Menu
Wrong Things People Put Their Hope In
Wealth
1 Tim 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.
This does not mean that wealth is bad, but rather inferior. Wealth is uncertain, whereas our hope in God is sure! So put your hope in God first of all. And if you can also attain wealth and prosperity, consider it a blessing.
Education and qualifications
1 Cor 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
Clearly, education and qualifications are good things, and I do not mean we should not pursue them! But scripture warns us that they can produce an arrogance in us that obscures our need of God.
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Today in our schools, the emphasis is on acquiring knowledge, but it is often devoid of spiritual knowledge or wisdom. Religious education becomes an ever lower priority on the syllabus as western culture becomes ever more secular. The result is that we have a generation who think they are wise and knowledgable, but according to the Bible are fools.
Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no-one who does good.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
3 All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no-one who does good, not even one.
Military might
Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
This doesn't mean our country shouldn't have armies to defend itself. Israel always did. But our hope and security must first be in God.
Medical care
Mark 5:25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.
26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”
We are incredibly blessed these days by all the advances in medical science, and all that doctors can now do. Many of us, if we are realistic and honest, would not be alive right now if it were not for the help of modern medicine. But we must not allow such medical science to become our security such that it obscures our need for God.
1 Tim 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.
This does not mean that wealth is bad, but rather inferior. Wealth is uncertain, whereas our hope in God is sure! So put your hope in God first of all. And if you can also attain wealth and prosperity, consider it a blessing.
Education and qualifications
1 Cor 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
Clearly, education and qualifications are good things, and I do not mean we should not pursue them! But scripture warns us that they can produce an arrogance in us that obscures our need of God.
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Today in our schools, the emphasis is on acquiring knowledge, but it is often devoid of spiritual knowledge or wisdom. Religious education becomes an ever lower priority on the syllabus as western culture becomes ever more secular. The result is that we have a generation who think they are wise and knowledgable, but according to the Bible are fools.
Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no-one who does good.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
3 All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no-one who does good, not even one.
Military might
Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
This doesn't mean our country shouldn't have armies to defend itself. Israel always did. But our hope and security must first be in God.
Medical care
Mark 5:25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.
26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,
28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”
We are incredibly blessed these days by all the advances in medical science, and all that doctors can now do. Many of us, if we are realistic and honest, would not be alive right now if it were not for the help of modern medicine. But we must not allow such medical science to become our security such that it obscures our need for God.