That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
To do good means active helpfulness, to be rich in good works means abounding in generous deeds for the hungry, naked, widowed, orphaned, distressed and oppressed, to be ready to distribute means being prepared and eager to give means and service, and to be willing to communicate means sharing openly and freely with others. It is charged to those who are rich in this world, especially as they grow old, not to be high-minded or proud and not to trust in uncertain riches but to trust in the living God who richly gives all things to enjoy. All possessions and money belong to God and are lent for a time as a talent and test, so those who have wealth are His stewards and almoners required to use means for needed use and not for hoarding or self-serving luxury, enjoying His gifts for their own comfort, for charitable purposes, and for advancing His cause. By such willing continual generosity givers lay up in store a good foundation against the time to come and lasting treasure in heaven, preparing them to lay hold on eternal life when earthly life and probation end. Being rich in good works is shown in practical relief of the poor and distressed with material help as well as kindly words and loving deeds, in care for orphans and children in need, and in support of God's work, missions and schools with tithes and offerings, all done with thorough earnestness from a renewed heart.
Setting and Wording
The verse belongs to Paul's charge to Timothy his son in the gospel, dictated to a companion while Paul was shut in a dungeon and pressed with infirmities, fearing wicked Nero would cut his life short before he could see Timothy though he had urged him to come without delay. In that dying charge Paul bids those rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in uncertain riches but to trust in the living God who richly gives all things to enjoy, and to practice goodness by abounding in helpful deeds and being ready to share and give to others, so storing up a good foundation against the time to come that they may grasp eternal life.
The same charge is to be given by Christ's ministers by example as well as by teaching, for it is not God's will for ministers themselves to seek to be rich. It applies to all who profess to be Christians, calling them to self-examination through the Word to know whether they are in the faith, to hold confidence firm unto the end, and to serve as firm, spiritual-minded, earnest workers who will not be deceived nor turn to accommodate a worldly standard. It is to be heeded by students entering institutional service and by professed believers in the last days in the face of deceptions when some depart from the faith.
It is addressed to them that are rich in this world, especially to those growing old, charging them not to be high-minded or proud and not to trust in uncertain riches but to trust in the living God who richly gives all things to enjoy. Those growing old are to make a wise disposition of their means by freely returning to God what is already His. The salvation of souls is to be first, because those who possess worldly treasure seldom seek earnestly to secure the heavenly.
Its surrounding context warns against wanting to be rich and against the love of money as the root of all evil, which brings temptation and a snare and foolish hurtful lusts that drown men in destruction and perdition and pierce with many sorrows, by which some have wandered from the faith. The man of God must flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. He must fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, keep the commandment without spot unrebukable until the appearing of Jesus Christ the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords who only has immortality, witnessed in the sight of God who gives life to all and before Christ Jesus who witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate, and avoid profane babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called. Eternal interest comes before earthly interest, faith is made perfect by works rather than remaining spiritually dead while works deny belief, and light shines before men when good works are seen and the Father is glorified.
To do good means active goodness and helpful deeds. To be rich in good works means abounding in generous deeds such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for widows and orphans, and helping the distressed and oppressed. To be ready to distribute means being prepared and eager to give out means and service, and to be willing to communicate means being open and free in sharing with others. Everyone whatever their means can be thus rich, for all blessings, abilities, service and time are entrusted opportunities from God, and even the smallest consecrated gift or humblest service is acceptable and may accomplish much.
Generous Duty Required
Those who have wealth are required to do good, to abound in good works, and to be ready to distribute and willing to communicate, sharing generously what they have. Riches are not proof of godliness and are not to be trusted, and they make no one morally superior or more valuable to God. Possessions belong to God, so giving from them is service to others rather than keeping them for selfish ends, and wealth is not to be pursued or kept through greed or dishonesty, since money gained by overreaching or any dishonesty brings no reward.
Means are for needed use, not for hoarding, and not for self-serving luxury and self-glorification. Those who have them may enjoy what is given and use it for their own comfort, for charitable purposes, and for advancing the cause, with increase itself never made the aim of life. Wealth is lent for a time and is to be used for good works and generous help to others and for blessing those in need, and when used unselfishly as a trust it becomes a blessing to its owner and to others, turning wealth from self-glorification toward service. Such generosity lays up treasure in heaven and a good foundation for the time to come, while love for riches can keep a person from choosing the heavenly inheritance.
The duty is continual and willing during life, while one is still able to manage property and direct it to benevolent purposes rather than neglecting the duty or leaving its disposition unsettled. Giving large sums on particular occasions does not meet it, for having wealth brings responsibility for steady, active generosity in helping others. Giving should be willing and glad, as accountability and thanksgiving, with means as entrusted gifts to be invested in saving souls, so that those saved can in turn help others and the work and the heavenly treasure grow. Such benevolence in life is part of faithful stewardship in wills and preparation for future immortal life, joined to the warning that all will be judged and rewarded according to works, so that those who persist in withholding must repent and serve with unselfish generosity or share the unfaithful steward's doom.
