True Riches Today

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE NEW YEAR

True Riches Today

An up-to-date list of today’s richest people makes interesting reading. Such a list can often be found in secular newspapers or magazines. Pop stars, entertainment celebrities, sports personalities, business tycoons and the heads of gigantic corporations are named, and their total wealth is estimated. Lists of this kind change, for the richest person this month may not be heading the list next month.

One of America’s richest citizens in 1990 was Malcolm Forbes. Even today his name is still legendary. With six palatial homes, a South Pacific island, eighty motorcycles, his own personal Boeing 727 jet, thirteen hot air balloons, and two million dollars to spend on his 70th birthday party, this man could easily be listed among the rich. You may have read similar accounts of the wealth and lifestyle of Arabic sheik’s or oil magnates. People like this are envied for their accumulated riches and possessions.

Our Lord Jesus spoke of riches when He was on earth and warned His listeners of “the deceitfulness of riches” (Mt. 13:22 KJV), which can prevent the Word of God being effective in an individual’s life. Riches are “uncertain” (1 Tim. 6: 17). They can quickly “make themselves wings and fly away” (Prov. 23:5). Malcolm Forbes did not live long after carefully planning his 70th birthday extravaganza. Like every other human, when he died he left all his worldly possessions behind.

The Scriptures make it clear that Christians are stewards and must be faithful with what God has entrusted to them. While this subject is worthy of careful consideration, it is not our purpose to deal here with stewardship. Instead let’s consider riches of another kind – those referred to by our Lord as “the true riches” (Lk. 16:11). What can these be?

Riches Of Grace
In his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul mentioned “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8) and stated that he was appointed by God to proclaim this profound truth among the Gentiles. Displaying a favor to us that we could never have deserved, God provided His own dear Son as a substitute who would die in our place. Through the shedding of His precious blood, redemption is available and the forgiveness of sins is possible. All this, we are told, is “according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). This is a great theme of praise – one that will occupy the saints throughout eternity. Indeed, in the ages to come God is going to display “the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). Once we were dead in our sins, far from God and without hope, but by His gracious intervention He has reached us in our lost condition and raised us to the heavenly places where we are now seated with Christ. This is the exceeding riches of His grace that brings the forgiven sinner to glory!

Riches Of Glory
In the same epistle and others, Paul wrote about the riches of God’s glory. This great work of salvation in the “vessels of mercy” who have been prepared for glory demonstrates “the riches of His glory” (Rom. 9:23). We need to see this clearly, and Paul turned to God in prayer that the saints at Ephesus might be enlightened to grasp the hope of God’s calling and appreciate “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). Notice that Paul was not thinking of the believer's inheritance but of God's own inheritance in His redeemed people. God has been enriched eternally by the cross. His grace has been transformed into glory.

We must not think that those “riches of glory” have only future significance. In his second prayer in Ephesians, Paul beseeched God that by His Spirit He might strengthen His people with power “according to the riches of His glory” (Eph. 3:16). A plentiful supply is therefore available, for “according to” those riches God gives His people the power that they need to receive His truth and to live for Him. His giving is not “according to our needs” but “according to the riches of His glory.” How wonderful! According to those same “riches in glory” at His disposal, God is able to meet all the needs of His people now (Phil. 4:19). How different those needs are – but all the resources are available for all His people. He does not give “out of” those riches – for if He did, we might think that the supply could be diminished. Rather, it is “according to” those riches that He gives through Christ, the only Mediator.

Riches Of Goodness
In his epistle to the Romans Paul wrote of the “goodness and forbearance and longsuffering” of God (Rom. 2:4). Such “goodness” should lead us to repentance as we appreciate how guilty we are before Him and how we deserve His righteous judgment on account of our sins. “The riches of His goodness” should never be despised by the sinner. In this epistle, Paul demonstrates the remarkable goodness of God in bringing Gentiles into the blessings of the gospel. Elsewhere he declares that this was a “mystery” – something not revealed in earlier times. The Church is the body of Christ, and He is its head. Gentiles, as well as Jews, have been incorporated into that body, Christ within our hearts being “the hope of glory.” God has now made known “the riches of the glory of this mystery” (Col. 1:27).

Just as His grace has brought us to glory, so His goodness has done the same. This salvation for the Gentiles, Paul wrote, has come about through “the fall” of Israel. It has brought “riches” to us (Rom. 11:12). Such riches have come to us from God’s unlimited store. Well might we exclaim: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33). Paul’s concern was that believers might enter into the “riches of the full assurance of understanding” of these wonderful truths (Col. 2:2). May we desire this as we acknowledge what God has done for us in Christ.

Riches Eternal
Two final New Testament Scriptures speak of riches. Moses, we are told, was a man of faith. Egypt’s wealth did not attract him. Instead he chose to cast in his lot with the people of God and suffer “reproach” for the sake of the Christ whose coming he anticipated. Just consider that! He evaluated things and considered “the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt” (Heb. 11:26). His perspective was correct, for his attention was fixed on eternal things. Christ mattered more to him than any other. If “the reproach of Christ” was worth more than Egypt’s treasures, what value can be placed upon the glories of Christ?

Like Moses we need an eternal perspective. Suffering for Him now must be expected, but it will be followed by glory. And what glory that will be! As the New Testament closes we are introduced to an angelic company proclaiming the praises of the Lord and declaring: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing” (Rev. 5:12). Did you notice the second attribute? He is worthy of eternal riches for all He has done.

In hymn 946 from Ira Sankey’s Sacred Songs And Solos hymnbook, Hattie E. Buell wrote:

My Father is rich in houses and lands,
He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,
His coffers are full – He has riches untold.
I’m the child of a King! The child of a King!With Jesus my Savior, I’m the child of a King!

Everything in the universe is His, but He has wonderful spiritual riches that He wants to share with His children. As His people, let us be concerned with the true riches.

By Martin Girard