Wealth 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 ESV)

I have seen these verses be used as a call to socialism. Of course that would be a misrepresentation of what is written. I have also seen these verses to make those give out of guilt, which is also another misrepresentation of Scripture. This is not support the taking of monies from the rich through taxes to be supposedly redistributed to the poor, nor is it to make the rich feel so guilty that they are to give just to satisfy their guilt. If a wealthy person is truely born again and living under the power of the Holy Spirit, he/she will be compelled to give and do good works with their wealth because it is in their new nature in Christ. God does not want someone to give begrudgingly, He wants a giver who is cheerful (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Those who are not wealthy by worldly standards are not off the hook either. Believers have an immeasuarble wealth far beyond money and riches. Our treasure is stored in heaven and what we are rich in, we can take with us to Heaven. We have to be responsible with our wealth as well. We are not to hoarde our wealth. We need to be ready to share our wealth with those in need. How could we not be cheerful in giving from our wealth, of course that would be sharing the Gospel. It is because of the Gospel that we can be assured of the greatest treasure that God offers, and that is eternal life in fellowship with Him. No other treasure or measure of wealth can even come remotely close to the treasure of eternal fellowship with our Saviour.

If you are reading this and are not born again, today is the day of salvation. We are all wretched sinners in the eyes of God. He demands perfection, which is not possible for any one of us to achieve. That is why He sent his son, Jesus, to fulfill the perfect and sinless life we are not able to ful fill so that he can be the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins once and for all. Our sins (past, present, and future) were placed upon him and he bore the wrath of God so that we do not have to. He died and rose again so that through faith in Him, repentence from our sins, and confession we can have His rightousness placed upon us. We receive the greatest treasure not by what we do, but by the work that has been completed on the cross.