Everyone whatever their means can be rich in good works, for all blessings, abilities, service, and time are entrusted opportunities to do good. Even the smallest consecrated gift or humblest service is acceptable and may accomplish much good, and the unassuming efforts of faithful poor believers who glorify God and live for the truth in an unpretending way may accomplish much good, even tenfold more. True riches consist in good works and generous giving rather than in material wealth, so that even the humblest and poorest disciples who are rich in good works are more blessed and precious and more honorable in heaven than wealthy people who are not rich toward God. Time itself is such an opportunity, and to use it for unhappy thoughts and daydreams about imagined troubles is unwise and hinders a sound experience. The wealthy fail when they regard all the poor in the same light and do not see and realize the necessity of this steady generosity, amid the perplexity and cares that wealth brings rather than mere means to handle at will.
Wealth Held in Trust
All possessions and money belong to God and are only lent for a time as a talent and a test of stewardship. Those who are wealthy are His stewards and almoners, answerable to Him for how they use what is entrusted to them to support His cause and help others. Giving while earning is the only healthy Christian way to possess and increase wealth, rather than burying resources in the world, and means are to be invested in the work of saving souls so that those saved can in turn help others and the work and heavenly treasure grow. This includes giving up earthly wealth when faithfulness and love for others require it, for riches are lent to their possessors and are not their own to treat as their own.
Riches do not make anyone morally superior or more valuable to God, more favored by Him, or independent of Him, and wealth is not proof of godliness. Wealth cannot provide peace or heal infirmities, nor is it to become a source of pride or trust. Prosperity should lead to gratitude, faith, and love for God and others, with daily consecration and thanksgiving, lest wealth be turned to harmful uses and become a temptation that harms its possessor and others.
Trusting in accumulated riches instead of God and His promises, hoarding for the future from fear that He will not provide, and lingeringly retaining love and grasp of earthly treasure and clinging to it puts the soul in danger. Those who possess worldly treasure seldom seek earnestly to secure the heavenly, but fall into temptation and a snare and into foolish hurtful lusts that drown in destruction, and neglect to do good with wealth causes spiritual death. The more is stored on earth the harder it is to see it as a trust, and entrance into the kingdom becomes hard, like the rich young man who learned the cost was to give up hoarding and become wealthy in helping others but decided heaven costs too much. The one who is rich toward God trusts His love and care, uses even little means wisely to bless others, honors the neighbor's rightful claim under the command to love the neighbor as self, and counts the salvation of others as worth more than all the world's gold and silver.
Money is a talent to be used to God's glory for the saving of souls for whom Christ died, not to be demeaned or misapplied by selfishly appropriating it to selfish ends to the injury of the user. Acting wisely with money in possession as a faithful steward of the Lord's goods proves money is not a god and mammon is not master, but money is made to serve God's purpose always. Entrusted talents wisely and discriminately employed gain the steward a rich experience directly and indirectly and enable blessing to fellow men, and this does not require parting with money in large sums and shifting responsibility upon other men.
The true value of money is only in the good it does when rightly used to relieve one's own wants, to meet the necessities of others, and to advance God's cause. Withholding from God's treasury and hoarding means for children violates this, making people selfish and avaricious and dwarfing religious growth by neglecting spiritual interests for accumulating wealth they cannot use. Leaving hoarded property to children endangers their spiritual interests, placing a stumbling-block in their pathway that leads to perdition, and nine times out of ten proves a greater curse to the heirs than to the parents, because children who rely on parents' property fail to succeed in this life and fail to secure the life to come. The best legacy is a knowledge of useful labor and the example of a life of disinterested benevolence lived out in good works.
Attachment to earthly riches must be loosened and affections transferred from earthly wealth to the eternal inheritance, with affections fixed on God. Being rich in good works by using worldly means to support God's work in saving people and to help those in need, such as widows and orphans and those in distress, transfers wealth to heavenly treasure. The truth carries on a purifying process in the heart that makes heavenly treasure increase in value and earthly treasure decrease and lose attraction, and this change is seen by unbelievers. There is hard warfare in this because Satan and evil angels hold earthly possessions in an attractive light so they will be loved and idolized, while angels watch over and bear up those who resist, requiring being guarded by the Spirit lest affection be placed on earthly possessions, overcoming shrinking from duty and unwillingness to do all required, and securing heavenly treasure by free distribution in union with the body.
