RICHES AND RIGHTEOUSNESS 2
(week 15/17)
OLUBI JOHNSON

In our article last week, we saw that God wants us to be richly rich!

However, this level of ABUNDANT RICHES that are PERMANENT ONLY come with righteousness and justice.

Hitherto, we have experienced some degree of divine provision of food, raiment (1 Timothy 6.13) and supply (Philippians 4.19); however we are not as rich as God wants us to be!

1Timothy 6:17 KJV:  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

Why?

This level of prosperity can ensnare and trap (1Timothy 6.9-10) us like it did Solomon (1 Kings 10.14-29; 11.1, Ecclesiastes 2.4-11) so IT IS CONDITIONAL UPON DILIGENT RIGHTEOUSNESS!

This week, we will see in more detail WHY AND HOW God wants us to be THIS RICH.

Why does God want us to be richly rich?

So we can have ALL sufficiency in ALL things and so abound in EVERY good work and charitable giving (2 Cor.9.8); in particular to finance the preaching and the teaching of the Kingdom for the discipleship of the nations.

Deuteronomy 8:18 KJV:  But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV:  But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Deuteronomy 8:18  But remember the LORD your God is the one who makes you wealthy. He’s confirming the promise, which he swore to your ancestors. It’s still in effect today.

So furthermore, God wants to confirm the covenant and promises He made to Abraham in us TODAY!

Galatians 3:29 KJV:  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

When we are rich we are free to have the TIME (in prayer and the Word) and resources to ESTABLISH God’s covenant in our hearts and the hearts of men we are able to reach by sponsoring the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.

Hebrews 8:10  This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Psalms 105:43-45 NIV:  He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; (44)  he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for—(45)  that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the LORD.

So HOW do we become richly rich?

Sowing financial seeds by giving our tithes and offerings, promptly, completely, regularly and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9.6).

Watering these seeds by prayer in the Spirit (Hebrews 5.7, Ephesians 6.18, 1 Corinthians 14.2) and walking in the Spirit to GRADUALLY perfect our obedience and righteousness.

Harvesting these financial seeds by labouring and investing in HONEST ventures (Titus 3.14).

Observe that this kind of prosperity takes time: years of proper spiritual growth in righteousness and the fruit of the Spirit by the blood (Hebrews 13.20-21), the Word (1 John 2.5, 2 Peter 1.4) and the power of the Holy Spirit (1 John 4.12-13).

So, those who want to be rich quickly (without FIRST developing the fruit of the Spirit IN SUFFICIENT MEASURE) will fall into a snare or trap:

1Timothy 6:9 KJV:  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Proverbs 28:20 KJV:  A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

Proverbs 28:22 KJV:  He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

So to be richly rich, let us keep God’s commandments of life (John 20.31) and love (1 John 3.23-24) DILIGENTLY (2 Peter 1.5-10) and grow in the fruit of the Spirit fulfilling:

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 KJV:  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (5)  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (6)  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7)  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Deuteronomy 6:10-13 KJV:  And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, (11)  And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; (12)  Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (13)  Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

Selah!