This post is about the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:19-21. Store up treasures in heaven. Don’t be greedy for treasure on earth. Hyper-prosperity teachers who twist Scriptures to enrich themselves cannot like these verses. They shall have their reward down here on earth, but nothing in the new heavens and earth for all eternity.

The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:

biblegateway.com

In this post, links are provided for further study.

Let’s begin.

I.. Scripture

A. Matthew 6:19-21

¹⁹ Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust disfigure and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust disfigure and where thieves do not break through nor steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is there will be your heart. (Matt. 6:19-21)

B. Comments

1.. Verse 19:

This is a pericope (pronounced puh-RIH-koh-pea) or unit or section of contrasts.

“store up: it is related to the noun treasure, so it could be translated: “Don’t treasure up treasure for yourselves.” Hyper-prosperity Bible teachers twist Scriptures to store up treasures for themselves.

The picture is of thieves burrowing through the wall and breaking through to get what you have stored up. Treasure must include clothing; otherwise, moths would be irrelevant here.

20:

The opposite of v. 19 is spelled out here in v. 20. Thieves and rust are unable to get into heaven, so they cannot damage any spiritual treasure.

21:

The hyper-prosperity teachers cannot like this verse, or else they have to explain it away. Yes, I believe God wants to prosper your business by lawful business means. You produce a good product and learn to market it successfully. Prosperity. But notice how you don’t ask people to give you ten percent. They voluntarily buy your product, without manipulation. Streamlined and honest.

The hyper-prosperity teachers in contrast do indeed ask for ten percent or more off gross pay, so that Joe Factoryworker and Jane Shopkeeper can, in turn, be prosperous. You give, in order to get more money. I’ve heard of one church that has a slogan, “Money come to me.” I saw a hyper-prosperity yell out into the air, “Money, come forth!” Apparently he was imitating Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus (John  11).

My take: if hyper-prosperity teachers live in penthouse apartments or gigantic houses and drive expensive cars and brag about their jets in which to fly around from conference to conference (they’re too important to take commercial airlines), instead of living modestly and prudently, then don’t give to their ministries.

I have along post on the topic about giving:

Why Tithing Does Not Apply to New Covenant Believers

II. Application

A. Question to ponder

1. Check your heart about money. Do you want prosperity for the right motives?

SOURCES

To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom.

Matthew 6