Commandment 22: TREASURE ON EARTH
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth . . ." Mt. 6:19
What could be more frivolous to a genuine follower of Christ then to squander his or her life accumulating things that will eventually rust and rot? In my experience, whatever I have too much of, another person probably lacks.
Certainly, there is nothing wrong with prosperity and wealth. God throughout history has blessed his people with plenty, and countless good things have been accomplished through those to whom the Lord has given abundance. However, we must never allow the possessions of this world to become the real treasures of our heart. We are sojourners in a strange land; strangers and pilgrims as Peter acknowledged as well as did the writer of Hebrews. (I Pet. 2:11; Heb. 11:13)
In II Corinthians Paul speaks of the true treasure of the Christian life being "the light of knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” What earthly treasure could compare to seeing the light of God? In Chapter 3 verse 18, Paul writes: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Therein is the true treasure of the Christian: to know God and to become transformed into the image of his Son.
After seeing the Lord in his temple, the prophet Isaiah cried, "Woe is me! For I am undone.” Daniel the Prophet had a vision of the Son of God while standing by the great river called Hiddekel and wrote the following: “. . . and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength."
Truly these great men of God were privileged beyond the norm for seeing what they saw and hearing what they heard. Yet their faith was not in these divine experiences, but rather in the promises given by the One whom they beheld.
Today there is much confusion as to the place of worldly wealth and possessions in the Christian life. Many popular preachers teach that God wants all of us to be rich so that we can be examples of blessing to the disobedient and show how much God loves his people. They ask, “If we are children of the King, why should we live like paupers?” The popularity of the Prosperity Gospel is certainly understandable. Who in their right mind wants to be poor?
On the other hand, we have the testimony of Paul who wrote, "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things." (Phil. 3:8) We are also reminded of Moses, "Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward." Heb. 11:26
Though many who teach the Faith and Prosperity Gospel use this eleventh chapter of Hebrews to endorse their doctrines of divine accumulation, it is clear that those who are spoken of here are commended for their great sacrifices made in faith rather than for their abilities to use faith to get what they wanted from God.
Truly, in all this there must be a balance. Jesus is not saying here that we are not to seek prosperity. All good things come down from God the Father. Nevertheless, we must be aware of the power these things can hold over our hearts; "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Mt. 6:21)
So how do we live a fruitful life in this world while avoiding attachment to what we gain in return for our labors or gifts? Paul's letter to the Colossian Church holds the secret to this great understanding:
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." (Col. 3:1-3)
Have you given Christ your life or have you given Him just your death? Do you understand what it means to live your life now with Christ or are you just fulfilling a life of social and religious acceptability hoping that when you die you will go to heaven?
Look around you. Where is your treasure? Is it in your possessions or in your faith in Christ? Do not let the treasures of this world keep you from obtaining the true riches that Jesus promised to those who follow Him.