Building Bigger Barns: A Narrative of a Thorny Soul'd Fool, Deceived by Covetousness and Counterfeit Riches

The title and subject of this report comes from the remarkable parable told by the Lord in Lk 12:15-21,

“ And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. [16] And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: [17] And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? [18] And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. [19] And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. [20] But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? [21] So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

The parable was the example of the doctrinal truth of v. 15, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." In this parable of a certain unnamed rich man, undoubtedly a real life example by the Lord, we read how his ground brought forth plentifully. His fields were productive. His barns were full ("barns" is a metaphor referring to storage containers or grain bins). His possessions increased. His future, as he imagined it, appeared secure. Yet there was a very serious and crucial problem that could not be measured by the size of his harvest. His heart was barren toward God. The man looked upon his abundance and reasoned within himself:

“What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?”

Followed by his optimistic action plan:

“This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.”

He had a plan for his crops, for his possessions, for his future, but he utterly failed to make preparation for eternity. Hence the dire warning of the Lord, the basis for the parable:

“Take heed, and beware of covetousness”

The end result was that not good for this man, whom God calls a fool:

"Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"

This parable is reality in many, many lives. It is given so that we may do something about it. Saved people have a different view of the world, they have changed in how they look at life, because of the grace of God. They have turned from and been delivered from hypocrisy (seduction of the immaterial world, spiritual) and covetousness (seduction of the material world, secular). The truth is, unsaved people can be just as much seduced by the material world as they can be by the immaterial world. This is the issue concerning this rich man whose heart was set on building bigger barns, preparing for his future of ease, when his heart should have been on his desperate spiritual condition. Covetousness will take you further into selfishness and further away from God then you possibly could've ever imagined. But the underlying issue is an unregenerate flesh-serving individual that serves his true master, mammon, and that is much of mankind.

Riches in There Proper Place

This report is not meant to detract from the proper attitude of progressing and advancing in commerce and prosperity through diligent, hard, honest work, a subject replete on the pages of Scripture, especially in that incredible Book of Proverbs. It is not wrong to be prosperous and rich (1 Tim 6:17-19), but it is wrong to be physically rich at the expense of not being rich towards God, the gracious giver of all your physical riches. This report is certainly not taking away from God's physical blessings upon mankind. Scripture provides many illustrations, as does history, men such as Booker T. Washington whose book Up from Slavery could rightfully be titled, Building a Better Brick and should be required reading material for every school-aged child. In the Tuskagee Institute founded and laboured by Washington amongst his people in the south post-slavery abolition, his hard labours of endurance in establishing a godly and right attitude amongst his people, the blacks, in diligent workmanship and integrity, had the intended objective of delivering his people out of poverty, and that is certainly right. And he accomplished what he did through the Word of God, and that makes it even more honourable.

God does give us richly all things to enjoy. The purpose and place of riches is instructed by Paul in 1 Tim 6:17-19,

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."

We see this exemplified in Scripture by men such as Abraham and Barnabas (Ac 4:36-37). Ultimately our goal must be to seek after the true riches by seeking for the Lord Jesus Christ and finding Him through the new birth, for this is the will of God (2 Pet 3:9), which riches are unequal in comparison, eternal and unchangeable, and this is where God wants our hearts:

"Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. . . . I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures." (Pr 8:10-11,17-21)

These are salvation passages, a choice of two paths, a truth reiterated throughout Scripture, and by Christ repeatedly, including Matt 6:19-21:

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

You are either laying up treasures on earth for yourself, or you are laying up treasures in heaven for God. Its one or the other, even as Christ declares in our parable of the rich man building bigger barns,

"Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (vv. 20-21)

The Deception and False Security of Riches

Concerning the counterfeit security of money and riches, one of the best passages of Scripture on the subject can be found in Pr 23:4-5,

"Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven."

Riches carry great deception. They appear to be, but are not. They are, then they are not.

In our present time of over abundance and staggering prosperity in society, especially in the western world, to overflowing of material possessions, we have become consumers consumed by our consumption. Only in modern times have stockpiles of possessions resulted in storage units and places, and debt of unbelievable proportions, even on items locked up in storage!

Sadly we many times evaluate people based upon their material things and possessions, whether they be poor or rich. We see examples of that in Scripture as well, for instance Jam 2:1-9 where the rich are respected and the poor are not, which is sinful (Jam 2:9-10) and then we see in Mk 12:41-43 that Jesus confounded this attitude by giving the example of the widow who though gave almost nothing, two mites, and would have been looked down upon, but in fact gave everything she had. Many proverbs in Proverbs refer to this subject of the attitude of the rich and spite for the poor. It is obviously wrong, but nevertheless characteristic of fallen man's nature.

Riches carry great deception. Wealth is the rich mans strong city (Pr 10:15), until it isn't. Wealth creates all kinds of choices, which we see in our story of the rich man and his barns. He had so much wealth, he didn't know what to do with it, the theme of the story. Satan is the man behind the deception. The Bible repeatedly warns about the deceitfulness of riches. What you have in this life material wise, belongs only to this life. It actually has no real value. It is all corrupted by "moth and rust" and has full capability for "thieves [to] break through and steal:" (Matt 6:19), thus has no enduring value.

There are two essential realms of life that exist, the material realm and the immaterial realm. The former is physical and natural, while the latter is spiritual and supernatural. Hypocrisy relates to the spiritual realm, while covetousness relates to the material world. The wrong spiritual teaching and influence will result in the damnation of your soul, but the same can also be said of the wrong physical/material influence. Satan, the prince of the power of the air, operates and oversees these elements to bring about souls being fooled and ultimately damned. Though these two elements can be separately described and defined, they do not exist separately and they are interrelated. Satan is equally satistifed to damn souls to hell through either religious deception or natural/secular deception. The deceitfulness of religion and deceitfulness of riches work against the soul and are interelated. The physical and spiritual are interelated all over the Bible and life. Light for instance is both physical and spiritual. Truth relates to both physical and spiritual truth. But they are blended together in the lives of the unregenerate. False religious opportunity is not just about spiritual advantage; its also about material and monetary opportunity.

The Pharisees are a good example of this. Both the Pharisees and Scribes were lovers of money and seduced by it and by hypocrisy. They were purveyors of false religion yet were also lovers of money (Lk 16:14), blended together in the lives of these unregenerate false pretenders. The context of Christ giving this story of the rich man, He teaches about the deadly danger of hypocrisy (Lk 12:1-12). Saying they know God when they don’t, saying they know the truth when they don’t. From this He goes into giving this story after a man blurted out a question which had nothing to do with what He was speaking about, a question completely out of place, about speaking to the unknown mans brother to divide the inheritance. But it did address the second essential realm that seduces man, covetousness. Hypocrisy is the seducer of immaterial world (spiritual), while covetousness is seducer of the material world (secular). It is ironic how Christ warns of these essential realms in Luke 12, moving from immaterial hypocritisy which is religious deceit (spiritual), to this material world, which is covetousness (secular). His moving to this other realm is no accident.

The combination of both seducers (immaterial and material) being present in the Pharisees is also noted in 2 Peter 2, a chapter warning about false teachers, religious apostates, revealing they're opportunistic nature, hence why they are in religion. Its a primary basis for the delution and contortion of true doctrine today. The Bible says that "the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim. 6:10) and those that love money serve mammon and not God (Matt. 6:24) because they are lost and mere following the lusts of their flesh. You cannot serve both God and mammon. It’s either one or the other. This love of money parallels a love for power and glory, about becoming someone that people will recognize, about significance, about being a big shot, and the influence and popularity that comes with that. It is the religion of "I and my belly," and its the main reason why you have so many false professing "believers" today, for the opportunity to become popular and famous is easily attainable. We note the money-loving—which is belly-serving—false teachers warned of in Scripture:

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." (Rom 16:17-18)

"(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)" (Phil 3:18-19)

They are Baruchites. They have what God stated to Baruch:

"And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not:"

The parable of the seed and sower reminds us how deceitful our flesh is when it comes to spiritual needs and hiding counterfeit professions. Marks account tells us,

"And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." (Mk 4:18-19)

We see the Word of God entering the ears and occupying the heart, but not deep enough and real enough or repentant enough to convert the soul. This is an individual who makes a profession but their heart remains in the world, often very deceptively, but ultimately exposed by their distraction, pursuit of prosperity, and their ambitions. They are not content, but lust after more, the endless pursuit of more. More money, more possessions, more security, more property, more comfort, more recognition, more success, more selfish glory, and more.

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matt 6:24)

Riches are deceitful, presenting as security, as freedom, as confort, as success, the answer to tomorrow's problems. But riches will promise what they cannot actually deliver:

• Riches can purchase the best house, but it cannot purchase your house in heaven.

• Riches can purchase the best medicine in the world, but it cannot purchase immortality.

• Riches can purchase the greatest comfort, but it cannot purchase peace with God.

• Riches can purchase great possessions, but it cannot purchase redemption.

Pr. 11:4,

“Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.”

Esau, the twin brother of Jacob and father of the Edomites, is an example of a man whose earthly endeavour was to build bigger barns and keep building, as he lived for wealth, power and material success. You could say he achieved that (Gen 32:6ff.), and he was blessed of God according to God's promise, but lost his soul in return, fulfilling Scripture such as Mk 8:36-37,

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

Riches do not produce happiness, and almost any rich person would tell you that, at least if they are honest. The infamous Robert Durst of sky-scraper mogul wealth once said, "All my life I've had more money than I could spend, and it didn't make me happy." ("The Jinx," Episode 2).

The most dangerous sin of procrastination, urged on by the deceitfulness of riches, is neglecting to come to Christ for forgiveness and salvation. We see Paul stressing the importance of not neglecting the soul: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:2). Ignoring God while fully involved in building up the bank account, or building bigger barns to store the plentiful of God's blessings, or pursuing pleasure or anything else for that matter, is at least presumptuous. To the rich man in our parable who had spent his life concentrating on accumulating goods and seeking the worldly philosophy of "take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry," God said: “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Lk 12:20). We do not know what even one tomorrow may bring, so we must take care of our soul before its eternally to late, as our rich fool discovered shortly after planning his retirement.

The Nature of the Covetous, They that Will Be Rich

They are purely selfish. The rich man said, “I will pull down my barns, and build greater.” His vocabulary was filled with “I” and “my.”

• “I have no room.”

• “This will I do."

• “I will . . . build greater.”

• “I will.”

• “I will say to my soul.”

• “My fruits.”

• “My goods.”

• “My barns.”

• “My soul.”

Having the things he did was not wrong. By all appearances, he gained these things lawfully, honest gain by hard work. But his focus was entirely on himself and not God. He gave no credit to God. His love was himself, and that was his biggest issue.

There is a love of money and will to be rich. Being rich is not telltale of greed, but rather the will to be rich, even as Paul warns us in 1 Tim 6:9,

"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

Note that its the will to be rich, not even necessarily rich. It is not wealth itself that brings these evils but the covetous pursuit of wealth. This is the underlying Greek meaning off the word "will be" in "will be rich," ("boulomai") which is literally, a wish to be rich, even more than willing, they are resolved, and earnestly desire to have riches at any cost (Pr 28:20, 22). These individuals can never be content, for this will matter is fatal to both "godliness" and "contentment" (1 Tim. 6:6).

"A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. . . . He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." (Pr 28:20, 22)

Those who desire and pursue wealth enter a downward spiral of trouble and judgment. First they are tempted by hurtful lusts; then they are snared by those lusts, and finally they drown in destruction and perdition because of those lusts. Those who will to be rich and thus pursue after wealth are tempted to sin on every side, to cheat and steal, to lie and bribe, to drink and carouse, to commit adultery and to break all of God’s commandments. This is of course describing unsaved people, not those who have genuinely been born again. They err from the faith, that little what they have (which hasn't resulted in the new birth), which was the sin of Judas, the counterfeir imposter, which eventually resulted in his betrayal of the Lord (Jn 12:6). Demas is also another example (2 Tim. 4:10), whose love for the world and forsaking of God (apostolic doctrine), exposed his counterfeit nature likewise.

Why the warning about those willing to be rich?

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

The love of money is the root of all evil, not the money itself, and thus a poor man can fall into this sin as easily as a rich man. To love money is to break the first commandment, because coveting is idolatry (Col 3:5). From this, all other evils flow. The love of money is incompatible with Biblical faith and wars against faith (Mat. 13:22).

Lovers of money are servants of mammon, NOT God:

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matt 6:24)

You are either with the world or your with the Father, not both.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1 Jn 2:15-17)

The problem of the rich man whose heart was set on building bigger barns, is 100% a salvation issue, as it always is concerning them that will be rich, the covetous, which takes a stranglehold on their souls, noted likewise with the rich young ruler. The rich young ruler was willing to forsake and turn from any sin, except the sin of covetousness (Mk 10:21). Hence Christ's call to forsake this sin and follow Him:

"Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." (Mk 10:21)

His response:

"And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions."

Pr. 18:11,

“The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.”

The stranglehold of riches and covetousness on a mans soul is real and horrible, but its not impossible to repent of, that is to turn from. Zacchaeus valued his own soul and God's conviction much greater than his love of riches, and thus genuinely repented and was redeemed from his sin:

"And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Lk 19:5-10)

The rich are the purveyors of oppression, the cause of the persecution and killing of believers:

“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.” (Jam 5:1-6)

The Danger of a Covetous Heart, the Folly of Laying Up Earthly Treasures

1 Tim 6:7 shows the folly of trying to lay up treasures in this world:

"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

And Job 1:21,

"And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

And Ecc 5:15,

"As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand."

Believers could be seduced into following after worldly riches, but only for a season, a very temporal season. God is working in them to do of His good will and pleasure. In the end they can be left with "wood, hay, stubble" (1 Cor 3) but that doesn't mean their lives were dominated by the sin of covetousness. It won't be. This would deny the regenerative new birth and new creation of the saint (2 Cor 5:17), and then the working of the Holy Spirit within the saint, and the chastisement of God (Heb 12:5-11), all of which work together to conform the believer,"the called according to his purpose," into the image of Christ (Rom 8:28-29).

Covetous begins with envy, and envy is a terrible sin above wrath and anger (Pr 27:4). God's Word commands to turn from envy and to fear the Lord:

“Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.” (Pr 23:17)

The barns get bigger while the soul gets harder. God's Word warns, as hell and destruction are never full, so the eyes of man are never satisified (Pr 27:20). The more we have, the more we want. These are characteristics of the fallen and sinful nature of man; the flesh that seeks self, sin and stuff.

The Lord Jesus Christ warned about the condition of the heart that remains under the control of the world and mammon, in the parable of the sower:

“And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” (Mk 4:18-19)

These are professing believers, but they have never actually been genuinely born again. The cares of this world, and deceitfulness of riches and lusts of other things possess this false "believers" heart, even though they might not even physically posses these material things.

He Counted His Coins but Failed to Count His Days

The man in the parable is perfectly illustrated below by the great Dutch painter Rembrandt (our favourite painter) in a oil canvas portrait which he titled, The Parable of the Rich Fool, painted in 1627 and now housed at the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. It is said that the model for the painting was Rembrandt's own father, who is counting his coins as he prepares for his comfortable future:

The rich man parable reveals one of the reasons why it is difficult for the rich to be saved, revealed also by the Lord in Lk 18:22-27:

“Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

It is near impossible for the rich to be saved because their trust in their uncertain riches. But the rich can be saved, and Christ gives us an example immediately following with that of the rich publican Zaccheus getting genuinely converted (Lk. 19:1-10).

Those that will be rich have not set their affection on heavenly things, but the earthly.

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4)

The Rich Fool is also an Example of a False Teacher

Though a false teacher may have various motives for doing what he is doing--many times convinced he is right and there is nothing wrong with him--ultimately the false teacher is always led by his belly; that is, by his own selfish pursuits and desires at the expense of truth and obedience. Multiple Scripture addresses this:

"Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)" (Phil 3:17-19)

This is the man who will not lose his life for the Christs and gospel sake (I.e. will not seek the Lord and repent unto salvation) because his eyes are on the things of this life and world. And then he draws other unsaved professors with him down the broad path to destruction and damnation.

Warning to the Rich

1 Tim 6:9-10,

"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Notice again that these aren't rich yet, but rather "will be rich," which is a heart issue. The coventousness and envy of riches can be found just as extreme in a very poor man as in the richest man.

Consider thyself and your riches in light of the truth, God’s Word:

“Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.” (Ps 62:9-10)

The rich fool's tragedy was not that he had a harvest. His tragedy was that he had a harvest without truly and genuinely recognizing the Giver, and that is not simply through mere lip service of gratuity, but rather through sacrifice of self that is of great price to God, and this is accomplished in one manner: repentance and faith unto salvation. He had possessions without proper perspective, plans without eternity in view, barns without heavenly treasure, earthly riches without being “rich toward God.” His barns became bigger, possessions became greater, but his opportunity became shorter.

And then came the night when God required his soul.

The Rich Man in the Parable Would Have Been Right At Home in Todays Plethora of Laodicean Lukewarm Churches

Worldly churches produce worldly minded professors. Worldliness is fostered by worldly churches. The Laodicean Church of Rev 3 is the epitome of worldliness. It was characterized by its worldly riches and blindness to their real need. They were professing to be "hot" (true Christians) but in reality were "cold" (lost): the combination of these two temperatures equates "lukewarm." The lukewarm "Christian" is no Christian at all, but he or she thinks they are. They are "blind," (v. 17; cf. Matt 13:15; Eph 4:18; Ac 26:18; 2 Cor 4:3-4; 1 Th. 5:4-10) "naked," (v. 17; cf. Rev 3:4; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13-14; 16:15; 19:14), "rich" in this world (v. 18; cf. Lk 12:15-21), all adjectives describing the fake, counterfeit, "lukewarm" professing "believer."

Lukewarm is very obviously lost. Is "I will spue thee out of my mouth" chastening language? God does NOT vomit His children out of His mouth (Rev 3:16) but chastises them in love (Rev 3:19; Heb 12:7-11; Pr 3:11-12), for they are eternally inseparable from His love (Rom. 5:5; 8:31-39). The very context even tell us this, in v. 19 the Lord declares: “as many as I love, I chasten,” which is a contrast to those described in vv. 14-18, referring to those that are actually converted among the unregenerate apostates. He does however spew out the false "lukewarm" believer and false teacher because they are pretending to be "hot" while actually "cold," an admixture that creates a lukewarm and very dangerous unregenerate estate. This is what we see in > 95% of “evangelical,” Protestant and Baptist Christianity today. The text of Rev 3:14-18 clearly tells us lost is the estate of its beholder, and spiritually blind and deceived at that. In the report "Keswick Currency of “Unbelief,”“Lukewarm,” “Backsliding,” and “Carnal,” Describe False Professing “Christians,” Not True Born Again Believers" we break it down.

These at Laodicea were of the mentality that they were "rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;" but in reality weren't aware "that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" (v. 17), for they had never repented and forsaken all, and bought the pearl of great price or the field of hidden treasure (Matt 13). The rich young ruler is another example (Matt 19; Mk 10; Lk 18).

Those at Laodicea were unsaved. The church is an apostate church. Lukewarm always refers to actual unsaved people professing to be "Christian," not true born again believers who are not living up to the Biblical standard that they profess. The “lukewarm Christian” is another type or description of “carnal Christian” that is part of the Keswick, second blessing theology. Lukewarm does not refer to a saved person, but someone who is more than likely never to be saved. God spews him out of His mouth. That is language of unregeneracy, something that is toxic to God and at enmity with Him and must be vomited out.

Those that think they are "rich" in this world (Rev 3:18) are in fact lost (Rev 3:19), their affections completely reversed, having never received the greatest gift that this life has to offer—eternal salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, having never bought the greatest invaluable gift of salvation, not with money or gold but with their very lives by repenting and denying themselves and losing their lives for Christ and the gospel sake (read Is 55:1-7; Pr 23:23; Matt 10:39; 16:25; Mk 8:34-36; Lk 9:23-25; 17:33; Jn 12:25).

The call to come and buy is very clear:

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which isnot bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which isgood, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Is 55:1-7)

While Is 55:1-3 is the call to salvation, not only for the Jew but also extended to the Gentile (v. 5), vv. 6-7 tells us how that salvation can be obtained. This is distinctly what Jn 6:35, 47-58 and other passages such as Jn 12:24-25; Mk 8:34-38; Matt 16:24-26; Lk 9:23-26, 57-62, speak of. How can ye drink and eat, and buy without money or price? By denying self, seeking and calling upon the Lord while he is near and to be found, striving for the narrow way (Lk 13:24), and then genuinely repenting, that is, losing and denying your life, forsaking all and turning from your wicked ways and thoughts and God will be merciful and abundantly pardon (Is 55:6-7).

This is precisely what Jesus was referring to when He said:

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich,” (Rev 3:18)

The things listed in Rev 3:17-18 are all received at salvation: eyes that see, white raiment of righteousness, and riches of Christ including eternal life, all of which the lukewarm pastor and majority of his church didn’t have. These weren’t “Christians” living in some kind of carnal state of disobedience (all saved people live in habitual obedience, loving the Lord by keeping His words: Jn 14:23-24; 1 Jn 2:3-5), but lost people who had never been saved, while feigning faith and Christianity, having embraced a fire insurance policy that doesn't save.

They are like the rich man, only they are doubly decieved, both by immaterial and material seductions, that is by hypocrisy and covetousness.

True Riches

True riches are found in the Lord Jesus Christ:

“By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.” (Pr. 22:4)

"In whom [Jesus Christ] are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2:3)

In the same chapter of Luke, in essentially the same breath, the Lord tells us in what manner true riches are derived, and what the state of our heart is to be, trusting in the Lord and not in the things of this world. Lk 12:22-34,

"And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Rather than pursuing after earthly temporal riches, buy the true and eternal riches without money, with your life by giving it to God through the supernatural event of the new birth, which is seeking the kingdom of God first:

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” ( Is 55:1-3)

And then the rich results of that eternal transaction:

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her." (Pr 3:13-18)

The Blessing of Contentment; Contentment is the Path of Wisdom

1 Tim 6:6-10,

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it iscertain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

This corresponds to what Paul wrote in Phil 4:11-13,

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

Contentment on its own is not sufficient for great gain. Note the instructions of 1 Tim 6: it is “godliness with contentment” that "is great gain." The believer achieves contentment through pursuing godliness. It is godliness that produces proper contentment. Godliness teaches

the believer to trust in the Lord and to keep ones eyes on heaven for reward and riches. The born again believer can be 100% content because of God’s eternal and unchangeable promises (Matt 6:25-33; Heb. 13:5-6).

Godliness with contentment is great gain! It is the very wisest path in life. It brings blessings of God (Ps 1:1-4) in the here and now, and then riches in eternity.

True satisfaction comes from understanding and knowing truth, which comes ONLY through true salvation.

“Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.” (Pr 20:13,15)

Contentement is to know and understand how much greater wisdom and understanding is than all the money of the world. Jesus said,

"My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver." (Pr 8:19)

Thus,

"How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!" (Pr 16:16)

True riches are only found in the Lord Jesus Christ!

At salvation we become His children, adopted into His family, and joint-heirs with Christ, and blessed forevermore, greater riches than all the gold and silver of the world.

"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him,that we may be also glorified together."

We are joint-heirs with Him who is heir of all things (Heb 1:2). To understand the glory of being a joint-heir, consider with whom we are joint-heirs. It is to be joint-heir with the One who is the image of the invisible God, whose name is Immanuel, the Mighty God, by whom all things were created, who is before all things, and by whom all things consist, who sits at the right hand of God, who has a name above every name, who in all things has the preeminence, who has all authority in heaven and in earth, under whose feet are all things. There is nothing that Christ has not inherited, nothing He does not own, nothing He is not Head of, nothing He is not Lord of, nothing He is not judge of, nothing He cannot dispense of as He pleases. Nothing exists now or ever will exist that is not part of Christ’s inheritance from the eternal Father. We are joint-heirs with Him who made the worlds (Heb. 1:2). We are joint-heirs with Him for whom nothing is impossible (Lk 1:37). The richest man in this world is a pauper compared to Christ. If the richest man in the world adopted you, that would be as nothing compared with being adopted by God in Christ.