We’ll inherit all things...

       Or will we die clutching our bag of fool’s gold?

       What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

-Newville, PA