Money-the Root of All Evil?
By Peter Salemi
One of the worst money blocks that people have that prevents them from being successful financially is the deep rooted belief that “money is the root of all evil.” Many believe that this expression is in the Bible! But it is not!
Money by itself is not evil. In fact the Bible says that money is a good thing. In fact God says, “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts” (Hag 2:8). This was and still is the medium of exchange. God says that the money is his, and the scriptures says, “And the gold of that land is good:” (Gen 2:12). Gold or money is good! So why do people believe money is the root of all evil?
1 Timothy 6:10
People misread a scripture in the Bible that says, “For the love of money is the root of all evil:” (1 Tim 6:10). Did you catch that? It says the “LOVE” of money is the root of all evil. It is the misuse of money that is sin. Money can be used for good as well as evil. From this you can see that a person with no money could still commit this evil. The poor and the rich alike can LOVE money.
But let’s break it down even further. This verse has actually been mistranslated. It should read that the “love,” this word love is not “agapaō” love, but “philarguria.” This comes from the “common word philargyros 2 Tim 3:2” (Robertson’s Word Pictures, emphasis theirs). In 2 Timothy 3:2 it says, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, [philargyros]” This is covetousness-people covet money, not “agapaō” love which is “to be fond of, to love dearly” (Thayers).
So this “love” is more like a “pursuit” after money. Paul said in this verse, “which while some coveted after,” And we know that “covetousness, which is idolatry:” (Col 3:5). We should never let our stuff or our pursuit of success become idols. God has to remain first in our lives. One must master money, not letting money master them.
The rest of the verse says, “is the root of all evil” This should read, “‘A root of all kinds of evil’ (riza pantōn tōn kakōn).” (Robertson’s Word Pictures). Not “the” root but “A” root of all “kinds” of evil, not “all” evil.
To say the “love of money is the root of ALL evil” is impossible, that cannot be! Not every evil comes from the “love of money.” That means that when Adam and Eve were in the Garden and they ate of the forbidden fruit, they ate it because Satan paid them! Of course we know that is not the case.
What about the greatest evil Satan did, when he rebelled against God? Was it for money? No! He did it because he wanted to be worshipped. So this verse cannot mean that the love of money is the root of every evil. But it is “a root” not every root, but one of many roots of “all KINDS of evil” when translated correctly. This makes a lot more sense! So this verse is really telling us that the pursuit to covet money because money is their master-their god, is A root of all kinds of evil. People when they love money will do all types of evil to get it. For Christians then, we must not use or commit evil against the people and covet the money; this is one of the “kinds” of evil that is happening in the world today. Instead love the people and use the money!
Understanding this, you can actually flip this around. It can go both ways. Many evils in this world are due to the fact that people love money. Yet many good things occur as well do to the fact that people pursue money. But they pursue it for completely different reasons. People pursue money 8 hours a day 5 days a week to feed their family and have a roof over their heads. There is Philanthropy-helping mankind. For Christians, to provide for our families and Paul said if we do not, “he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Tim 5:8). Also fund the church, to spread the good news and preach the Gospel. Also to be an example to mankind and spreading Kingdom culture on the earth to glorify God and show people how God wants us to conduct business in this world so there is abundance and not poverty in the earth.
The church of God pursued money! In 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 notice what Paul said, “…but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
“That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.” Why do people do “business” and “work” with their “hands”? Money! And Paul wanted them to “increase” They pursued money, but not because money was their master? No! Their pursuit of money was for good not evil. It was so they “lacked nothing.” We find what it means to “lacked nothing” in another scripture in another church-the church of Laodicea that that said was, “... I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;” (Rev 3:17). This is what Jesus wants for his church-a rich church! However with this church, it was not the riches that were the concern for Christ; it was the pride and Luke warmness (v.16) took over this church when they became rich. Afterwards Jesus said they became spiritually “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” The apostle Paul was saying the same thing not to fall into the trap of coveting money and replacing God with money. This church said we have money and goods, we have “need of nothing;” But they forgot the source of their wealth-God! God warns his people when they get wealthy not to forget him! (see Deut 8:11-20). God is the source of our wealth not money. We must handle money the way the rich great patriarchs of the Bible handled money. So the church of God should not lack anything! It should be an abundant church, and its members abundant and successful as well. Followers of Christ should be industrious-producers so there is no lack in the church or their own families as Paul says, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (2 Thess 3:10). This is not just New Testament but Old Testament as well. Solomon basically said the same thing, “He becometh poor that worketh with a slack hand; But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” (Prov 10:4 ASV). Not working (slack hand) leads to poverty, a “diligent” hand leads to wealth.
Don’t fall into the Trap
Unfortunately some in the church of God itself fell into this trap of coveting money. Paul says, “For those who desire to become rich fall into temptation and a snare, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which cause men to sink into destruction and perdition.” (1 Tim 6:9 AFV). Notice, Paul is not condemning the desire to become Rich; he is saying that those that have this desire “fall into temptation.” They desire it so much that they fall into the temptation of committing evils to get it. Many foundations of the top 500 corporations in the world have evil beginnings. Paul is saying not to fall into that. Then he says, “For the love [pursuit] of money is the [a] root of all [kinds of] evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” People in the church of God fell into the temptation of letting money be their master and god and committed evils to get it.
Christians when pursuing success and riches-which is what God wants! He wants Christians to be successful and abundant (read the Parable of the Talents Matthew 25:14-30); the reason should be to glorify God, and be industrious-be a producer obeying what God said, “be fruitful and multiply.” To used money for good, help people, spread the good news-use money as a tool so you LACK NOTHING, and be an example to the world of the potential mankind can accomplish putting the word of God to work in our lives and in this world. When Christians do this in this life, then it will be carried over into the Kingdom of God, and God will say to them, “Well done, good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:23). Wipe out this money block from your mind, do not let this money block prevent you from becoming successful. God wants you to be!
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