Rich People in God’s House – 1 Timothy 6:17-21

1 Timothy verse by verse: Lesson # 27 – Paul instructs Timothy concerning how to challenge rich people in the church and then concludes with a challenge for him to stand for the truths in the Epistle.

1. The Apostle Paul teaches Timothy on how he is to instruct rich believers in the church.
2. He then concludes with a final exhortation to Timothy to hold fast to the truth and avoid error. Vs. 20-21 are really a summary of the entire contents of the Epistle.

Vs. 17-19 – Concerning the Rich

Their Attitude (Vs. 17)

Towards their Status (17a)

1. ‘charge’ = to command
2. ‘rich’ = Obviously there were rich people in the congregation. “No blame is attached to that fact…Christianity is not opposed to believers being rich, but it is vitally concerned that they have the right attitude toward their riches and make proper use of it.” (Hiebert)
3. ‘highminded’ = compound word, high/lofty + understanding/mind. Speaks of pride and arrogance. “The pride of purse” (Bernard)
4. James 2:1-9 – Warning against preferential treatment of the rich in the church
5. 1 Cor. 6:4 “If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.”

Towards their Wealth (17b)

1. Vain Hope
   1. ‘trust’ = to place one’s hope upon, to be confident in something
   2. ‘uncertain’ = true nature of material wealth (e.g. inflation, interest rates, impact of global events, bankruptcy etc…) To trust in riches is ultimately to make uncertainty one’s confidence (Fairbairn)
      1. Psalm 62:10 “…if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.”
      2. Prov. 23:4-5 “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.”
      3. Ecc. 5:10-11 “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?”
2. Genuine Hope
   1. “living God” = our hope is to be placed in the Eternal God who changes not rather than transient, temporal things.
   2. “who give us richly all things to enjoy” = God is the giver and provider of our needs. “God does not provide material wealth to stimulate pride or self-exaltation but intends that His gifts be used and enjoyed with all gratitude.” (Hiebert)

Their Activities (Vs. 18)

Serving (18a)

1. “do good…rich in good works” = wealth that is of a spiritual nature
2. Service for Christ the primary concern and priority
3. What would you prefer to be known for? Someone who has achieved much in the corporate realm but little for Christ? Or one who leaves a rich legacy of quality service, rendered to the King of kings.

Giving (18b)

1. “ready to distribute” = free to give, liberal
2. “willing to communicate” = ready to share, gracious
3. Luke 12:48 “…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required…”
4. God’s perspective on giving. Not determined by the size of the gift itself but by the proportion of what is retained: Luke 21:1-4 “And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”
5. Other Key verses on giving:
   1. It is a demonstration of our love for Christ: 2 Cor. 8:8 – “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.”
   2. God loves a cheerful giver: 2 Cor 9:7-8 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
   3. The blessing of giving: Jesus said “…It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

Their Aim (Vs. 19)

Eternal Investment (19a)

1. “laying up in store” = storing up, treasuring away. Investment term. Store it up by giving it away!
2. Matt. 6:19-20 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”
3. Make regular deposits in heavens bank account!

Eternal Rewards (19b)

1. “good foundation” = a sure investment
2. “lay hold on eternal life” = similar thought to Vs. 12

Vs. 20-21 – Final Challenge

Keep the Truth! (Vs. 20a)

1. 1. ‘keep’ = to guard. Aorist tense, urgent command. “Picture is of a soldier standing guard over a treasure which has been committed to him for safe keeping” (Hiebert)
   2. “that which is committed to thy trust” = banking term. A deposit. Reference to the doctrines of the Epistle. S. Jude 1:3

Avoid Error! (Vs. 20b-21a)

1. Empty utterances – ‘babblings’
   1. ‘profane’ = unhallowed, secular
   2. “vain babblings” = empty, hollow. Compound word – empty + voice = empty voices. They utter emptiness.
2. Intellectualism – “oppositions of science falsely so called”
   1. ‘oppositions’ = English word ‘antithesis’ comes from this word. Refers to the act of placing arguments & objections against a certain proposition (Wuest)
   2. ‘erred’ = same word as “having swerved” (1:6)

Be Strong! (Vs. 21b)

Conclusion

1. What is our attitude to wealth? Do we see it as a means to glorify God and serve Him? Or do we have a temporal value system?
2. Will we take the challenge of 1 Timothy to heart and stand for true doctrine?

Sermon 27 of 27 in 1 Timothy Series

Sermon Audio Id: 42317635435