The Love of Money – Part Three

Bud Hancock

Test the Seed, Test the Word

In the natural realm, it is well known by the farmer that the seed he is sowing must be tested to prove that it is of good quality and is actually what the provider claims it to be. He knows that, once the seed is in the ground, and is germinated, it has already formed the roots that will eventually produce the visible plant. If the seed is bad, it is much easier and less costly to keep that seed from being sown than it is to try to pull up the plant once the root is established.  

In the spiritual realm, this is also true. Every seed (word) should be tested to see if it is something that is really wanted, or needed, in the life of a person. Some of the words (seeds) that come to us in the form or thoughts, or imaginations, sound SO good that the temptation is to immediately accept them and allow them to take root and grow. However, once the visible plant (our actions) are seen, and the determination is that the seeds were bad, it is a lot more difficult to destroy the root than it would have been to reject the seed. More importantly, the ‘collateral damage’ that can be done by the actions resulting from accepting bad seeds (words) can be absolutely devastating to all those around us. I believe this is why The Holy Spirit, through Paul, told us about the real battle we face from our REAL enemies, the unseen evil beings who attack us in the mental realm.

It is interesting to note that the word translated “love” in I Timothy 6:10 is the Greek word, philarguria, from the Greek words ‘philos’, meaning “a fondness for” and ‘arguros’, meaning “silver”. Each word used separately is not a problem, since being fond of someone is good, and silver, or money, in and of itself can be good. The combination of the two words, as used by Paul, makes the literal translation, “the love of money”. Paul’s use of the word here indicates covetousness, or being avaricious, having a strong, earnest greed for silver, or money.

Money is a completely inanimate object, devoid of life and incapable of loving anyone. The only true value of ‘money’ is in the intrinsic value of things for which it can be exchanged, since money, specifically paper currency, is, or at least was, only the token of something of ‘real’ value, for example silver or gold. In reality, money simply represents the time one spent in earning it; its actual value then is in the objects for which it can be exchanged, so any ‘love’ directed toward money can not only NOT be returned; it produces the seed that then creates, or ‘reinforces’ the ‘root of evil’ where it eventually manifests in evil actions. Man’s ability to love is most profitable and healthy when it is “Zoe’, the God kind of love, directed toward an object capable of returning love in kind, and that excludes money.  

One must develop the habit of appreciating, and respecting, the things that money can provide, from food and clothing to housing and transportation.  None of these things can be had honestly without money unless you have a very rich patron, or someone in your family from whom the money was ‘inherited’. It is also very interesting that Saint Paul, in writing to Timothy, describes the love of money as “the root of ALL evil”.  There are a lot of different evils in the world, aren’t there?  From Paul’s writing, it appears that there may indeed be many evils, or actually many ‘manifestations of evil’, hence his use of the word “all”. Even though there may be many manifestations of evil, they all proceed from Satan, through his insidious suggestions that question the Word of God, just as he did to Adam and Eve.  

As the natural, visible plant is fed by natural roots, and the visible part of the plant is determined by the original seed, so also humans’ actions (the visible part of us) are determined by our roots which come from the seeds planted in our hearts. In the case of a good, or righteous person, the root (spiritual in nature) must have proceeded from the original seed (God’s Word) which is embedded in the heart by faith; however, in the case of an evil, or unrighteous person, the root (also spiritual in nature), is the love of money; it also proceeded from a seed, usually envy which produces a ‘coveting for’ money and power.

 

The dictionary definition of the words “to covet” is:

· v. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another’s). See Synonyms at envy.

· v. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire.

· v. To feel immoderate desire for that which is another’s.

The action here is that of a person who sees something desirable that is owned by another and longs for it, sometimes with the follow up action of physically taking it, either by deception or force.  Paul is saying that the act of coveting, or desiring, something owned by another and NOT earned by the sweat of one’s own face, is the seed that produces the root of all evil.  While the act of covetousness is a spiritual action rather than a physical action, until, and unless, it is ‘acted upon’, covetousness is the most likely evil seed that, when planted and nourished in the heart (acted upon), produces the root that, in turn, produces visible evil actions, usually illegal, and those actions become an immoral means of obtaining money. This was stated very well by Janwillem van de Wetering who said: “Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough.” 

