The Root of All Evil
July 30th, 2008 | David G. Johnson
Today’s message is a guest entry from David G. Johnson, founder of Nourish The Dream.
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 6:10 NKJV)
In our previous message, we talked about the inner struggle that some of us face — particularly those who have been around Christianity for awhile — where business and financial success are concerned. It isn’t too difficult to guess that one of the major contributors to this struggle is an abundance of erroneous teaching about the Bible and what it really says.
For example, here’s a direct quote from a recent Newsweek article:
“For one thing, Scripture is full of exhortations against accumulating wealth. The New Testament, especially, repeatedly reminds followers of Christ that earthly wealth means nothing in heaven. ‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God,’ says Jesus.”
These few sentences are so full of misunderstanding about Scripture that it’s almost infuriating. (Where does Newsweek get off interpreting Scripture anyway?!) But the tragedy is that many churches have actually taught — arguably with good intentions — fallacies like this.
Another great example is the, “root of all evil,” Scripture referred to in the title of today’s message. Not only is it frequently misquoted as, “money is the root of all evil,” but the entire passage that it comes from is (in my experience) usually preached from a fundamental place of misunderstanding.
If you’re hearing from those you look up to (spiritually speaking) that it’s wrong to accumulate wealth, doesn’t that directly work against you? Isn’t business challenging enough without wondering if God is upset with us for doing well in it? Is God so cruel as to require that we work to provide for our families and even call us into the business world only to tell us that we are only pleasing to Him when we fail?
It’s time that we take a hard look at some of these teachings and find out what the Scripture really says.
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July 30th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Here, here!
And why is it that lots of Christian organizations pay below market?
There’s a Christian University I know of that comes straight out in there initial interview process saying, “We’re a Christian University. We pay 20% below market. Period.”
Makes me cringe. And I’ve seen it frequently.
What are all them cattle on them thousand hills over there super skinny or what?
July 30th, 2008 at 11:34 am
David,
Yeah buddy! Go!
Teaching the traditions of man, instead of what the Bible really says. Promulgated by the media. Gee, I wonder who’s behind THAT.
I’m a big fan of Dallas Willard and mentioned here a couple of weeks ago a chapter in one of his books entitled, “Is Poverty Spiritual?” He’s also got an article out about how Jesus used logical insights to help people come to conclusions and truth. One of Willard’s points is, how can you be generous unless you have more than you need? We often elevate the woman with the widow’s mite, because Jesus did. But to make her the example and model is to miss the point. Jesus was not elevating her model; He was talking about attitude and willingness in giving. When “models” like this get elevated, what really is going on here (in part and in my opinion) is legalism. Outward conformity without regard to inward righteousness, the very thing that the Pharisees did, and to which Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, helped us see that righteousness is an inward deal.
I often think that I and other Christians do not think well. It’s not logical to be able to give generously unless you have more than you need. As the Bible says, if you can’t provide for your own family, you’re worse than an unbeliever. So to be in poverty (#1) is not Scriptural, and #2, to be expected to be generous while being in poverty and NOT providing for your family, is just NOT Biblical.
We’re so afraid of being on the wrong side of the track, that we never get on the train! We (I) let the enemy push us (me) around with wrong thinking that has no basis in fact or truth, all because of erroneous ideas. I’m ready to be done with it!
Blessings,
Dennis
July 30th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Yes, many times Scripture is misquoted to achieve a purpose. Satan misquoted when tempting Jesus. It is the “love” of money that is the root of all evil, not money in and of itself.
I have heard many sermons that would put a guilt complex on you if you were a successful businessman. (You must be stealing!)
It’s like the verse, “Blessed are they that are poor in spirit” has nothing to do with being in, living in poverty. If everyone was poor, who is left to support the church and missionaries financially?
Ron<
July 30th, 2008 at 11:41 am
@Chris, they don’t only do this with employees. The “give me a deal, brother” syndrome is one of the reasons many Christian business owners don’t want it to be know that they’re believers. Small thinking produces small results. Period. And our God is most decidedly not a small thinker. Skinny cows, indeed!
@Dennis, I always appreciate the stuff you bring up from Dallas Willard. His material on spiritual disciplines is absolutely phenomenal. Your comment reminded me of a famous quote from former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher:
July 30th, 2008 at 11:45 am
@Ron, you’ve pointed out one of the most amazing ironies in all the world. It brings up a great question: could Jesus have had a reason for choosing disciples who all had business backgrounds? (Even an extortionist tax collector!) Could it have been so that they could teach the Kingdom from their framework?
