“For the love of money is the root of all evil. While coveting after money, some have strayed from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, escape these things” (1 Tim. 6:10-11a).
If this instruction applies to Timothy then it’s also applicable to all ministers. “Flee” is a strong word. “Run from it!” Paul is telling Timothy to flee the love of money and its destructive results.
Second, he told Timothy to warn the rich (non-ministers who do not stand in an office or place of church leadership/oversight):
“Command those who are rich in this world that they not be conceited, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who richly gives us all things to enjoy. Command that they do good, that they be rich in good works, generous, willing to share, and laying up in store for themselves a good foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:17-19).
Notice that ministers are to warn the rich in this world—those who are part of their congregations—not to trust in riches. Question: How can any minister do that with any authority if he is rich and living in extravagance and luxury himself? How can he even preach the real gospel with any authority? Answer: They usually don’t. Instead, because of their own lifestyle, they compromise and resort to preaching the “gain is godliness” gospel. That’s the American gospel. That’s the way the American church has wandered in the last few decades.
I believe the Lord’s true ministers should be well taken care of. I guard my heart diligently against begrudging anyone whom God has blessed in any way. I know of one very godly minister who was given seven different homes throughout their lifetime of ministry. I rejoice in that. And if they want to use their personal money to build a million-dollar home and drive a luxury car, God is their judge, not me. But this leaves place to be scrutinized by the public and can hurt the cause of Christ. That’s my point.
My warning here is solely against the covetousness and the poor stewardship that is so glaring in many circles of the body of Christ today, which derives mainly from the teaching that “gain is godliness”. Paul denounced this perverted teaching in the strongest of terms (1 Tim. 6). On the other hand, being rich doesn’t mean you’re sinful and carnal, just as being poor doesn’t mean you’re holy and spiritual.
The bigger questions we should be asking, as my friend Dr. Michael Brown so succinctly put it, and as I now paraphrase, are these: Do preachers who live in extravagance and luxury bring reproach to the gospel? Does it play into the image of the self-serving, manipulative televangelist? Does it make it more difficult for other Christian leaders to raise funds for their work? I would say a definitive and resounding yes to each of those questions.
And this is what this jet controversy is all about.
