Megachurch Pastor Craig Groeschel of the Oklahoma-based Life Church is on a mission to clear out misconstrued verses in the Bible regarding money.
In his four part sermon series entitled "Twisted: Most Misused Verses in the Bible," the pastor underscores the importance of getting our understanding right when it comes to money, particularly when it comes to certain verses.
One of them, he said is 1 Timothy 6:10 which says "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
The pastor clarified that people often misuse the verse saying by leaving out the phrase "the love of" and focus instead on identifying money as the root of all evil.
In his sermon, he also cited Ecclesiastes 5:10, which heralds a similar message: "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless."
"Perhaps the answer to why it is truly the love of money and not money itself that is the root of evil can be found in 1 Timothy 6:9. The text notes that those who seek to get rich can "fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires. Those desires, according to the Bible, can lead people into ruin and destruction," he said.
Groeschel reiterated that money is not in itself the problem as God has given man the ability to make money.
Deuteronomy 8:18 states, "But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth..."
Groeschel clarified: "God will not give you the ability to do something wrong. We don't apologize for the blessings of God, we maximise the blessings of God... It's not a sin to have something, it's sin and dangerous to love money."
He also urged those who have more to share what they have with those who are in need because having money does not guarantee happiness, quoting 1 Timothy 6:17, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."
The verse, he said, was additional proof that it is not money that will gve us our heart's desires, but rather God.
"You don't need more to be happy. Money will not meet your deepest needs. Jesus will meet your deepest needs. You will never ever have "enough" money, so desire more of Jesus," he said.
