Answer: We must NOT put our hope in wealth, (verse
17).
MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:
Psalm 62:10: "Do not trust in
extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches
increase, do not set your heart on them."
Jeremiah 49:4: "Why do you boast of
your valleys, boast of your valleys so fruitful? O unfaithful
daughter, you trust in your riches and say, 'Who will attack
me?'"
Matthew 6:24: [Jesus said.]
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one
and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise
the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
Matthew 19:16-22: "Now a man came
up to Jesus and asked, 'Teacher, what good thing must I do to
get eternal life?' 'Why do you ask Me about what
is good?' Jesus replied. 'There is only One Who is
good. If you want to enter life, obey the
commandments.' 'Which ones?' the man
inquired. Jesus replied, 'Do not murder, do not commit
adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your
father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.'
'All these I have kept,' the young man said.
'What do I still lack?' Jesus answered, 'If
you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow
Me.' When the young man heard this, he went away sad,
because he had great wealth." (See also Mark
10:17-30; Luke 18:18-30.)
Luke 12:16-21: "And He [Jesus] told
them this parable: 'The ground of a certain rich man produced
a good crop. He thought to himself, "What shall I do? I
have no place to store my crops." Then he said,
"This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build
bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my
goods. And I'll say to myself, 'You have plenty of good
things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be
merry.'" But God said to him, 'You fool! This
very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get
what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it
will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not
rich toward God."
