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Be Rich in Good WorksThe Watchtower—1950 | January 1
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and still had plenty for himself. He could have planned for the cultivation of his lands for the next year and thus kept his hired help employed. By caring for the land year by year greater income would be his and greater quantities of food would be available for the poor. But no, not that! He said to himself, “Now take your ease; eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” What a fool! He never got to enjoy the wealth himself, nor had he stored up riches in heaven by giving to the poor. “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”—Prov. 27:1.
26. What questions on security and life must we answer? How?
26 As an individual, what do you want? Is it security in this world that will soon pass away, or is it life in the new world of righteousness? The Word of God sets out the pattern that all Christians must follow in order to attain eternal life, whether that life be with Christ Jesus as his bride in heavenly Kingdom glory, or whether it be life as a creature who will enjoy the blessings under the kingdom of heaven and the pleasures of life eternal upon a glorious new earth that God makes for man to inhabit. Both are attained through true riches; so store up for yourselves treasure in heaven.
27. How can rich and poor alike be really “rich in good works”?
27 All people have certain possessions, some greater than others; so the principle, “freely ye have received, freely give,” would apply to the rich, the middle class and the poor alike. The poor widow who came to the treasury and cast in her two mites “cast in all the living that she had” for use in God’s work, said Jesus; whereas the rich who came and made their deposit in the treasury of the temple gave “of their abundance”. (Luke 21:1-4) The rich did not miss the gift that they gave to the Lord. So the question might be asked, Who gave the most? Was it not the widow with the two little coins of small value? So, then, if you would be rich toward God, use your possessions and your knowledge of Jehovah God and his righteous government on behalf of the poor and comfort all that mourn, with the good news of God’s kingdom. Do not let yourself be tied down by your wealth and become a slave to your possessions, but make your possessions work for you in your preaching of the Word of God.
28. What was Timothy told to “charge the rich of this world”? Why?
28 Paul knew of certain individuals among the church who had wealth and who were busy accumulating more, and in a letter that he wrote to Timothy he said this: “Charge the rich of this world not to be arrogant, nor to set their hopes on such an uncertain thing as riches, but on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Charge them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, open-handed and generous, storing up a valuable treasure for themselves for the future, so as to grasp the life that is life indeed.” (1 Tim. 6:17-19, An Amer. Trans.) Just because someone has a little or much of this world’s goods is no reason for that individual to take an arrogant position with his friends and his neighbors, nor with those in a Christian congregation, nor with those in the world. They should never set their hopes upon the uncertain riches such as gold and silver, all of which will be of no value in the very last days of this old world. The rich should realize just as much as the poor that it is God who richly provides everything for our enjoyment. Because one has more of the riches of this world than another is no reason for the wealthy one to look down on the poor one with shame. What all can and must be rich in is “good deeds”.
29. How did James counsel us against showing partiality?
29 James gave fine counsel to all of the Lord’s people when he said, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.”—Jas. 2:5-9.
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A Sound InvestmentThe Watchtower—1950 | January 1
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A Sound Investment
1. Why can the world’s poor more easily be “rich in good works”?
IT IS not the accumulation of this world’s wealth that brings security. It is the accumulation of good works. That is what makes one rich toward God, and the “poor of this world” can accumulate this treasure more rapidly than the rich if they are “rich in faith”. Furthermore, those who are poor in this world’s goods do not have to spend so much time caring for that which they possess. One who puts his trust in money has very little security, especially in these days. It seems that after every war money loses value. Shortly after the second World War most of the money in European countries was blocked in the banks by government order, and the people could not withdraw all their funds for many years. Even the rich were given only a small amount to use, and just recently those who were wealthy in pounds sterling found that overnight they lost thousands upon thousands of dollars, as the value of the pound on the foreign market exchange dropped from $4.03 to
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