Treasure Laid Up Eternally
Generosity with earthly means lays up in store a good foundation against the time to come, which is the close of time, and lasting treasure in heaven as a safe investment and secure storehouse. To do good, to abound in generous deeds, and to be ready to give out and open in sharing is to make wise disposition of what is already God's, especially for those growing old, so that earthly riches become a blessing to owner and to others rather than self-serving luxury. Such use of wealth prepares givers to lay hold on eternal and everlasting life when earthly life and probation end. Everlasting life is the reward of self-sacrifice, and it is secured now by consecrated capabilities used for God, genuine piety and correct experience rather than false hope, and earnest unfailing effort, since heaven is worth every effort and eternal life turns on choice. Self-righteousness, carelessness, and the deceitfulness of sin destroy confidence in God and cause loss of the reward, leaving the life a terrible failure with hypocrites and unbelievers outside the city of God.
Means are of value only as used to advance God's kingdom and send truth to fellow men to save souls, because one soul saved in the kingdom is worth more than all earthly riches. All are one great brotherhood whose great interest is the welfare of fellow men, and each is answerable to God for souls brought into contact, with greater responsibility where ties and connections are closer. There is not a moment to lose, so past carelessness must be replaced by earnest redeeming of the time, and as children of God none are excused from taking part with Christ in His great work, lest the blood of souls be found upon garments.
Self-denial and loving deeds are recorded in heaven and every deed of righteousness will be made immortal, and every person will be rewarded as his works have been. A consistent godly life crowded with all possible good works, employing every ability in work for God and duty to fellow men while separate from the spirit and practices of the world yet letting light shine in imitation of the Redeemer, can lead others to salvation, though its full results will be known only in heaven and its labor brings glory to God and blessing to the saved and to those who served as instruments. Being rich in good works through Christ's character reproduced in those who believe in Him as personal Saviour does not make a person accepted with God, but reward is given according to works, because God sent His Son to condemn sin in the flesh so that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in those who walk after the Spirit; those who persist in withholding must therefore repent and serve with unselfish generosity or share the unfaithful steward's doom. Generosity is sowing good seed for eternal interest, for now is the sowing time and what is sown will be reaped in the coming sure great reaping time with no failure in the crop. This requires arousing from icy coldness and encouraging a love of hospitality and a love to help those who need help, rather than hoarding riches or making their increase the aim of life.
What is returned to God is not lost and not one's own, for He lent it and gave strength and wisdom to obtain it, and when He calls for His own it is to be cheerfully obeyed. Money kept for self is paltry and soon swept away, but given for God's cause it increases and becomes durable riches safe and sure in heaven, bringing His blessing on all the hand touches. Withholding from God and robbing Him brings His curse on persons, families, fields and cattle, with scattering and scarcity instead of plenty, and leads toward spiritual death and eternal loss, for selfishness, closeness and covetousness must die or those who do not overcome them will die to the truth, since none can serve God and mammon. Property is made secure only by giving it to God and using it to bless the suffering, for keeping wealth in personal possession leads to eternal loss, while placing it in Christ's nail-pierced hand gives it His ownership and seals it with His unchangeableness, and true enjoyment of material substance comes from using it for the good of the suffering.
Practical Giving and Living
Being rich in good works means relieving the poor and distressed in practical ways rather than with kind words alone. It calls for sharing abundance willingly, giving material help together with kindly words and loving deeds that open hearts and help win others. Such generosity is a duty of those with means, and withholding help from a needy brother conflicts with love for God. Giving in this way is a sacrifice pleasing to God that lays up a good foundation for the future unto eternal life, while a selfish stingy life of mere talk does not meet the call. Those who care for the hungry and afflicted and put means and opportunities to practical use may claim the blessings promised to those who care for the needy.
It includes caring for orphans and children in need for Christ's sake, with substantial responsibility resting on the church for children entrusted to its care. Everlasting life is the reward of such self-sacrifice, joined to laying up a sure foundation for the future. It means overcoming love of the world, selfishness, penuriousness, closeness in deal and overreaching, and instead practicing noble self-sacrifice and benevolence. Such good works let light shine before others so they glorify the Father, prove faith alive and justified by works, and remove displeasure and judgment.
It includes using property to support God's work, city missions, schools, foreign fields and the Southern field, and teaching children to give. Believers in America who have means, especially German believers, have the privilege and duty through the German edition of Christ's Object Lessons to help fellow workers in Germany, benefit school work, establish continual memorials of Bible truth in many places, and aid missionaries doing their utmost instead of neglecting foreign fields. Men in responsible places and men of wealth are to return their substance to advance His glory and enable workers to do good, so that centers of influence may be established in New York and other great cities from which Bible truth in simplicity shall go forth. Using abundance to advance the cause of truth is necessary to prosper in the Christian life, grow in grace, and reap a rich reward. Giving for the truth and supporting those in need in this way belongs to preparing for the future life, joined to putting away practices that harm the body and weaken reason.
