Herbert W Armstrong

Plain Truth Staff  

A man told me the Bible says money is the root of all evil. But I have never noticed that statement in the Bible. Does the Bible really make that claim?
James R., Mississippi

   This question has been asked frequently.
   Some have very quickly turned to I Timothy 6:10 and, by careless reading, assumed something this text does not say at all. If you will turn to this Scripture in your Bible and carefully study it, you will see where the error is made.
   To start with, notice that the text reads "For the love of money is the root of all evil..." It says the "LOVE of money," not merely money, but the "love of money," is the root of all evil. From this you can see that a person with no money could still commit this evil.
   The poor and the rich alike can LOVE money. Money by itself is not sin. It is the misuse of money that is sin. Money can be used for good as well as evil.
   The second point which is not generally known or understood is the expression rendered in the King James translation "the root." If an interlinear Greek-English text is consulted, or some of the more accurate translations, you will find the express ion to be "a root." So "love of money" is merely a root" of all evil. This gives added meaning to the thought. It is a root, not the only root of evil. There are other roots of evil beside the love of money. The correct rendering of this passage IS: "For the love of money is a root of all evils..."
   Now it should be plain that money is not the root of evil, but "the LOVE of money is a root of evil."

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Should one pay his debts before he starts tithing?
— G. F., California

   Some people say: "I know that it is right to tithe, and I plan to start tithing as soon as I can, but I think I should pay my debts first:' What is wrong with this question?
   In the first place, to whom do you owe the GREATEST DEBT? Why, to God! If you have not been paying your tithe, you owe God ten percent of all that you have ever earned. However, God is quite lenient. If you start to pay your debt to God first by tithing, He will prosper you so you can payoff your secondary debts to your fellowman.
   Many are in debt now merely because they do not pay God His tithe. They are under a curse.
   God prospers those who are faithful to Him. One who does not have God's blessing is under a curse. Notice Malachi 3:9. God says:
   "Ye are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation." How have we robbed Him? Read verse 8: "...Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings." That is why so many in our nations are cursed with large debts.
   How, then, can people get out from under this curse? Notice God's instruction in the following verses of Malachi. He invites you to put Him to the test by paying your tithes. See if He won't "pour you out a blessing that you cannot hold." Take God at His word. Begin to pay Him what rightfully belongs to Him. He will cause you to have more than enough to pay all your debts, and prosper you with more than you had in the past.

Plain Truth Magazine

August 1967

Vol XXXII, No.8