Money Answereth All ThingsExcept: Faith! Forgiveness! Friendship!
In an article I read recently by John Phillips a Bible teacher and author who lives in Marietta, Ga., he reminded me of this scripture reading: Ecclesiastes 10:19, which says: "Money answereth all things," said Solomon. There's a similar saying which most of us are familiar – "Money talks!"
The Bible is not against money in and of itself nor is it against the lawful possession of money, even in large amounts. It's not "money" which is at the root of all evil, despite the fact that a great many people misquote the Apostle Paul's words – it's the "love" of money which is at the root of all evil.
Solomon had so much money – enough to buy anything he wanted – for the most part, he had more money than he could possibly spend. However, he learned that there are a few things that his money could not buy.
His money could buy him as many wives as he wanted, yet it could not buy him peace of mind. Nor could it buy him wisdom for his son. "Money answereth all things." But there are some things it cannot buy.
The same lesson applied then as it does today, money cannot buy friendship but it can buy flattery. The prodigal son had plenty of parasites to help him spend his money but he had no friends. Once he spent it all, he found himself alone.
Money cannot buy forgiveness. "Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" Micah 6:7-8. Salvation isn't for sale.
Money cannot buy faith. It actually undermines faith. Money cannot buy faith, forgiveness or friendship. It talks but in the wrong tongue.
To further emphasize this fact Jesus continued, "Children how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25. And his followers were even more astonished and said to Him, "Then who can be saved?"
How hard is it for a rich person to enter into heaven? Well, how hard is it to get a camel through the eye of a needle? It is impossible isn't it? We too might ask, "Lord if that is the case who can be saved? Who then can ever enter into heaven?"
Jesus, looking upon the disciples said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."
In today's society, we find our young men and in some cases, women on street corners, selling drugs to earn money. Many of them sell drugs because they can't find gainful employment; others do it because they want riches and all of the finer things in life that money can buy. The young men attract women based on their cars and their ostentatious jewelry. These individuals don't care about their families, education, faith, forgiveness or friendship.
Back in the 1970s when street corners became magnets for drug dealers and as a way to catch our children the way slave catchers did back in the 1860s, I packed up my two sons and daughter and moved to a new and better neighborhood.
We've got to fight to save our children, before they get caught up in the "love of money" for the wrong reasons!
When we love and trust in material things we rely on ourselves and not God, which makes it impossible to enter the kingdom of heaven. Whether you own a little or a lot of the world's material riches, the only way to inherit eternal life is to completely submit your life to Jesus by obeying His commandments and use whatever you have to the glory of God. Do not let "one thing" stand between you and eternal life.
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