If our end goal is to be godly and successful, then we need to ensure that we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness so that all these things will be added to us as well.
Many have made the mistake to go all out to achieve the goal of success regardless of the cost. It is not just the cost of money invested but also what it does to our soul and body at the end of the day. While it is might be easier to recover the monetary investment, the damage done to our soul, health and family is usually irreparable.
Dallas Willard said, “What matters is not the accomplishments you achieve; what matters is the person you become.” (quoted in Soul-Keeping by John Ortberg)
1 Timothy 6:17 (NKJV) Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in UNCERTAIN RICHES BUT in the LIVING GOD, who gives us RICHLY all things to enjoy. (emphasis added)
The Apostle Paul gave a comparison between those who trust in uncertain riches and those who trust in the living God. It is consistent with what Jesus had taught that one will either serve God or mammon. We need to choose one to be our master. It is either the living God or money. The rich young ruler chose money because he had great riches and power. We should choose God as our Lord and Savior.
One of the reasons the rich young ruler struggled to give up everything and follow Jesus was that his identity was so tied up with his wealth and power (Mark 10:17-27). Likewise, we also have similar struggles because our identity is very closely associated with our work, achievements and possessions. It has become a security blanket for us. Therefore, we will struggle to re-prioritize our values, principles, priorities, ways of doing things, and repositioning our identity to be in Christ. It doesn’t mean that it is impossible because all things are possible with God.
Sermon Series – Balancing Godliness and Riches (Part 2)
基督徒可以敬虔且富足吗？
富有的人能敬虔吗？我们发现在教会里谈论金钱和财富有点难。我们不应该羞于谈论圣经中提到的话语或话题。我们通常对富人的印象是:做生意不择手段，贪图世俗的享乐，过于贪图物质财富。虽然有一些人可能是这样，但这不必被认定为普遍现象。为什么富有的基督徒就不能在神面前活出成圣的生命，拥有正确的价值观、原则、有正确的优先顺序的生活，并同时拥有蒙福的家庭？耶稣也说到财主进 神的国，在 神皆有可能。因此，我们需要有一个思维模式的转变，我们能敬虔且富有，因为我们知道我们是 神钱财的管家。
如果我们的最终目标是敬虔和成功，那么我们需要确保我们先求 神的国和 神的义，这些东西都要加给我们了。
许多人都犯了这样的错误，就是不惜一切代价，全力以赴地要实现他们的成功目标。投入的成本不仅只是金钱，还有在最终的日子对我们的心灵和身体的影响。金钱的投资可能更容易收回，但它对我们的灵魂、健康和家庭造成的损害是无法挽回的。
达拉斯·威拉德说过：“重要的不是你取得的成就，重要的是你成为了什么样的人。”(引用约翰.奥伯格《Soul-Keeping》)
提摩太前书6:17 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。
使徒保罗对那些倚靠无定的钱财和那些信靠永生 神的人做了比较。这与耶稣所教导的是一致的，一个人不能又侍奉神，又侍奉玛门。我们要选择一个成为我们的主，要么是永生的 神，要么是钱财。那个少年财主选择金钱，因为他有很多财富和权力。我们当选择 神成为我们的主和救主。
这位少年财主的挣扎在于跟随耶稣要变卖一切所有的，而他挣扎的原因之一是他的身份与他的财富和权力是密切地结合在了一起（马可福音10:17-27）。同样，我们也有类似的挣扎，因为我们的身份与我们的工作、我们的成就和我们的财产息息相关。它已成为我们的保护伞。因此，我们发现重新排序我们的价值观、原则、优先级、做事的方式，以及重新定位我们在基督里的身份是一件很困难的事情。这并不意味着它是不可能的，因为在 神一切皆有可能。
讲章系列：平衡敬虔和富足(第二部分)