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1 Timothy 6:19
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19 Laying up in store [apothesaurizo] for themselves [heautou] a good [kalos] foundation [themelios] against [eis] the time to come, [mello] that [hina] they may lay hold on [epilambanomai] eternal [aionios] life. [zoe] KJV-Interlinear
19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. NASB
All of us have two lives before us. One for this world, the carnal or temporal life which we all live here on planet earth, and the second life, is the one which follows this one, our eternity.
You have no other choice in that matter. There is no reincarnation over and over, again and again, until you get life right. That implies that humanity can accomplish good or perfection on the level of God, by means of his own effort. And, the whole view behind Christianity is that man cannot do this. It takes God (Christ) to accomplish a path for our perfection for us.
And likewise man has two treasure options. The first is the treasure of this world, which amounts to anything you deem valuable for your own possession. Whether is be friends, your social life, titles or accomplishments, or tangible assets, or anything else from this world.
And the second treasure is spiritual treasure.
Worldly treasure is acquired through work or physical effort of some sort, through investment and perhaps some luck, or by inheritance. All worldly treasure is of this world and remains in this world. It is temporary at best and will not last forever. All worldly treasure in which you might accumulate, will be lost for your use, when you leave this world. Whatever you had, if it remains behind intact, will go to someone else for their use, and when they die, they will leave it to someone else and so forth. There are very few wealth dynasties that last very long in this world, because sooner or later they all get squandered, lost or taken away. And when each person dies, they lose everything. Nothing goes out from this world, into the next.
Spiritual treasure is acquired through the use of wisdom. While worldly treasure is limited based on your abilities or circumstances, spiritual treasure is available to everyone regardless of abilities or circumstances.
Wisdom comes from the study of the Word of God. Study leads to knowledge. Knowledge leads to understanding. Understanding leads to application of that knowledge to ones life. Application leads to wisdom. And in the end, your life, or the production from your life, originates from what you know.
The difference between the production or deeds of the unbeliever and the believer, is in the origin of their wisdom. Unbelievers have only worldly wisdom. Believers in fellowship and advancing in their spiritual lives, possess spiritual wisdom. Believers operating out of fellowship imitate unbelievers and have only worldly wisdom.
The things of this world are left behind when one leaves this world. Only the spiritual things acquired in life move on into eternity with the individual when he/she leaves this world.
Now, our subject is rich people and their management of their wealth. Their worldly wealth.
A person can make a great deal of money in this life, but it can become a trap which could result in his losing everything for the next life. This trap of course can apply to anyone, rich or poor.
The trap is indifference to Bible doctrine, and focus on your worldly life, whatever it might be.
Poor people have only their attitude to deal with. They do not have wealth with which to help others. No one ever worked for a poor person, and no poor person ever started a great industry or charity, etc.
Wealth drives prosperous economies, and prosperous economies drive greater wealth, and the synergy of both, exceeds their combined production. Everyone wins.
But there is the trap which is the distraction away from ones spiritual life. And that is what Paul is addressing here.
If you are rich, then do not set aside your spiritual life, nor presume that you have already arrived spiritually, and have no further need of God, doctrine, or anything of a spiritual nature. God can make unbelievers rich in this world. Wealth is not a spiritual blessing per se.
So, Paul warns you and anyone who has any wealth, to not focus your life entirely on what you have, but instead of laying up a foundation of worldly wealth, also, lay up a foundation of spiritual wealth.
The spiritual wealth is far more valuable, infinitely more valuable.
Laying up in store, ‘apothesaurizo,’ means to make a deposit, to store, to place in a secure holding area, amass.
For themselves, ‘heautoe,’ means you, yourself, not for someone else, but for you alone, a permanent possession.
Good, ‘kalos,’ means something far better, worthy.
Foundation, ‘themelios,’ refers to a substructure placed under where a building is going to be constructed, support, place, put, set, fix. Your foundation is your spiritual support for your eternal wealth.
Against time to come ‘eis mello,’ refers to preparation in anticipation of some future event (your next life).
Lay hold of, ‘epilambanomai,’ means to seize with force, take, catch and keep for the use of it.
And eternal life is a reference to that future time, or the next life following this life, when this life ends.
Therefore, conduct yourself now (spiritual life), in such a manner that you will be making deposits (spiritual production) into yours and only your, future eternal spiritual treasury, great wealth, greater than whatever it is that you possess in this world, and so that you will possess it (your future spiritual wealth) forever and ever.
Do not succumb to worldly greed or arrogance or disinterest, or elitism attitudes, presuming yourself better than others simply because of your good circumstances. Lest you lose everything.
For certainly when you die, your worldly wealth leaves you, and if you do not make spiritual investments now, then you will lose your eternal wealth, and that is a loss that would stagger your imagination, if you knew of its details and content.
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