True Life, Abundant Life
“As for the rich in the 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 they may take hold of that which is truly life.” – 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Recently, I was speaking to a friend—a younger man whose business was doing really well. He had worked so hard to get his business to this place of profit and growth, and he shared with me how he was wrestling with the simple question: “What do I do with all this money?”
He confessed that there were times when he thought, “I should just buy a really expensive car or take my family on fancy vacations.” Showing his maturity, he said, “But I know these things won’t bring me any lasting joy. I want to invest in missions.”
There are promises associated with giving generously for the kingdom. The first promise, of course, is the security that we have knowing that we are storing our treasure in heaven. The second is the promise of experiencing true life.
In 1 Timothy 6, Paul gives us investment advice that has zero risk and guaranteed returns.
What are we investing in? The kingdom of God.
Who are we ultimately trusting to manage our investment? God Himself. I’m not sure what better guarantee we have than God—His character and His performance record.
When we give for the kingdom, we are “taking hold of that which is truly life.” In other words, living for and investing in the kingdom of God is living as God intends for us.
What would be the opposite? Living for the world. What Paul is saying is that living for the world is inauthentic life. It’s not what we’ve been created for. He doesn’t want us to live for things that are temporary and fleeting, full of empty promises. He wants us to experience true life, eternal life, which begins not after we pass from this world, but when we meet Jesus and begin living for Him. Why would we rob ourselves of this joy that comes from living and giving towards the kingdom of God? Why would we rob ourselves of true life, eternal life, abundant life?
Living and giving intentionally for the kingdom is what it means to truly live, to live the abundant life, to carry out God’s purpose for us.
Lloyd Kim is coordinator of Mission to the World. He is a former PCA pastor and a former missionary with MTW in the Philippines and Cambodia. He holds an M.Div. from Westminster Seminary in California and a Ph.D. in New Testament studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. Lloyd and his wife, Eda, are the parents of Kaelyn, Christian, and Katy.
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