July 30th, 2008 at 11:55 am
To add some balance, I’m not denigrating those who are in poverty. I believe God would have them get out of that. I know that’s a complex issue, in most cases not an overnight happening and is linked to oppression that needs to be addressed in multiple ways (deliverance in some cases, physical relocation, repentance, renewing of the mind, etc). And God did say that He chose the poor of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom promised to those who love Him (James).
Yesterday I listened to an interview of Paul J. Meyer, founder of Success Motivation and a Christian. He said that God would not mock you by giving you a vision or idea and then push you toward failure. I know the process of getting to the fulfillment of that vision involves character development and a breaking process as we grow into Christlikeness. And at times, like it’s not going to work.
Blessings,
Dennis
July 30th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
By the way… hat tip to my good friend Bill for sending me the Newsweek piece.
July 30th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Hey David,
Great article!! My organization, Born To Win (www.BornToWin.com) is built around John 10:10 - that Jesus came to give us abundant lives. And yes, part of that abundance may very well may be in the financial realm.
I believe that God is looking for good stewards that He can entrust with great riches. It’s only when we make money our god that we walk in dangerous territory.
Like Dennis, I too recently listened to the Paul J Meyer interview from Success magazine and wholeheartedly agree with his comments. God will not provide a vision only to have you fail (He that began a good work…)
As Christians, we should be the most joy-filled, loving, and generous people on the planet. One thing I have observed about money and wealth - whatever you are at your core, money tends to magnify. In other words, if you are selfish and wrotten at your core, money will only exascerbate that. On the flip side, if you are generous with very little, you will be much more generous with wealth.
Many Blessings,
mike
July 30th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Not long ago, my wife and I attended a Christian marriage conference sponsored by one of the well-known family ministry organizations. What the speaker said to us–several hundred of us–about sex could have made one blush. Yet he felt the freedom–in the context of today’s church–to do so openly.
It occurs to me that he wouldn’t have felt that freedom a hundred years ago, or even in my parent’s day. Something happened in the church in this generation to give him that freedom: The church decided that marital sex was not dirty or to be ignored and the church decided to take back for itself what had for so long been a worldly preoccupation.
I believe the same thing is happening in the church today in connection with matters of business and wealth. For too long these topics have been suppressed within the church. The Bible’s teachings have been ignored or misapplied. But now there is a movement afoot for the church to take these things back for the kingdom. Kudos to those of you who are actively involved in so doing!
July 30th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Thanks for the many interesting comments on this one. I have come from a place of fear of lack after a divorce six years ago to a place of entirely walking on the water in this area. He never lets me down. As I give to others He gives to me. Somewhere in the psalms it says to sow beside all waters. If we have a heart which automatically wants to give out then it will come back to us good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over it will pour into our laps. I will not ever again confess lack for my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus! We are living in the world but we are not of it, we are listening to all the doom and gloom on the news but that is the world, not the kingdom. Many Christians I know are in fear, defeat and speaking out negatives into their situations. That is not sensible. We are instructed to call those things which arent as if they are. Life and death is in the power of the tongue according to James. The Atonement has accomplished for us all the promises in His Word. I have just been counselling a very mature Christian on the phone about this and the Holy
Spirit gave me several words for her including In the multitude of words sin is not lacking. If we want to stand in these days and be overcomers we need to be grounded in the Word and speaking much in tongues so that what comes out of our mouths will be edifying and creative.
Helen
July 30th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
It is true that there are many people who seem bent on trying to make more money so they can have more things so their lives can be more pleasurable. Yes, we live in a society that seems to believe self gratification as important as breathing air. When Jesus says money is the root of all kinds of evil, I don’t believe He is talking about those who have accumulated wealth. There is a difference between ‘wealth’ and ‘money’. Most wealthy people are wealthy because they have learnt how to handle money or “be good stewards” of what God has given them.
It is because of successful business men and women that people like us can continue go to over seas as missionaries and provide resources for poor people in Asia. If you’ve been called to the business world and are successful, may God bless you abundantly, because you have placed yourself in a position where God can work through you (even in small ways) to make a difference to one third of the worlds population that has nothing but poverty.
July 30th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Go David! Liked what you wrote, and of course a HEARTY AMEN to you and the others who commented!
Peace and blessings in HIM to you all, KLH
July 30th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
So, if the love of money is the root of all evil, then what does the tree of the knowlwdge of good and evil used by satan represent? Is this the same “evil.” Anyone up on their Hebrew?
