Free Bible Commentary
“1 Timothy 6:9-10”
Categories: 1 Timothy“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
---End of Scripture verses---
I do not believe that Paul is teaching that the desire for personal, financial improvement is a sin, or even, necessarily a problem. But, the desire to “get rich” presents just a multitude of difficulties. If our desire is to work hard, and excel at our profession or occupation, and make a good living for ourselves and our families, we will not necessarily fall victim to lustful desires or incur the Lord’s displeasure. But if the power that drives us is the “longing” for riches, we are doomed for “ruin and destruction”. Money is not evil. The love of money is.
Paul uses graphic terminology to stress the dangers involved in “the love of money”. Those who want to get rich fall into “a snare,” and it is often a trap of their own making. Like a dumb animal that gets lured by its lust into the hunter’s snare, people often take the bait that Satan offers with the promises of possessions, power and pleasure. When we determine to get rich at any cost, we will eventually find out that the price was much too steep to pay, and we may come to this realization only when it is too late.
The “foolish and harmful desires” that accompany great wealth and the desire for great wealth “plunge men into ruin and destruction.” Like a swimmer that swims too far from shore and has gotten into waters far too deep, the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh will plunge us into troubles that are over our heads, and they will sink us. The “ruin” Paul writes of refers to the physical consequences of a life dedicated to worldly pursuits, and the “destruction” is the eternal “perdition” that ensues from sin left unchecked and not repented of.
Make no mistake about it. People have “wandered away from the faith.” It is possible to be saved spiritually, and then revoke your privilege of eternal salvation. One way to do that is to love money and long after it to your own devastation. It will pierce you through with many griefs, and leave you among the wreckage of the foolish souls that have been strewn about on the broad way that leads to destruction. Snared. Plunged. Pierced. The love of money is one of those horrific lusts that we must flee from.
Please read 1 Timothy 6:11-16 for tomorrow.
Blessings!
- Louie Taylor
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