It includes giving tithes and offerings as property increases, since wealth cannot make anyone independent of God, provide peace, or heal infirmities. Ministers must plainly teach and urge this duty rather than encourage selfishness by avoiding reproof of those who withhold. Prosperity should lead to gratitude, faith and love toward God and others, not trust in riches or expectation of honor, for without daily consecration and thanksgiving wealth becomes a harmful temptation to its possessor and others.
It includes making a wise disposition of means in life, especially for those growing old, by freely returning to God what is already His through doing good and being ready to give out and open in sharing. Such use of earthly riches lays up a good foundation against the time to come for laying hold on eternal life. Money gained by overreaching or any dishonesty brings no reward, for wealth is not to be pursued or kept through greed. Benevolence during life belongs to faithful stewardship and preparation for immortal life, under judgment and reward according to works, so those persisting in withholding must repent and serve with unselfish generosity or share the unfaithful steward's doom.
Spirit-prompted pledges and vows to give are sacred, and God's system of giving cultivates benevolent unselfish character. Acts of mercy and beneficence let people cooperate with Christ in helping others, though only the Son of God could satisfy the claims of justice and redeem anyone. When such pledges are fulfilled the gifts are credited as treasure invested in heaven and as a good foundation for the future, helping the giver lay hold on eternal life, rather than hoarding earthly means.
It includes spreading received light as Christ's disciples, abounding in good deeds and being eager to give and open in sharing. By such generosity givers store up a firm foundation for the future so they may grasp eternal life. This conduct includes spreading the light of truth while freely worshiping God according to conscience. God-given talents are to be used and not buried in selfish pursuit of earthly wealth, for using them lays up a good foundation and helps take hold of eternal life.
It includes using entrusted qualifications, means and influence to meet the needs of the cause and the needy with kindness, patience, mercy and benevolence at sacrifice. Wealth is a trust to be used for good rather than hoarded, and so using it to help others makes one rich in good works and lays up treasure in heaven. This service benefits others and brings blessing to the giver. Faith shown in such works rules out selfishness, taking advantage of others, withholding fair wages from hired workers, and storing up a sure foundation is joined to laying hold on eternal life.
A life changed by God is rich in good works and lived for God, renouncing self-love and vanity so that doing what is holy becomes delight. Being rich in good works means living to do others good, growing naturally from a sanctified life and renewed heart as self is forgotten in the life of Christ. Those who do them may still regard themselves as unprofitable servants. Doing good includes cultivating love for good works and taking personal responsibility to act, exerting a saving influence in the family and showing by example a treasure set in heaven, with the mind trained to value heavenly things and obey willingly.
Being rich in good works means being heartily and thoroughly in earnest in using means to aid in saving fellow men, not merely commencing and then failing. Lingeringly retaining love and grasp of earthly treasures is its opposite, and neglect to do good with wealth causes spiritual death. The worldly-wise man of business who meditates and plans with business ever in mind must become wise in eternal interest, putting as much energy into doing good and securing heavenly treasure and the life measuring with God's life as into worldly gain, which would accomplish great results and test the entire church in awakening. Good intentions that are not thorough and wholehearted fail the cause, and men clinging to earthly wealth instead of using it are not rich in good works.
In Christ's strength even those spotted and stained by self-indulgence that nearly ruined physical, mental and spiritual strength can live a life rich in good deeds and filled with the power of the Spirit. Christ looks with pity and boundless love on every human being, sees boundless capacity for improvement, greets with divine energy and hope those He gave His life for, and places within reach the riches of eternal life. Receiving that life requires separating from all scheming and dishonesty and not keeping up a false unreal appearance.
Those spiritually poor through unbelief become rich through personal labor when they lift eyes to see the fields white unto harvest and realize the destitution of laborers in foreign fields and do what can be done to help. Then abundant grace enters the heart, souls revive, spiritual appetite becomes healthful, and the mind is refreshed with the Word, so souls no longer starve amid plenty but appropriate the good things God has in store. Those who realize the solemnity of the last days show it by being circumspect in words and acts, bearing a weight of solemn influence and the burden of souls, and by holy example faithfully representing Jesus to win souls to accept Him as Saviour.
The workers of the Women's Christian Temperance Union are described as rich in good works with real precious educated ability, yet lacking true faith, standing in the wrong path, and misunderstanding God's law. When present truth is brought to them through carefully prepared harmonizing methods without driving, warfare or cutting attack, and the golden oil is received into willing hearts, they will gain true faith and enlightenment about the law. Then they will communicate treasures of truth and grace from one to another and use ability to create working forces for truth and righteousness.
