Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 - Lansing SDA Church

Deceitfulness of Riches 499every day, and Lazarus, who was in abject poverty and loathsome tothe sight, and who begged the few crumbs which the rich man despised.Our Saviour shows His estimate of the two. Although Lazarus was [540]in so deplorable and mean a condition, he had true faith, true moralworth, which God saw, and which He considered of so great valuethat He took this poor, despised sufferer and placed him in the mostexalted position, while the honored and ease-loving man of wealth wasthrust out from the presence of God and plunged into misery and woeunutterable. God did not value the riches of this wealthy man, becausehe had not true moral worth. His character was worthless. His richesdid not recommend him to God nor have any influence to secure Hisfavor.By this parable Christ would teach His disciples not to judge orvalue men by their wealth or by the honors which they received ofothers. Such was the course pursued by the Pharisees, who, whilepossessing both riches and worldly honor, were valueless in the sightof God and, more than this, were despised and rejected of Him, cast outfrom His sight as disgusting to Him because there was no moral worthor soundness in them. They were corrupt, sinful, and abominable inHis sight. The poor man, despised by his fellow mortals and disgustingto their sight, was valuable in the sight of God because he possessedmoral soundness and worth, thus qualifying him to be introduced intothe society of refined, holy angels and to be an heir of God and a jointheir with Christ.In Paul’s charge to Timothy he warns him of a class who willnot consent to wholesome words and who place a wrong estimateon riches. He says: “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not towholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to thedoctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing,but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy,strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corruptminds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: fromsuch withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain.For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry [541]nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into manyfoolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted