“I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life."  1 Timothy 6:13-19

As believers align their lives in light of the life, death, resurrection, and reigning of Christ, they experience power to live as authentic, joyful, and life sustaining disciples of Jesus.

1. The foundation of the life that is truly life: The God who is gloriously happy (v. 15).

2. Understanding the character of God: The one who owns all things and richly provides us everything to enjoy.

3. Why should this reality be the focus of our lives versus the uncertainty of life/wealth and the destructive nature of haughtiness/pride (James 5:1-4)?

"And he said to them, 'Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'"  Luke 12:15

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."  1 John 2:15-17

“People who are alert to the dangers of drugs, alcoholism, and sexual addiction often think that compulsive acquisition is normal. No one will suggest we need an intervention for it or that we should attend a recovery group. We seem to have a silent agreement that keeps materialism mainstream and off limits from accountability.”  Randy Alcorn, Giving is the Good Life (pg. 32)

4. The pursuit of those who want to experience life: Do good, be rich in good deeds, always be generous and ready to share (v. 18).

5. The double win: Treasuring that which will last and reap dividends in the eternal kingdom and in the present life.

“Does the Old Testament model of tithing still apply to Christians today, since it was part of the old covenant? I have mixed feelings on tithing. I detest legalism. I certainly don’t want to pour new wine into old wineskins, imposing superseded first covenant restrictions on Christians. However, the fact is that every New Testament example of giving goes beyond the tithe. This means that none falls short of it. The strongest arguments made against tithing today are 'law versus grace.' But does being under grace mean we should stop doing all that was done under the law.

I’m a strong believer in the new covenant’s superiority over the old (Romans 7; 2 Corinthians 3; Hebrews 8). On the other hand, I believe there’s ongoing value to certain aspects of the old covenant. The model of paying back to God the firstfruits (tithing) and giving freewill offerings beyond that is among those.

Because we are never told that tithing has been superseded, and because Jesus directly affirmed it (Matthew 23:23) and prominent church fathers taught it as a requirement for Christian living, it seems to me the burden of proof falls on those who say tithing is no longer a minimum standard for God’s people. The question is not whether tithing is the whole of Christian giving or even at the center of it. Clearly it is not. Many people associate the command to tithe with the command to keep the Sabbath. New Testament Christians are not obligated to keep the Sabbath with all its legislated rules under the Mosaic covenant (Colossians 2:16). However, a weekly day of rest based on God’s pattern of creation was instituted before the Law (Genesis 2:2-3). It’s a principle never revoked in the New Testament. The special day of observance changed to Sunday, 'the Lord’s day,' yet the principle of one special day set aside for worship remained intact.

Christ fulfilled the entire Old Testament, but he didn’t render it irrelevant. Old Testament legislation demonstrated how to love my neighbor. Although the specific regulations don’t all apply, the principles certainly do, and many of the guidelines are still as helpful as ever. Consider the command to build a roof with a parapet to protect people from falling off (Deuteronomy 22:8). When it comes to the Old Testament, we must be careful not to throw out the baby (ongoing principles intended for everyone) with the bathwater (detailed regulations intended only for ancient Israel).

We don’t offer sacrifices anymore, so why should we tithe? Because sacrifices are specifically rescinded in the New Testament. As the book of Hebrews demonstrates, Christ has rendered inoperative the whole sacrificial system. But where in the New Testament does it indicate that tithing is no longer valid? There is no such passage. With a single statement, God could have easily singled out tithing like he did sacrifices and the Sabbath. But he didn’t.”  

Randy Alcorn, The Old Testament Model of Tithing and Christians Today

QUESTIONS:

1. Why was there a solemn and weighty charge in the context of 1 Timothy 1:3, 4:11, and 6:17?

2. Is the pursuit of acquiring more and more things hurtful to your walk with the Lord or devastating?

3. Why does Jesus repeatedly give strong warnings regarding the misuse of wealth (see Luke 12:15)?

4. How do you live out the formula for embracing the good life in verse 18?

5. What is the true foundation for taking hold of life regarding understanding the character of God?