To do good means active helpfulness, to be rich in good works means abounding in generous deeds for the hungry, naked, widowed, orphaned, distressed and oppressed, to be ready to distribute means being prepared and eager to give means and service, and to be willing to communicate means sharing openly and freely with others. It is charged to those who are rich in this world, especially as they grow old, not to be high-minded or proud and not to trust in uncertain riches but to trust in the living God who richly gives all things to enjoy. All possessions and money belong to God and are lent for a time as a talent and test, so those who have wealth are His stewards and almoners required to use means for needed use and not for hoarding or self-serving luxury, enjoying His gifts for their own comfort, for charitable purposes, and for advancing His cause. By such willing continual generosity givers lay up in store a good foundation against the time to come and lasting treasure in heaven, preparing them to lay hold on eternal life when earthly life and probation end. Being rich in good works is shown in practical relief of the poor and distressed with material help as well as kindly words and loving deeds, in care for orphans and children in need, and in support of God's work, missions and schools with tithes and offerings, all done with thorough earnestness from a renewed heart.
Setting and Wording
The verse belongs to Paul's charge to Timothy his son in the gospel, dictated to a companion while Paul was shut in a dungeon and pressed with infirmities, fearing wicked Nero would cut his life short before he could see Timothy though he had urged him to come without delay. In that dying charge Paul bids those rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in uncertain riches but to trust in the living God who richly gives all things to enjoy, and to practice goodness by abounding in helpful deeds and being ready to share and give to others, so storing up a good foundation against the time to come that they may grasp eternal life.
The same charge is to be given by Christ's ministers by example as well as by teaching, for it is not God's will for ministers themselves to seek to be rich. It applies to all who profess to be Christians, calling them to self-examination through the Word to know whether they are in the faith, to hold confidence firm unto the end, and to serve as firm, spiritual-minded, earnest workers who will not be deceived nor turn to accommodate a worldly standard. It is to be heeded by students entering institutional service and by professed believers in the last days in the face of deceptions when some depart from the faith.
It is addressed to them that are rich in this world, especially to those growing old, charging them not to be high-minded or proud and not to trust in uncertain riches but to trust in the living God who richly gives all things to enjoy. Those growing old are to make a wise disposition of their means by freely returning to God what is already His. The salvation of souls is to be first, because those who possess worldly treasure seldom seek earnestly to secure the heavenly.
Its surrounding context warns against wanting to be rich and against the love of money as the root of all evil, which brings temptation and a snare and foolish hurtful lusts that drown men in destruction and perdition and pierce with many sorrows, by which some have wandered from the faith. The man of God must flee these things and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness. He must fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, keep the commandment without spot unrebukable until the appearing of Jesus Christ the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of lords who only has immortality, witnessed in the sight of God who gives life to all and before Christ Jesus who witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate, and avoid profane babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called. Eternal interest comes before earthly interest, faith is made perfect by works rather than remaining spiritually dead while works deny belief, and light shines before men when good works are seen and the Father is glorified.
To do good means active goodness and helpful deeds. To be rich in good works means abounding in generous deeds such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for widows and orphans, and helping the distressed and oppressed. To be ready to distribute means being prepared and eager to give out means and service, and to be willing to communicate means being open and free in sharing with others. Everyone whatever their means can be thus rich, for all blessings, abilities, service and time are entrusted opportunities from God, and even the smallest consecrated gift or humblest service is acceptable and may accomplish much.
Generous Duty Required
Those who have wealth are required to do good, to abound in good works, and to be ready to distribute and willing to communicate, sharing generously what they have. Riches are not proof of godliness and are not to be trusted, and they make no one morally superior or more valuable to God. Possessions belong to God, so giving from them is service to others rather than keeping them for selfish ends, and wealth is not to be pursued or kept through greed or dishonesty, since money gained by overreaching or any dishonesty brings no reward.
Means are for needed use, not for hoarding, and not for self-serving luxury and self-glorification. Those who have them may enjoy what is given and use it for their own comfort, for charitable purposes, and for advancing the cause, with increase itself never made the aim of life. Wealth is lent for a time and is to be used for good works and generous help to others and for blessing those in need, and when used unselfishly as a trust it becomes a blessing to its owner and to others, turning wealth from self-glorification toward service. Such generosity lays up treasure in heaven and a good foundation for the time to come, while love for riches can keep a person from choosing the heavenly inheritance.
The duty is continual and willing during life, while one is still able to manage property and direct it to benevolent purposes rather than neglecting the duty or leaving its disposition unsettled. Giving large sums on particular occasions does not meet it, for having wealth brings responsibility for steady, active generosity in helping others. Giving should be willing and glad, as accountability and thanksgiving, with means as entrusted gifts to be invested in saving souls, so that those saved can in turn help others and the work and the heavenly treasure grow. Such benevolence in life is part of faithful stewardship in wills and preparation for future immortal life, joined to the warning that all will be judged and rewarded according to works, so that those who persist in withholding must repent and serve with unselfish generosity or share the unfaithful steward's doom.
