Storing Up Treasures in Heaven
by Edwin Crozier
On the surface, it may have seemed Paul had moved on from talking about a relationship with money. But I Timothy 6:17-19 brings us right back to it. Having explained to Timothy how the craving for money had ruined other teachers and Christians and then directed Timothy in the more positive pursuits of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness, he now explains what Timothy is to say to folks who are already rich. And, apparently, there were plenty of wealthy people who had turned to Christ even in these early days.
They were not to be haughty. How easy it might be for the wealthy to look down on the poor. How easily the wealthy might consider themselves blessed by God and look at the poor as cursed by Him. How easily the wealthy might assume their wealth demonstrates they had obeyed God better than the poor.
Further, they were not to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches. What a turn of perspective. We can see riches. We cannot see God. Riches seem so much more certain. Yet, rust destroys, moths eat, and thieves break in and steal. We are one bad investment, one stock market crash, one medical emergency, one stolen identity away from the loss of riches. Instead, we must trust God from whom all our riches actually come. He is the giver of every good gift. As Job said, He gives and takes away; blessed be His name.
If God is the one who richly provides us with everything to enjoy, what are we to do with God’s provisions? We are to share them. This goes all the way back to Deuteronomy 15, in which God had told Israel He wasn’t going to bless everyone with riches, but was going to bless some with enough to share. The wealthy, instead of hoarding their wealth as if it belongs to them, are to do good, be rich in good works, be generous and ready to share. They are to steward it for God.
Recall the good works Paul talked about with the widows. Bring up children, show hospitality, wash feet, care for the afflicted, and be devoted to all good works. But then Paul says by doing this the rich are “storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (I Timothy 6:19 ESV). When I hear Christians talk about laying up treasures in heaven, most of the time they say things like, “We need to value spiritual things more than earthly.” Or “We need to prioritize obeying Christ over making money.” No doubt, these statements are true as far as they go. But when both Jesus and Paul explain what it means to lay up treasures in heaven, they say something much more practical. Both here in I Timothy 6:19 and in Luke 12:32-34, the Bible says we lay up treasures in heaven by giving them away here on earth. We lay up treasures in heaven by sharing them here on earth.
It begins, no doubt, with providing for our household and family, as seen in I Timothy 5:8. But then progresses with the hospitality of welcoming outsiders to the inside. That is, inviting those outside the family to enjoy the blessings of our family. It progresses to caring for those afflicted like the folks Jesus talked about in Matthew 25:31-46. It means doing good to anyone when we have the opportunity, but especially to those in the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).
Yes, we need to value in our hearts the spiritual and heavenly above the earthly. But we actually lay up treasures in heaven by using the treasures God gives us here to serve others.
May we lay up treasures in heaven. May we take hold of that which is truly life.
