What Is The Difference Between Wealth And Riches In The Bible?

What is the difference between having wealth and having riches in the Bible? Are they the same or are they different from one another?

Wealth

Most of the world lives on about two dollars a day is what I heard. That’s amazing because that means that most of us who live in the West or in parts of Europe and Australia are incredibly wealthy compared to the rest of the world. Wealth is relative. A person living on welfare in the U.S. would be extremely rich in Ghana. A fast food worker here in the states is wealthy compared to people living in Zimbabwe. If we only could see how most of the world lives we’d be a lot more thankful for what we have. Everything is relative and the wealth is not at all evenly distributed around the world. Most people are blessed to have enough food for today and tomorrow. The majority of the earth’s inhabitants barely scratches out a living. They don’t live paycheck to paycheck but day by day.

Riches

Riches are more than just money. Riches can include a house, a car, a job, a refrigerator full or half-full of food, health care and health insurance, and a place to call home. Once again, compared to the rest of the world, we are richer by far and the average American would be considered filthy rich in most of the world. Not only do most of us have at least a bit of financial stability, we have freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and a plethora of other things that most of the world doesn’t have access too.

True Wealth

When the rich young ruler came to Jesus to ask how he might receive eternal life. Jesus said that there is “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich” (Luke 18:22-23). And then, “Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24). This man’s idol was his money. He couldn’t give it up for the true riches found in Jesus Christ. He could have received eternal life that is freely offered yet no money can buy. The cost was Jesus’ own suffering and life. All the wealth here on earth will all burn up someday and you cannot take anything with you in this life into the next, but you can send it ahead if you use your wealth to bless others.

True Riches

True riches are not found in bank accounts, in your 401-K, portfolios, gold reserve, or any other thing that is destined to burn up someday. No, we have no idea of “the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways” (Rom 11:33). When Solomon took over the throne after his father King David passed away, God asked Solomon what he wanted but he asked for wisdom and God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right” (1st Kings 3:11) God said, “I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days” (1st Kings 3:13). Solomon knew what was most valuable and it wasn’t silver, gold, livestock, or a palace but godly wisdom. That was the truest of riches from God.

Rewards

Do you want to focus on the here and now and your wealth and riches…or, do you want to send your riches and wealth ahead and reap eternal rewards in the kingdom that shall never burn up? Here’s one way you can do that; “love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:35). Want more rewards? Then bless others when they “revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:11-12). You also need to make sure that “your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt 6:4) because “whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward” (Matt 10:42).

Conclusion

We should “not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt 6:19-20). If your treasure is here on earth, that’s where your heart is at but if your heart’s with the Lord, that’s where your treasure will be and it will be waiting for you when you enter the kingdom of God.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Blind Chance or Intelligent Design available on Amazon.