Everyone whatever their means can be rich in good works, for all blessings, abilities, service, and time are entrusted opportunities to do good. Even the smallest consecrated gift or humblest service is acceptable and may accomplish much good, and the unassuming efforts of faithful poor believers who glorify God and live for the truth in an unpretending way may accomplish much good, even tenfold more. True riches consist in good works and generous giving rather than in material wealth, so that even the humblest and poorest disciples who are rich in good works are more blessed and precious and more honorable in heaven than wealthy people who are not rich toward God. Time itself is such an opportunity, and to use it for unhappy thoughts and daydreams about imagined troubles is unwise and hinders a sound experience. The wealthy fail when they regard all the poor in the same light and do not see and realize the necessity of this steady generosity, amid the perplexity and cares that wealth brings rather than mere means to handle at will.
Wealth Held in Trust
All possessions and money belong to God and are only lent for a time as a talent and a test of stewardship. Those who are wealthy are His stewards and almoners, answerable to Him for how they use what is entrusted to them to support His cause and help others. Giving while earning is the only healthy Christian way to possess and increase wealth, rather than burying resources in the world, and means are to be invested in the work of saving souls so that those saved can in turn help others and the work and heavenly treasure grow. This includes giving up earthly wealth when faithfulness and love for others require it, for riches are lent to their possessors and are not their own to treat as their own.
Riches do not make anyone morally superior or more valuable to God, more favored by Him, or independent of Him, and wealth is not proof of godliness. Wealth cannot provide peace or heal infirmities, nor is it to become a source of pride or trust. Prosperity should lead to gratitude, faith, and love for God and others, with daily consecration and thanksgiving, lest wealth be turned to harmful uses and become a temptation that harms its possessor and others.
Trusting in accumulated riches instead of God and His promises, hoarding for the future from fear that He will not provide, and lingeringly retaining love and grasp of earthly treasure and clinging to it puts the soul in danger. Those who possess worldly treasure seldom seek earnestly to secure the heavenly, but fall into temptation and a snare and into foolish hurtful lusts that drown in destruction, and neglect to do good with wealth causes spiritual death. The more is stored on earth the harder it is to see it as a trust, and entrance into the kingdom becomes hard, like the rich young man who learned the cost was to give up hoarding and become wealthy in helping others but decided heaven costs too much. The one who is rich toward God trusts His love and care, uses even little means wisely to bless others, honors the neighbor's rightful claim under the command to love the neighbor as self, and counts the salvation of others as worth more than all the world's gold and silver.
Money is a talent to be used to God's glory for the saving of souls for whom Christ died, not to be demeaned or misapplied by selfishly appropriating it to selfish ends to the injury of the user. Acting wisely with money in possession as a faithful steward of the Lord's goods proves money is not a god and mammon is not master, but money is made to serve God's purpose always. Entrusted talents wisely and discriminately employed gain the steward a rich experience directly and indirectly and enable blessing to fellow men, and this does not require parting with money in large sums and shifting responsibility upon other men.
The true value of money is only in the good it does when rightly used to relieve one's own wants, to meet the necessities of others, and to advance God's cause. Withholding from God's treasury and hoarding means for children violates this, making people selfish and avaricious and dwarfing religious growth by neglecting spiritual interests for accumulating wealth they cannot use. Leaving hoarded property to children endangers their spiritual interests, placing a stumbling-block in their pathway that leads to perdition, and nine times out of ten proves a greater curse to the heirs than to the parents, because children who rely on parents' property fail to succeed in this life and fail to secure the life to come. The best legacy is a knowledge of useful labor and the example of a life of disinterested benevolence lived out in good works.
Attachment to earthly riches must be loosened and affections transferred from earthly wealth to the eternal inheritance, with affections fixed on God. Being rich in good works by using worldly means to support God's work in saving people and to help those in need, such as widows and orphans and those in distress, transfers wealth to heavenly treasure. The truth carries on a purifying process in the heart that makes heavenly treasure increase in value and earthly treasure decrease and lose attraction, and this change is seen by unbelievers. There is hard warfare in this because Satan and evil angels hold earthly possessions in an attractive light so they will be loved and idolized, while angels watch over and bear up those who resist, requiring being guarded by the Spirit lest affection be placed on earthly possessions, overcoming shrinking from duty and unwillingness to do all required, and securing heavenly treasure by free distribution in union with the body.
