{"id":19,"date":"2008-04-23T06:46:00","date_gmt":"2008-04-23T13:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25551729.post-3521953371309259899"},"modified":"2009-07-06T13:04:18","modified_gmt":"2009-07-06T20:04:18","slug":"got-potential-2008-04-23-134600","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/gods-purpose\/got-potential-2008-04-23-134600","title":{"rendered":"Money Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

Purpose<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Vol. 2 Issue 12 March 20, 2008<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe Weekly newsletter of True Potential Publishing<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>
\nMoney<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Ooh boy. We could spend a while on this one. We will, as a matter of fact. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be on this for a few weeks.<\/p>\n

Money isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a comfortable subject for Christians. Privately, we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have much of a problem with it at all. Who doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t like money? But publicly, we traverse the subject like we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re walking on a new froze-over pond. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not sure if our next step will be on solid ice or if we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll fall through.<\/p>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s because we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re getting mixed signals.<\/p>\n

“The wealth of the rich is their fortress; the poverty of the poor is their destruction.”<\/em> (Proverbs 10:15 NLT)<\/p>\n

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”<\/em> (Matthew 6:19)<\/p>\n

“With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.”<\/em> (Proverbs 8:18)<\/p>\n

“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”<\/em> (Mark 10:23)<\/p>\n

“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s children<\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6” (Proverbs 13:22)<\/p>\n

“\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven<\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.” (Mark 10:21)<\/p>\n

Wealth is a fortress \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Do not store up treasure on earth. Riches, honor, wealth and prosperity come with wisdom \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Sell everything you have and give to the poor<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Sheesh! The Bible applauds good stewardship and promises blessings to the faithful; at the same time it says that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.<\/p>\n

What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a guy to do? It takes money to live and the harder I work the more I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m supposed to make, right? Success is a good thing, right? What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the answer?<\/p>\n

It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not like we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re getting the straight scoop from those in charge either. When you go to church, you hear that it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s more blessed to give than to receive and to reinforce the point, they take up an offering.<\/p>\n

Listen to Christian TV and radio. Whatever the message, one message is clear; you need to send in your money to keep the message on the air.<\/p>\n

So if your money isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t supposed to be important to you, why is it so important to everyone else?<\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to explore what the Bible says about money \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 and maybe un-mix the message a little. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll start the Hebrew and Greek languages (like usual) to find out what the original words really meant.<\/p>\n

“Money<\/em>” is used 116 times in the KJV translation of the Old Testament. All 116 times it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the same Hebrew word: “keceph<\/em>.” That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s “silver<\/em>“; the currency of the day. Whether it was silver coins, bars, earrings, nose rings, bracelets, or some other precious or semi-precious metal that traded like silver; “keceph<\/em>” was cash.<\/p>\n

Sure, people could buy, sell and barter with a lot of stuff other than “keceph<\/em>“; gold, cattle, goats, wheat, wine and oil were used at times. But when the Hebrews talked money, they thought “keceph<\/em>.” At least they<\/em> weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t confused.<\/p>\n

For two thousand years a single Hebrew word was sufficient to describe money. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a different story in the New Testament. Christ was born in Bethlehem around 6 BC and John penned the last words of his Revelation around 95 AD; about 101 years, start to finish. One twentieth of the Old Testament time period. In that short time the New Testament writers couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t describe “money<\/em>” in less than eight different Greek words.<\/p>\n

Is confusion about money a New Testament thing? Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s see.<\/p>\n

“Stater<\/em>” after the Greek word for “standard<\/em>” described a coin or a unit of money. There were actual coins called “staters<\/em>” usually of silver, but sometimes in gold. A silver “stater<\/em>” in Jesus time was worth four drachma<\/em>. When Jesus and Peter showed up in Capernaum the tax collectors wanted them to pay a temple tax; two drachma each. Jesus told Peter to go to the lake and throw in a hook; the first fish he caught would have a “stater<\/em>” in its mouth \u00e2\u20ac\u201c four drachma \u00e2\u20ac\u201c tax for two (Matthew 17:24). Funny how things work out.<\/p>\n

“Argurion<\/em>” is Greek for money too. Like the Hebrew “keceph<\/em>,” it means “silver<\/em>“; not a specific amount, but cash in general. Remember the parable of the talents? A master gives his three servants five, two and one talents of money respectively (a talent<\/em> is a certain weight; they weighed out money back then to make sure they weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t getting short changed). The servants with five and two talents took the money and made a profit. The servant with one talent buried his in the ground to avoid risk \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 bad idea. When the master returned he rewarded the two who made a profit and threw the risk-averse servant into the “darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”<\/em> (Matthew 25:14-30)<\/p>\n

