Money as a Goal

What did we bring into the world? Nothing! What can we take out of the world? Nothing!

So then, if we have food and clothes, that should be enough for us.

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and are caught in the trap of many foolish and harmful desires, which pull them down to ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.

But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. -- 1 Timothy 6:7-11 (GNT)

Note that Paul did not say "money is evil", Paul wrote the "love of money is a source of all kinds of evil". Money is a means to reach goals. When money becomes the goal (love), then money becomes an idol which is served with evil intentions and actions as written in Psalm 52:1-7 (ESV):

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?

The steadfast love of God endures all the day.

Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.

But God will break you down forever;
he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah

The righteous shall see and fear,
and shall laugh at him, saying,
“See the man who would not make God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!

Greed

The problem with greed, is you never have enough. The guy with the fast car, wants a faster car. The guy with the house, wants a bigger house. The ruler with the power, wants more power. The rich guy with the money, wants more money.

If you love money, you will never be satisfied; if you long to be rich, you will never get all you want. It is useless. -- Ecc 5:10 (GNT)

Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? They come from your desires for pleasure, which are constantly fighting within you. You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it. -- James 4:1-2 (GNT)

When you sit down to eat with someone important, keep in mind who he is. If you have a big appetite, restrain yourself. Don’t be greedy for the fine food he serves; he may be trying to trick you. -- Proverbs 23:1-3 (GNT)

Don’t eat at the table of a stingy person or be greedy for the fine food he serves. “Come on and have some more“ he says, but he doesn’t mean it. What he thinks is what he really is. You will vomit up what you have eaten, and all your flattery will be wasted. -- Proverbs 23:6-8 (GNT)

Haste

Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good; impatience will get you into trouble. -- Proverbs 19:2 (GNT)

An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed at the end -- Proverbs 20:21 (NKJV)

A faithful man shall overflow with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich shall not be innocent. -- Proverbs 28:20 (MKJV)

He who hastens to be rich has an evil eye, and does not know that poverty will come upon him. -- Proverbs 28:22 (MKJV)

Discontent

Don’t be upset when someone becomes rich, when his wealth grows even greater; he cannot take it with him when he dies; his wealth will not go with him to the grave. Even if someone takes it with him when he dies; his wealth will not go with him to the grave. Even if someone is satisfied with this life and is praised because he is successful, he will join all his ancestors in death, where the darkness lasts forever. Our greatness cannot keep us from death; we will still die like the animals. -- Psa 49:16-20 (GNT)

Riches will do you no good on the day you face death, but honesty can save your life. -- Proverbs 11:4 (GNT)

False identity

Some people will buy (usually on credit) luxurious clothes, cars and things they actually cannot afford, just to fit into the community.

Other will deliberately "humble" themselves with poverty to please their community (or God).

There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. -- Proverbs 13:7 (NKJV)

A false identity liked to your financial status could also lead to the temptation of pride:

Pride

When the poor speak, they have to be polite, but when the rich answer, they are rude. -- Proverbs 18:23 (GNT)

The LORD will destroy the homes of arrogant men, but he will protect a widow’s property. -- Proverbs 15:25 (GNT)

If you make fun of poor people, you insult the God who made them. You will be punished if you take pleasure in someone’s misfortune. -- Proverbs 17:5 (GNT)

No one is respected unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin. -- Proverbs 18:12 (GNT)

The rich man is wise in his own eyes; but the poor who has understanding searches him out. -- Proverbs 28:11 (MKJV)

The LORD says, “The wise should not boast of their wisdom, nor the strong of their strength, nor the rich of their wealth. If any wants to boast, they should boast that they know and understand me, because my love is constant, and I do what is just and right. These are the things that please me. I, the LORD, have spoken.” -- Jer 9:23-24 (GNT)

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty... -- 1 Timothy 6:17 (ESV)

Note the Paul did not condemn the rich believers, but warns them against haughtiness.

Fake friendship

Often rich people find themselves surrounded with fake friends who value their possessions, parties, and luxuries more than their friendship.

No one likes the poor, not even their neighbours, but the rich have many friends. -- Proverbs 14:20 (GNT)

Rich people are always finding new friends, but the poor cannot keep the few they have. -- Proverbs 19:4 (GNT)

Everyone tries to gain the favor of important people; everyone claims the friendship of those who give out favors. -- Proverbs 19:6 (GNT)

The opposite is also true for the poor who tries to impress (buy) his/her friends with possessions or expensive entertainment. Even this often leads to fake friends.

Do you want to meet an important person? Take a gift and it will be easy. -- Proverbs 18:16 (GNT)

Unsurprisingly, the poor often find themselves without friends or alone.

Even the relatives of a poor person have no use for him; no wonder he has no friends. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot win any. -- Proverbs 19:7 (GNT)

Real friends are more valuable than fake wealthy friends.

Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate. -- Proverbs 15:17 (GNT)

Partiality

If you make gifts to rich people or oppress the poor to get rich, you will become poor yourself. -- Proverbs 22:16 (GNT)

False security

True security is found in righteousness with God and not in finance.