Treasure Laid Up Eternally
Generosity with earthly means lays up in store a good foundation against the time to come, which is the close of time, and lasting treasure in heaven as a safe investment and secure storehouse. To do good, to abound in generous deeds, and to be ready to give out and open in sharing is to make wise disposition of what is already God's, especially for those growing old, so that earthly riches become a blessing to owner and to others rather than self-serving luxury. Such use of wealth prepares givers to lay hold on eternal and everlasting life when earthly life and probation end. Everlasting life is the reward of self-sacrifice, and it is secured now by consecrated capabilities used for God, genuine piety and correct experience rather than false hope, and earnest unfailing effort, since heaven is worth every effort and eternal life turns on choice. Self-righteousness, carelessness, and the deceitfulness of sin destroy confidence in God and cause loss of the reward, leaving the life a terrible failure with hypocrites and unbelievers outside the city of God.
Means are of value only as used to advance God's kingdom and send truth to fellow men to save souls, because one soul saved in the kingdom is worth more than all earthly riches. All are one great brotherhood whose great interest is the welfare of fellow men, and each is answerable to God for souls brought into contact, with greater responsibility where ties and connections are closer. There is not a moment to lose, so past carelessness must be replaced by earnest redeeming of the time, and as children of God none are excused from taking part with Christ in His great work, lest the blood of souls be found upon garments.
Self-denial and loving deeds are recorded in heaven and every deed of righteousness will be made immortal, and every person will be rewarded as his works have been. A consistent godly life crowded with all possible good works, employing every ability in work for God and duty to fellow men while separate from the spirit and practices of the world yet letting light shine in imitation of the Redeemer, can lead others to salvation, though its full results will be known only in heaven and its labor brings glory to God and blessing to the saved and to those who served as instruments. Being rich in good works through Christ's character reproduced in those who believe in Him as personal Saviour does not make a person accepted with God, but reward is given according to works, because God sent His Son to condemn sin in the flesh so that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in those who walk after the Spirit; those who persist in withholding must therefore repent and serve with unselfish generosity or share the unfaithful steward's doom. Generosity is sowing good seed for eternal interest, for now is the sowing time and what is sown will be reaped in the coming sure great reaping time with no failure in the crop. This requires arousing from icy coldness and encouraging a love of hospitality and a love to help those who need help, rather than hoarding riches or making their increase the aim of life.
What is returned to God is not lost and not one's own, for He lent it and gave strength and wisdom to obtain it, and when He calls for His own it is to be cheerfully obeyed. Money kept for self is paltry and soon swept away, but given for God's cause it increases and becomes durable riches safe and sure in heaven, bringing His blessing on all the hand touches. Withholding from God and robbing Him brings His curse on persons, families, fields and cattle, with scattering and scarcity instead of plenty, and leads toward spiritual death and eternal loss, for selfishness, closeness and covetousness must die or those who do not overcome them will die to the truth, since none can serve God and mammon. Property is made secure only by giving it to God and using it to bless the suffering, for keeping wealth in personal possession leads to eternal loss, while placing it in Christ's nail-pierced hand gives it His ownership and seals it with His unchangeableness, and true enjoyment of material substance comes from using it for the good of the suffering.
Practical Giving and Living
Being rich in good works means relieving the poor and distressed in practical ways rather than with kind words alone. It calls for sharing abundance willingly, giving material help together with kindly words and loving deeds that open hearts and help win others. Such generosity is a duty of those with means, and withholding help from a needy brother conflicts with love for God. Giving in this way is a sacrifice pleasing to God that lays up a good foundation for the future unto eternal life, while a selfish stingy life of mere talk does not meet the call. Those who care for the hungry and afflicted and put means and opportunities to practical use may claim the blessings promised to those who care for the needy.
It includes caring for orphans and children in need for Christ's sake, with substantial responsibility resting on the church for children entrusted to its care. Everlasting life is the reward of such self-sacrifice, joined to laying up a sure foundation for the future. It means overcoming love of the world, selfishness, penuriousness, closeness in deal and overreaching, and instead practicing noble self-sacrifice and benevolence. Such good works let light shine before others so they glorify the Father, prove faith alive and justified by works, and remove displeasure and judgment.
It includes using property to support God's work, city missions, schools, foreign fields and the Southern field, and teaching children to give. Believers in America who have means, especially German believers, have the privilege and duty through the German edition of Christ's Object Lessons to help fellow workers in Germany, benefit school work, establish continual memorials of Bible truth in many places, and aid missionaries doing their utmost instead of neglecting foreign fields. Men in responsible places and men of wealth are to return their substance to advance His glory and enable workers to do good, so that centers of influence may be established in New York and other great cities from which Bible truth in simplicity shall go forth. Using abundance to advance the cause of truth is necessary to prosper in the Christian life, grow in grace, and reap a rich reward. Giving for the truth and supporting those in need in this way belongs to preparing for the future life, joined to putting away practices that harm the body and weaken reason.