“Nomisma<\/em>” is money that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s paid for a tax or required by law. It refers to money that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not given up voluntarily; some things don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t change. Jesus used “nomisma<\/em>” to turn the tables on those who tried to trap him by painting him as a rebel against the oppressive Roman government. “Is it right to pay taxes to the Romans?<\/em>” they asked. Jesus knew what they were up to. “Show me a coin,” <\/em>he replied. “Whose portrait and inscription is on the coin?”<\/em> “Caesar\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s<\/em>,” they answered. “Then give Caesar what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s his and give God what belongs to Him<\/em>” (Matthew 22:19). That shut \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcem up.<\/p>\n

“Chalkos<\/em>” means “copper<\/em>“; small change, walking around money. When Jesus sent his disciples out to preach repentance among the villages of Judea, he told them not to bring along any food, luggage, or “chalkos<\/em>“; walking around money. He wanted them to be totally dependent for their needs on those who heard the gospel.<\/p>\n

“Kerma<\/em>” means literally “clipping<\/em>” or “shearing<\/em>.” “Kerma<\/em>” referred to money from money-changers. Back when the idea of using coins for money was new, an easy way to make change was to clip<\/em> or shear<\/em> a coin in half or in fourths. If a loaf of bread cost one fourth of the local coinage, the dealer could simply whack the customer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s coin into fourths with a cleaver and give him three-fourths back as change.<\/p>\n

Whacking up coins and making change eventually became the job of the guys who traded local coins for foreign coins in the market place. These guys weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t the most honest of folks; they knew how much the foreign and local coins were worth and often their customers didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. They were called, you guessed it, “money<\/em>–changers<\/em>.” Jesus had an issue with money-changers setting up shop in his Father\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s house. He still does.<\/p>\n

“Chrema<\/em>” means literally “a thing that one uses or needs<\/em>.” It was a term for money used in business transactions or big purchases; which implies a substantial sum. More than walking around money. In the book of Acts, Barnabas sold a field and gave the money (chrema<\/em>) to apostles of the nascent Christian church to help cover expenses. Remember Ananias and Sapphira? They tried the same thing, but skimmed off some of the “chrema<\/em>” for themselves. That was a bad idea (Acts 5).<\/p>\n

Now we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re getting to the touchy stuff.<\/p>\n

“Philarguria<\/em>” means “love of money<\/em>.” “Phileo<\/em>” is the Greek word for “affection<\/em>.” “Argurion<\/em>” (above) is the Greek word for “silver<\/em>.” “Philarguria<\/em>” is loving money for itself and dreading the idea of parting with it. Remember “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/em>.” (1 Timothy 6:10)? That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s “philarguria<\/em>.” It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a nasty habit. Common, but nasty.<\/p>\n

There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s another word for money, the KJV calls it by its old Greek name “mammon<\/em>.” It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one step further out than “philarguria<\/em>.” “Mammon<\/em>” is confidence<\/em> in<\/em> or the personification of<\/em> money. That means your hope and trust are tied up in money. Money has become a personal thing for you, you know, like a god. “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”<\/em> (Luke 16:13) God doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appreciate the competition.<\/p>\n

******<\/strong><\/p>\n

That was a lovely history lesson Steve, but what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s it got to do with me?<\/p>\n

More than you think. When it comes to money, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re like the New Testament Greeks. We can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think about money with just a single word or idea coming to mind. We can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even describe it without a half dozen synonyms trailing behind. Cash, dollars, dinero, moolah, greenbacks, paycheck, bills, taxes, tithes offerings, savings, credit, debt<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Money isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a single idea to us. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why we have so many words for it. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s why the Bible has different words for it. In reality, money is what it is. It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have any value or meaning on its own. You put value and meaning behind it by how you think about it and what you do with it.<\/p>\n

That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s where the mixed signals are coming from. And that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to get to the bottom of.<\/p>\n

Next week.<\/p>\n

Until then, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t worry; “saying, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcWhat shall we eat?\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 or \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcWhat shall we drink?\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 or \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcWhat shall we wear?\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”<\/em> (Matthew 6:31-34).<\/p>\n

In Him,<\/p>\n

Steve Spillman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Purpose Vol. 2 Issue 12 March 20, 2008 The Weekly newsletter of True Potential Publishing Money Ooh boy. We could spend a while on this one. We will, as a matter of fact. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be on this for a few weeks. Money isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t a comfortable subject for Christians. Privately, we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have much of a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,11,186,334,459,7,15],"tags":[555,557,559,552,558,478,561,874,556,560,553,554],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":250,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions\/250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gotpotential.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}