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From contented Christians we turn to covetous Christians. Ideally, of course, there shouldn't be any such thing as a "covetous Christian". The two words are inherently contradictory and should never be used together. That, at least, is the theory. In practice, however, we all know how easy it is to fall under the alluring spell of money and possessions. Sadly, Christians - both rich and poor - can become covetous. That's what makes it so important to heed Paul's warnings against this vice in 1 Timothy 6:9-10.
The apostle mentions three particular dangers associated with the pursuit of wealth. The first is the danger of falling into "temptation and a trap" (v. 9a). A focus on money (and in particular, on gaining money) inevitably seems to arouse temptations. The temptation to steal is one; dishonesty is another. Business and commercial operations are littered with examples of deception born out of greed. Set your heart on becoming rich and you are inviting temptation.
Temptation, in turn, can lead to becoming trapped - trapped in sinful actions, addictive habits, and compromised associations. The devil himself is behind this lure of money, John Stott says, intent on trapping people "in materialism and moral compromise; they become ready to sacrifice duty and conscience to the pursuit of wealth" (p. 152).
Secondly, the love of money can make us fall into "many harmful and foolish desires" (9b). Lust for wealth is itself a harmful and foolish desire, but it also breeds others. It spawns envy, jealousy, selfish ambition, slander, anger and the rest. All of these are damaging (to health, conscience and relationships) and ultimately foolish (without any reasonable basis).
Thirdly, the pursuit of money can plunge people into ruin and destruction (v. 9c). The word "plunge" pictures a person sinking or drowning in water. The love of money, Paul is saying, has that effect upon people. It drowns them in ruin and destruction - both in this life and in the one to come. The reason for this is because it is "a root of all kinds of evil" (v. 10).
This well-know saying needs to be considered carefully. It is commonly read as though it were saying that money in itself is the root of all evil. Paul, however, is not saying that. For one thing he is not claiming that money itself is the source of evil, but the love of money. Second, he is not saying that it is the root - as though it were the only cause - of evil, but a root. And finally, he is not saying that it is the root of all evil, but "all kinds of evil. The differences are significant.
What are some of the "kinds of evil" that a sinful love of money leads to? Stott offers this frightening list: "Avarice leads to selfishness, cheating, fraud, perjury and robbery, to envy, quarrelling and hatred, to violence and even murder. Greed lies behind marriages of convenience, perversions of justice, drug-pushing, pornography sales, blackmail, the exploitation of the weak, the neglect of good causes, and the betrayal of friends" (p. 153).
Surely this is reason enough to shun the lure of wealth. Yet there is more. "Some people," writes Paul, "eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs" (v. 10). The love of money and the love of Christ are incompatible. You can have one or the other, Jesus taught, but not both (Matt. 6:24). Set your heart upon money and you are in danger of drifting from the faith. And down that road there is but one end - soul-piercing grief of one kind or another. It's just not worth it. Keep yourselves free from the love of money!