$ — The Sign of the Times
July 18, 2009
How would you respond if you won the Publishers Clearing House award? If you are like me, you’d need a mild sedative after celebrating to the point of exhaustion! Clearly, money is important to us as human beings; it is important to us as people of faith. But how important? One poll revealed that 61% of adult Christians (term used generically) in America agree with the statement, “God wants people to be financially prosperous.” In addition, 49% disagree with the statement, “poverty can be a blessing from God.” Anyone listening to the many religious broadcasts will find that financial prosperity is a prevailing theme. Again, there is nothing wrong with money; we need it to survive. But how much emphasis is too much emphasis? We turn to the Scriptures for an answer. For example, Christ de-emphasized earthly wealth even as he emphasized heavenly wealth (Mk. 8:36-37; Matt. 6:19-20). Similarly, Paul discussed the destructive potential of a fixation on wealth (1 Tim. 6:9-10). However, he also taught about the proper use of wealth (1 Tim. 6:17-19). How can we understand this, West Broad and friends? It’s simple. When preachers and churches present a relentless message of financial prosperity, they contradict the teaching of Scripture (1 Tim. 6:5-8). At the same time, wealth is good if it is understood and used correctly. Here at West Broad, we will emphasize Christ, not cash. As we focus on the sign of the cross, our Lord will take care of the sign of the dollar. Please think about it, and live accordingly! —JLNJR (Resource: REV, Nov./Dec. 2006, 22)
