The root of all evil

By Chuck Pierce

What is the Church to do in a culture enamored with possessions? Christ explicitly and repeatedly taught about the dangers of the love of money. In fact, we have all probably sat through enough sermons on tithing, giving or financial stewardship to know that money is a big deal to God.

It is the one subject Jesus spoke about more than any other. And yet, as Christians, we have typically responded one of two ways to money throughout history: We have either looked down on it, holding up poverty and meagerness as the higher path to Kingdom living, or we have fallen in love with it, using an assortment of biblical misinterpretations to justify a lifestyle of excess.

It is time for us to align with God’s thoughts on money and wealth. We must reformat our beliefs with His truth, not our own stigmas and misconceptions. Though it has become almost cliché to say this, we seem to forget again and again: Money is not the root of all kinds of evil---the love of money is (see 1 Tim 6:10).

I believe wealth is an essential element to the kingdom of God. And why not? He is, after all, the Creator (and therefore the Owner) of all things. He is the Master, the Giver, the Supplier; we are simply the stewards. As Psalm 50:10 says, He owns “the cattle on a thousand hills”---and then some!