Wealth & Proverbs 10:16

[URA]

"The just man's recompense leads to life;
the gains of the wicked, to sin."​

This lines up so well with what I've heard about wealth; God condemns wealth many times, but He's loved people like David and (for awhile) Solomon. I interpreted this verse to refer to wealth (please share your thoughts if you thought of something else), and this explains something very important about wealth: It can certainly be a temptation, but whether it's good or bad depends on who has it.

Thoughts?

May God bless us all & our interpretations of His word!

 

[public hermit]

It can certainly be a temptation, but whether it's good or bad depends on who has it.

I agree. So much good has been done by Christians who possessed some amount of wealth. Think of all the hospitals, schools, orphanages and such that came into being because Christians of means gave. It hurts my heart to hear a preacher berate wealth, without qualification, when I know there are Christians of means who do a lot of good.

Your statement that "whether it's good or bad depends on who has it" is widely applicable and a good thing to keep in mind. Thank you for posting this.

 

[bèlla]

I think God knows what we can handle and the impact His blessings will have. The challenge with wealth is autonomy. Having our needs met materially may lead many away from God. But our burdens draw us near Him.

However, there are those who love the Lord and view their lives as a service unto Him. They continually seek ways to give of themselves for the kingdom’s growth.

Whether that relates to monetary spoils, time, support or our presence. There are many manifestations of wealth. But oftentimes we restrict our understanding to material things and miss the other ways He’s enriched us.

 

[public hermit]

The challenge with wealth is autonomy. Having our needs met materially may lead many away from God.

That is such an important insight. For all the reasons given for the lack of faith, or loss of faith, in affluent countries, surely the lack of material need plays a significant role. If a person is, for all practical purposes, materially motivated and they have those material wants fulfilled, what need have they of God? Of course, they do have need of God but they may not see it with a full belly and a full bank account.

 

[bèlla]

Of course, they do have need of God but they may not see it with a full belly and a full bank account.

Money is s stumbling block for many because of the value we assign to wealth and our blindness to our desires. Most people who rage against wealth have little means. They have no idea how they’d behave if that changed. But God does.

 

[danielmears]

"The just man's recompense leads to life;
the gains of the wicked, to sin."​

This lines up so well with what I've heard about wealth; God condemns wealth many times, but He's loved people like David and (for awhile) Solomon. I interpreted this verse to refer to wealth (please share your thoughts if you thought of something else), and this explains something very important about wealth: It can certainly be a temptation, but whether it's good or bad depends on who has it.

Thoughts?

May God bless us all & our interpretations of His word!

In the KJV the verse reads, The labour of the righteous tendeth to life; the fruit of the wicked to sin. Prov. 10:16 So, this brings a little different meaning to me. The labour being the work of the righteous, those who are in right-standing with God leading to life. This is real life which the Christ spoke of. He referred to unbelievers as already dead but when we live righteously adhering to God's commandments to love one another and God, inclining our ear, being filled with the Spirit, then we truly have life. Life is in the Father! Jesus used the analogy that He is the vine, we are the branches. A branch is no different from the vine, it's life force is received through the vine; it is not the entire vine but a part of the whole receiving life through the vine. The wicked are those who are not attached to the vine or are not receiving their life through the vine so they soon wither and die. The fruit of the wicked is sin it says so they are literally missing the mark, not one with the Father. Jesus prayed we too would be one with the Father as He was one in John 17:21 So, we must realize that we can do nothing by ourselves. Life comes through God/Christ! In Matthew, Christ speaks about good and bad fruit coming from the heart like the fruit spoken of which comes from the wicked, sin. It says, A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Matt. 12:35-37 Words come from within and show whether God's goodness is in us or not. We are to speak good words, God's word if we are living as one attached to the vine.

 

[Mark51]

I am not aware of any scripture where God condems a person that is wealthy. He condems the love of wealth or striving for wealth-if it interfers/dminishes the efforts of spirtual gains/values.-Proverbs 18:11; Luke 12:16-21; 1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5.