What does it mean that God has given us richly all things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17)?

In his letters to Timothy, the apostle Paul instructed his young trainee on how to carry out his pastoral ministry. Paul passed on advice for ministering to different groups of people, such as widows (1 Timothy 5:3–16), the elderly (1 Timothy 5:17–25), masters and slaves (1 Timothy 6:1–2), the rich and poor (1 Timothy 6:6–10). In 1 Timothy 6:17–19, the apostle Paul specifically addresses ministry to the wealthy: “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (verse 17, NKJV).

One inherent danger of possessing abundant wealth is the tendency to become proud and self-sufficient and trust in our riches instead of God. In arrogance, we forget that God is the one who has given us richly all things to enjoy. He is the source of our provision. This pitfall has existed since ancient times. After the people of Israel settled in the Promised Land, they became full and prosperous and forgot the God who brought them out of slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 8:12–14). They stopped serving God joyfully with gladness of heart during their time of prosperity (see Deuteronomy 28:47). They failed to recall that God was the Giver of all the blessings they had come to enjoy (Deuteronomy 32:15; Hosea 13:6).

Trusting in riches is a risky business. If we aren’t careful to remember that God has given us richly all things to enjoy and that He alone is the source of our wealth, our money and possessions could become our unraveling. Stock markets rise and fall; housing prices and interest rates fluctuate; inflation skyrockets. Wealth is uncertain and unpredictable; it can quickly come and go: “In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle” (Proverbs 23:5, NLT). For this reason Jesus warned, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19—21, NLT).

Rather than trusting in God’s gifts, we must trust in the Giver. The Lord is the only rock-solid, unchanging treasure we can depend on (Psalm 40:4; 52:7; Proverbs 3:5).

God is a generous Father (2 Corinthians 9:15; Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 3:19). He wants us to appreciate all the good things He has given us to enjoy, but we must embrace these blessings loosely with arms open wide, offering them all back to God (Proverbs 3:9–10; Psalm 37:21; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 10:8; Luke 6:38). Paul’s next instruction to Timothy was to tell the wealthy “to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others” (1 Timothy 6:18, NLT).

The church in Corinth was relatively wealthy. Paul urged the believers there not to give reluctantly or in response to pressure but to give generously, “‘for God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. . . . For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous” (2 Corinthians 9:7–11, NLT).

In God’s kingdom economy, He has given us richly all things to enjoy—not just for ourselves but so that we can share them with those in need and be a blessing to others. The more generous we are with our wealth, the more God trusts us with even greater wealth (Luke 6:38; Proverbs 22:9; Malachi 3:10). Wisdom literature affirms: