Money is the root of evil

Is it Scripture?

“Money is the root of all evil”

Those who have money, rule the world; money is involved in every aspect of life. If you have money, you have power. Some accept the responsibility and invest in bettering humanity, while others abuse the power of wealth.

So, if money can serve a good purpose in bettering our community how can it be evil? Does the Bible really tell us that money is the root of evil? Should we get rid of our riches as fast as possible?

The Bible does mention the evils of money, but money itself is not evil. The love for money and the want of money are where greed and sin take the stage. The act of wanting money and putting that ‘want’ above the needs of your neighbors is where the seed of greed steps in and turns the inanimate object into a sinful desire.   

This quote is not found in Scripture, but it is closely linked with 1Timothy 6:10 that states, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (NIV). 

It easy to see how this saying can be confused with the actual Bible scripture. The two are very similar; nonetheless, the Bible’s intent is a warning that money can breed all sorts of evil, but it is not evil itself.  An unhealthy desire for money can weaken our spirits to succumb to evil; however, evil does not reside within money but rather within fallen mankind.

Christina Lynn-Valencia