“What matters is not the accomplishments you achieve; what matters is the person you become.” (Dallas Willard quoted in Soul-Keeping by John Ortberg)
Have we become high-minded and arrogant with a sense of entitlement to be served after we have made lots of money?
Have we been condescending with our words and actions towards our spouse or others when we feel that we have accomplished a lot in life?
Do we drag the poor off to court ensuring that they will never win in the proceedings?
Do we feel that we are not able to fellowship or mingle with the less fortunate because we are of a different class?
Do we demand that we are treated differently in church because we think that we are better?
Do we allow our children to play with other children who come from a different class in society?
When we are rich, arrogant and high-minded, then nobody will be able to speak into our lives. What have we become when we have achieved “all” in life?
If we are consciously aware and also acknowledge that God is the source of our provisions, then it will keep us humble. We should also pursue godliness, righteousness, love, patience, gentleness and allow God to mold our characters. He will prune us like He prunes the grapevines. This is the balance that we need to have as believers.
ICS has a relatively sizable Kids Church. How does godliness look like when we are wealthy and have kids who come to church with us? We should not have an entitled attitude but instead be filled with love, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. We should come to church 15 minutes before the service begins so that we will not be in a rush. We should be kind to the people serving us at Kids Church who may take some time to register the kids to ensure their safety. We should also register ourselves as one of the helpers or teachers in the Kids Church.
Since we still have the flesh to deal with till we are in heaven, there will be a constant fight of faith when we choose to walk in the Spirit. The good fight of faith is denying ourselves or putting our trust in what we can see or are experiencing, and picking up the cross and following Christ. It is a constant decision to TRUST OR HAVE FAITH in the LIVING GOD instead of trusting in uncertain riches or having money as a god in our lives.
Sermon Series- Balancing Godliness and Riches (Part 2)
高人一等还是谦卑自守？
提摩太前书 6:11-12,17（NKJV）但你这属神的人、要逃避这些事、追求公义、敬虔、信心、爱心、忍耐、温柔。你要为真道打那美好的仗、持定永生．你为此被召．也在许多见证人面前、已经作了那美好的见证。……你要嘱咐那些今世富足的人、不要自高、也不要倚靠无定的钱财．只要倚靠那厚赐百物给我们享受的神。
使徒保罗给出了这个反差极大的对比，将那信靠无生命的无定的财富与信靠永活真神作对比。
“重要的不是你所取得的成就；重要的是你成为什么样的人。” （达拉斯·威拉德在约翰·奥特伯格的《守护心灵》中引用）
在赚了很多钱之后，我们是否变得傲慢嚣张，颐指气使？
当我们觉得自己在生活中取得了很多成就时，我们会以居高临下的态度对待配偶或他人？
我们是否将穷人告上法庭并且确保他们永远不会在诉讼中获胜？
我们是否无法与那些没有我们富裕的人相处，因为我们觉得自己和他们不属于同一个阶层？
我们在教会中是否要求得到不同的礼遇，只因我们觉得自己更好？
我们是否允许我们的孩子与来自其他社会阶层的孩子们一起玩耍？
当我们富有，自大且傲慢时，没有人能够对我们的生命说话。当我们实现生活中的“大满贯”时，我们成为了什么样的人？
如果我们真正意识到并且也承认上帝是我们一切供应的源头，那么这将使我们保持谦卑。我们也应该追求敬虔，公义，爱心，忍耐，温柔，并让上帝塑造我们的品格。祂会像修剪葡萄树一样修剪我们。这就是我们作为信徒需要拥有的平衡。
ICS的儿童教会规模相对较大。当富有的我们带着孩子跟我们一起去教会时，我们应该如何展现敬虔？我们不应该带着高人一等的姿态，而应该满怀爱心，忍耐，善良，温柔和节制。我们应该在礼拜开始前15分钟到教堂，这样我们就不会显得匆忙。我们应该友善地对待在儿童教会为我们服务的人们，他们可能需要一些时间来帮孩子们登记，以确保他们的安全。我们自己也应该报名成为儿童教会的老师或帮助者之一。
由于我们在进入天堂前仍然需要和肉体打交道，所以当我们选择走在圣灵中时，就总是会有信心的争战。那美好的信心之仗就是否定自我，拒绝将信心维系于眼见或经验，而是背起十字架跟随基督。就是不断地作决定信靠永活真神或对祂有信心，而不是相信无定的财富或以金钱作为生命中的偶像。
讲章系列: 平衡敬虔和财富（第二部分）