3 Ways To Avoid The Lure Of Riches

Continuing our study of James 5:1-6, we focus now on three practical ways to ensure money does not become our God:

1) Be Wise: Live with Eternity in View

Recall what James asked and answered at the end of chapter 4: “What is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  You ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live…(James 4:14-15).”

Live with eternity in view.  Never forget that this world is not your final home.  Don’t be deceived by riches—or anything else.  The day of judgment will come when we will give an accounting of whether we have bowed before Jesus Christ and followed Him as Lord.  Don’t allow riches to be your god.

The Apostle Paul also warns us what will happen if money is our god.  He says: 

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:1-10

Live with eternity in view.  Money comes and goes.  Solomon wisely advises: “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle” (Proverbs 23:5).

So, live with eternity in view.  Live for Jesus.  Know that true wealth is found in Him.  As the Apostle Paul says of Christ: “Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

True wealth is found in Christ.  Love of money is but a cheap substitute for love of Christ.  Love Christ, really love Him, recalling what He has done for you.  Think of Him throughout the day, and meditate upon His works on your behalf:

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day!

Chapman, J. Wilbur. “One Day,” ca. 1908, Public DomaiN

Be wise: live with eternity in view.  Second action:

2) Be Content: Enjoy what You Have 

At the beginning of our study, we noted that being wealthy is not a sin in and of itself.  What is wrong is a wealthy person’s sinful attitude toward wealth.  In the same way, however, a poor person can also have a sinful attitude toward wealth.

JC Ryle observes with his inimitable simplicity: “We may love money without having it, just as we may have money without loving it.” ¹

In the oft-quoted platitude, Money is not the problem; love of money is the problem.

Be content: enjoy what you have.  Don’t live beyond your means.  Third action:

3) Be Generous: Give to Bless Others

Rather than hoarding, give.  Rather than collecting, give away.  Be a good steward.  Save for the future. 

In a sermon on tithing, John Piper challenges Christians to give beyond the traditional tithe (10 percent).  He argues:

Americans who merely tithe are robbing God.  In a world where 10,000 people a day starve to death and many more than that are perishing in unbelief, the question is not, “What percentage must I give?” but, “How much dare I spend on myself?”²

Good question.  Christian Author Randy Alcorn seems to agree.  He writes: “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living but to raise my standard of giving.”³

Be generous: give to bless others.

What About You?

• How is James’ teaching similar to Jesus’ parable of the “rich fool” in Luke 12:13-21?
• What is your opinion on tithing?  How much do you give and why?  
• Of Jesus, Paul said, “Though He was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).”  What exactly does that mean, and how does it apply to you?

**Excerpt from You’re Either Walking The Walk Or Just Running Your Mouth (Preaching Truth: 2020), pages 165-168, available in all formats here.

1. Ryle, J.C., Expository thoughts on the Gospels, with the text complete, Volume 1 (London: William Hunt and Company), 352
2. Piper, John, “I Seek Not What is Yours, but You” available from www.desiringgod.org/messages/i-seek-not-what-is-yours-but-you, last modified January 31, 1982.
3. Alcorn, Randy. The Treasure Principle (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2001), 73.