It includes giving tithes and offerings as property increases, since wealth cannot make anyone independent of God, provide peace, or heal infirmities. Ministers must plainly teach and urge this duty rather than encourage selfishness by avoiding reproof of those who withhold. Prosperity should lead to gratitude, faith and love toward God and others, not trust in riches or expectation of honor, for without daily consecration and thanksgiving wealth becomes a harmful temptation to its possessor and others.
It includes making a wise disposition of means in life, especially for those growing old, by freely returning to God what is already His through doing good and being ready to give out and open in sharing. Such use of earthly riches lays up a good foundation against the time to come for laying hold on eternal life. Money gained by overreaching or any dishonesty brings no reward, for wealth is not to be pursued or kept through greed. Benevolence during life belongs to faithful stewardship and preparation for immortal life, under judgment and reward according to works, so those persisting in withholding must repent and serve with unselfish generosity or share the unfaithful steward's doom.
Spirit-prompted pledges and vows to give are sacred, and God's system of giving cultivates benevolent unselfish character. Acts of mercy and beneficence let people cooperate with Christ in helping others, though only the Son of God could satisfy the claims of justice and redeem anyone. When such pledges are fulfilled the gifts are credited as treasure invested in heaven and as a good foundation for the future, helping the giver lay hold on eternal life, rather than hoarding earthly means.
It includes spreading received light as Christ's disciples, abounding in good deeds and being eager to give and open in sharing. By such generosity givers store up a firm foundation for the future so they may grasp eternal life. This conduct includes spreading the light of truth while freely worshiping God according to conscience. God-given talents are to be used and not buried in selfish pursuit of earthly wealth, for using them lays up a good foundation and helps take hold of eternal life.
It includes using entrusted qualifications, means and influence to meet the needs of the cause and the needy with kindness, patience, mercy and benevolence at sacrifice. Wealth is a trust to be used for good rather than hoarded, and so using it to help others makes one rich in good works and lays up treasure in heaven. This service benefits others and brings blessing to the giver. Faith shown in such works rules out selfishness, taking advantage of others, withholding fair wages from hired workers, and storing up a sure foundation is joined to laying hold on eternal life.
A life changed by God is rich in good works and lived for God, renouncing self-love and vanity so that doing what is holy becomes delight. Being rich in good works means living to do others good, growing naturally from a sanctified life and renewed heart as self is forgotten in the life of Christ. Those who do them may still regard themselves as unprofitable servants. Doing good includes cultivating love for good works and taking personal responsibility to act, exerting a saving influence in the family and showing by example a treasure set in heaven, with the mind trained to value heavenly things and obey willingly.
Being rich in good works means being heartily and thoroughly in earnest in using means to aid in saving fellow men, not merely commencing and then failing. Lingeringly retaining love and grasp of earthly treasures is its opposite, and neglect to do good with wealth causes spiritual death. The worldly-wise man of business who meditates and plans with business ever in mind must become wise in eternal interest, putting as much energy into doing good and securing heavenly treasure and the life measuring with God's life as into worldly gain, which would accomplish great results and test the entire church in awakening. Good intentions that are not thorough and wholehearted fail the cause, and men clinging to earthly wealth instead of using it are not rich in good works.
In Christ's strength even those spotted and stained by self-indulgence that nearly ruined physical, mental and spiritual strength can live a life rich in good deeds and filled with the power of the Spirit. Christ looks with pity and boundless love on every human being, sees boundless capacity for improvement, greets with divine energy and hope those He gave His life for, and places within reach the riches of eternal life. Receiving that life requires separating from all scheming and dishonesty and not keeping up a false unreal appearance.
Those spiritually poor through unbelief become rich through personal labor when they lift eyes to see the fields white unto harvest and realize the destitution of laborers in foreign fields and do what can be done to help. Then abundant grace enters the heart, souls revive, spiritual appetite becomes healthful, and the mind is refreshed with the Word, so souls no longer starve amid plenty but appropriate the good things God has in store. Those who realize the solemnity of the last days show it by being circumspect in words and acts, bearing a weight of solemn influence and the burden of souls, and by holy example faithfully representing Jesus to win souls to accept Him as Saviour.
The workers of the Women's Christian Temperance Union are described as rich in good works with real precious educated ability, yet lacking true faith, standing in the wrong path, and misunderstanding God's law. When present truth is brought to them through carefully prepared harmonizing methods without driving, warfare or cutting attack, and the golden oil is received into willing hearts, they will gain true faith and enlightenment about the law. Then they will communicate treasures of truth and grace from one to another and use ability to create working forces for truth and righteousness.