Paul also said, in I Thessalonians 5:22, “Abstain from all appearance of evil”. If the love of money is so closely connected to evil and indeed cannot be separated from evil, how can this be accomplished? Do we always keep one eye on every ‘living plant’ (think human beings) to see if they are ‘evil’, then remain separate from them? Do we shun the very appearance of money, as though we assumed that money is evil? Of course not. It simply cannot be done. But, if the Bible says to abstain from ‘the appearance’ of evil, it must be possible. We all know that it is NOT possible to live on this earth, at least for very long, without money. So, how do you abstain from the ‘appearance of evil ‘, which has the love of money as its root, while still surviving on this earth, needing money on a daily basis?

The only answer is to be able to separate ‘having money’ from ‘the love of money’.  The word ‘abstain’ means “to keep oneself from doing, engaging in, or partaking of something”.  I Timothy 6:9 says, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition”.  Notice in this passage of scripture that there is a “will” involved.  So, the big question then becomes, what is the difference between “being rich”, or having sufficient money for living, and “willing to be rich”? According to the dictionary, the word “will” indicates:

• the mental faculty by which one deliberately chooses or decides upon a course of action
• The act of exercising the will.
• Diligent purposefulness; determination: an athlete with the will to win.

Be Transformed to God’s Will

As always, God does not demand we do something without providing the way to do it.  In Romans 12:1-2 we read, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. There must then be a ‘will’ or a ‘willingness’ to abstain from, or avoid, the love of money at all times and at any cost. When our wills have been aligned with God’s will, abstinence from the appearance of evil does not happen automatically, but it does become much easier.

Paul certainly seems to be saying that, even though we need money for survival, the means by which it is gotten, as well as the motivation for getting it, is more important than the money itself. It stands to reason that the means must be honest, moral/ethical and without the ‘love of money’ factor having any influence. Any other means would, of necessity, make the money gotten fall under the category of “ill-gotten gain” which would result in evil.  

There can only be two areas of motivation that apply to Paul’s writing: the motivation to (1) have the money needed to survive, or (2) have money merely for the sake of having it, along with the power it produces, often with the plan to get even more, by whatever means necessary. Usually, one who falls under (2) will be hard put to ever let go of any of the money gotten, except for survival, or to satisfy his own lusts.   Those who fall under the (1) category are usually too busy surviving to exercise their will to become rich.  

Because of the sins of Adam and Eve, God told the man in Genesis 3:19, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”. Throughout the ages, many men (and women) have desired to “eat bread” by means other than honest work, whether physical or mental; if they manage to accomplish this, it is usually through theft, deception or other dishonest efforts. Many who succeed by taking the fruits of others’ hard work often go on to ‘become rich’ by any means other than honest, hard work, whether physical or mental. However, since God’s Word never lies, the end result for such people always becomes a ‘snare’ as described by Paul.

This is not to say that there is anything wrong with having money or being rich. The old adage about “having riches” as opposed to “riches having you” applies here. Anyone whose life revolves around becoming rich, or being rich, easily falls into the snare described by Paul. I can’t remember the number of times I’ve heard the statement “Money is the root of all evil”, in books, movies and TV, when the Bible clearly states that it’s the LOVE of money that is the true root of all evil, not the money itself.

Born and raised in a small textile town in North Carolina, Bud Hancock’s family moved to Michigan in the hope of finding better employment with General Motors.  After graduating from high school, Bud began an apprenticeship with General Motors to become a Metal Modelmaker.  Retiring after a 30 year career, which included an eight year stint as a Meteorologist, he and his wife moved back to North Carolina to be near his elderly parents.  Shortly thereafter, with both of his parents having passed, he started a new career in the bank security/ATM business, advancing from an entry level technician to one of two North Carolina customer service managers for his employer.  Retiring again after 13 years, he and his wife of 51 years relocated to Tennessee where Bud began writing articles specializing in Bible teaching and geopolitical issues.  At age 75, he and his wife relocated to South Carolina with their Miniature Schnauzer, Baxter.  Bud continues to study God’s word and write articles on Christian living and geopolitical issues from the Biblical end times perspective