Those who depend on their wealth will fall like the leaves of autumn, but the righteous will prosper like the leaves of summer. -- Proverbs 11:28 (GNT)

Rich people however, imagine that their wealth protects them like high, strong walls around a city. -- Proverbs 18:11 (GNT)

Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. -- Psalm 37:16-17 (ESV)

Workaholism

It is the LORD's blessing that makes you wealthy. Hard work can make you no richer. -- Proverbs 10:22 (GNT)

A laborer’s appetite makes him work harder, because he wants to satisfy his hunger. -- Proverbs 16:26 (GNT)

Be wise enough not to wear yourself out trying to get rich. Your money can be gone in a flash, as if it had grown wings and flown away like an eagle. -- Proverbs 23:4-5 (GNT)

I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind. -- Ecc 4:4 (GNT)

Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work. -- Ecc 10:15 (GNT)

Oppressing people loyal to God

Don’t interfere with good people’s lives; don’t try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, God-loyal people don’t stay down long; Soon they’re up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces. -- Proverbs 24:15-16 (GNT)

Jesus went into the Temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables and the moneychangers and the stools of those who sold pigeons, and said to them, “It is written in the Scriptures that God said, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it a hideout for thieves!” -- Matthew 21:12 (GNT); see also John 2:14-16

Oppressing the poor

If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them; but kindness shown to the poor is an act of worship. -- Proverbs 14:31 (GNT)

Never move an old property line or take over land owned by orphans. The LORD is their powerful defender, and he will argue their case against you. -- Proverbs 23:10-11 (GNT)

Don’t take advantage of the poor just because you can; don’t take advantage of those who stand helpless in court. The LORD will argue their case for them and threaten the life of anyone who threatens theirs. -- Proverbs 22:22-23 (GNT)

He who increases his wealth by interest and unjust gain, he shall gather it for him who will pity the poor. -- Proverbs 28:8 MKJV

You can survive if you say and do what is right. Don’t use your power to cheat the poor and don’t accept bribes. Don’t join with those who plan to commit murder or to do other evil things. -- Isaiah 33:15 (GNT)

Dishonesty

The wicked borrows, and never pays again. -- Psa 37:21 (GNT)

Wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life -- Proverbs 10:2 (GNT)

Honest people are safe and secure, but the dishonest will be caught -- Proverbs 10:9 (GNT)

The LORD hates people who use dishonest scales. He is happy with honest weights. -- Proverbs 11:1 (GNT); Proverbs 20:10; Proverbs 20:23

Wealth [gained by] dishonesty (הֶבֶל הֲבֵל hebel = emptiness/unsatisfactory) will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase. -- Proverbs 13:11 (NKJV)

Better to be poor and fear the LORD than to be rich and in trouble. -- Proverbs 15:16 (GNT)

It is better to have a little honestly earned, than to have a large income, dishonestly gained. You may make your plans, but God directs your actions. -- Proverbs 16:8-9

It is better to be poor but honest than to be a lying fool. -- Proverbs 19:1 (GNT)

What you get by dishonesty you may enjoy like the finest good, but sooner or later it will be like a mouthful of sand. -- Proverbs 20:17 (GNT)

The riches you get by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead you into the jaws of death. -- Proverbs 21:6 (GNT)

Never move an old property line that your ancestors established. -- Proverbs 22:28 (GNT)

Woe to him who robs evil booty for his house, to set his nest on high, to be delivered from the hand of evil! You have planned shame to your house, to make an end of many people, and are sinning in your soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Woe to him who builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity! Behold, is it not for Jehovah of Hosts that the people labor only for fire; yea, the nations weary themselves only for vanity? -- Habakkuk 2:9-13

Bribes

Some people think a bribe works like magic; they believe it can do anything. -- Proverbs 17:8 (GNT)

Try to make a profit dishonestly, and you get your family in trouble. Don’t take bribes and you will live longer. -- Proverbs 15:27 (GNT)

If you make gifts to rich people or oppress the poor to get rich, you will become poor yourself. -- Proverbs 22:16 (GNT)

"... I will honor and reward you lavishly – anything you tell me to do, I’ll do; I’ll pay anything – only come and curse this people.” Balaam answered Balak’s servants: “Even if Balak gave me his house stuffed with silver and gold, I wouldn’t be able to defy the orders of my GOD to do anything, whether big or little.” -- Numbers 22:17 MSG

Financial Responsibility

The richer you are, the more mouths you have to feed. All you gain is the knowledge that you are rich. Workers may or may not have enough to eat, but at least they can get a good night's sleep. The rich, however, have so much that they stay awake worrying. -- Ecc 5:11-12 (GNT)

Distractions

Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself,

‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’
And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’

But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’

So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

-- Jesus: Luke 12:15-21 (ESV)

Money could potentially be a distraction from the eternal rewards that God intended. If you consider how short your life is compared with all eternity, then you should realize that it is foolish and earthly wealth might even be considered a distraction to waste your short life of gaining riches instead of preparing for the eternal life.

Because you say, ‘Rich I am, and I am made rich, and need none at all,’ and do not know that you are wretched, and pitiable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, so that you become rich; and white garments, so that you become dressed, so that the shame of your nakedness might not be shown; and anoint your eyes with ointment, so that you see. -- Rev 3:17-18