July 30th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Thanks so much for your messages. I go so far and then those old tapes play.” It’s amazing how many in the Body are in a box and are so self righteous in their beliefs. As a believer I find myself not wanting to rock their boats. This is where I need to learn to stand firm and present the fact that if we are prosperous we can literally transform the world. We can sow into Christian businesses and mission work.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:16 am
I am so thankful someone will take the time to deal with this demonic topic in depth. I personally suffered for many years concerning this false teaching and I make it my business to teach the truth of God’s word now matter what the critic say.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
the enemy wants us in poverty & not able to do what God wants for us to do, while down here..I thought the money was evil, but its a tool, and God revealed to me that I was a mom of four, which looked as a sheep stuck in small wilderness type lot, and God says to reach out, there are lush lands to walk in..and having more means able to do more for others. poverty cant be from God, lessons can be pulled from being it, but he wants us to be over, not under, and able to help others…money, tresure, talents are needed to do his work that he has called me to while down here… i think the enemy tries to keep the schools, entertainment, business, etc in his controll…but if any love God & have much, they can do so much for him in this world..im learning so much..these posts are so on time in my life right now…and in these last days..HIS will will be done upon the earth…
In Christ, cause muchhhhh grace
:) 
anna
August 3rd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Again, from the pastor part of me: My internal question is, “at what point do I become greedy and focused on the love of money rather than the gifts of God?” Reflecting on my own spiritual life/response, greed steps in when I no longer share the gifts of God with others around me. My parents are wonderful models to me — even though they struggle with business in this economic slump, they continue to be generous to those around them. If everything I have and all of the money I make comes from God, then the only way I can continue to grow spiritually is by living in such a way that the money/things I have (gifts of God) must be shared with others. In other words, how can I live a generous life? My conscience becomes clear when I stop looking out for myself and start asking God to use the gifts I have been given to change another’s life (or lots of “others” lives). It all boils down to that kindergarten lesson on sharing.
August 4th, 2008 at 6:50 am
I have just had my first testimony booklet printed and am giving it out as and when the Lord leads. We have a difficult time being witnesses sometimes because the vast majority of people do not want to go to church, they see no reality in it! I also would not be going if I had not had an encounter with the Holy Spirit in 1980. Its been a battle all the way and my youngest daughter says “Mum I never want to go to church again but your book is very good and everything you say is true, however I don’t like the way you were treated in a certain church” I know we are all flawed and my reply to her was “we all make mistakes, the biggest mistake however is throwing the baby out with the bathwater, i.e. turning away from the Lord because of other Christians, a relationship with Jesus is the most important thing”. I have no problem with my children coming back to the Lord, He will woo them back as they all gave their hearts to the Lord and were baptised by total immerson when they were very young.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Permit me to comment briefly on this topic of today.’The root of all evil’.
Money no doubt is very good. Money the scripture says answereth all things.money is suppose to be a servant to an individual but when money begin to serve as a master then it is no more a good thing to anybody. in that case, it has become an idol and any one who serves an idol has no place in the kingdom of heaven the bible says.
Remenber the young rich full in the Bible! God had no problem with him being rich at all. But the wrath of God came heavily on him when he began to demostrate his pride and arrogancy and believing that his wealth was out of his power,intelligent and knowlege.He didn’t stop there, he started looking down on his fellow beings, abandoned God and even arrogating to himself the Glory of God. Because of this, God got angry with him and immeiately requiested for his soul, of course, you know where such soul would be.
One thing christians all over the world should note is that, preachers of the word especially as it relates to riches does not and has not meant that Christ followers should live poverty ridden lives rather they should have aboundance in all things including money and must avoid the mistake of the young rich full.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Matthew’s comments back up where I am coming from. There is nothing wrong with money or even with wanting money. The evil comes in not recognizing the abundance that we have been given and in failing to share. I, by the world’s standards, am not a wealthy woman. But I truly believe that the blessings of God on my life have been abundant. I have a home (rented, not bought, but a roof over my head nonetheless), at least 3 meals a day to feed my family, fuel for my car (and a car that works), and healthy children and husband. I am RICH by these standards! So if I, whose income is “low” by tax standards, believe God has blessed me abundantly, I should be willing to share what I have. I also believe that God can bless me financially (and I’m working on hearing and receiving that message), but I want to be in a place spiritually where I can receive wealth as a gift to share both with my family and the world. After all, none of it comes from me. It is all a gift from a storehouse beyond imagining. Jesus said, “the poor you will always have with you” when Mary heaped extravagance upon him. In other words, enjoy the gifts of God that have been given to you(!) but remember the poor as well. Hmmm . . .