Scripture Twisting: Matt. 6:19-20
My friend and I recently got into a conversation about life insurance. I guess that’s a sign of growing up and having to deal with real life issues. He was debating whether he should get one or not. When I asked him why he was hesitant about it, his answer took me by surprise. He said, “isn’t it wrong to get a life insurance? I mean, doesn’t the Bible say that we shouldn’t store up our treasures here on earth and that we should store up our treasures in heaven instead?” Since the Bible does say that we are to store up our treasures in heaven rather than on earth, does that apply to life insurances?
France comments that “the focus of this saying is on priorities: heaven rather than earth. It is going beyond the intention of the saying to use it as a basis for ruling out all material possessions and all provisions for the (earthly) future on the part of the disciples.”[1] He reminds us of how “the itinerant and dependent lifestyle of Jesus and his disciples depended on the support of those who had not divested themselves of all their possessions.”[2] This verse is trying to highlight the need for us, as followers of Christ, to have an eternal perspective. It is to remind ourselves that we need to live a life that brings honour and glory to God. However, this does not mean that we should not be mindful of the fact that we do have an earthly existence rooted in material things. We need to eat, drink, have a job so that we can take care of ourselves and our family. Jesus is not trying to advocate some Gnostic idea of the flesh and how we should not take care of it. Jesus is, however, advising us that everything we do in this life is meaningless if we do not prepare for the life that is to come. We need to have a heavenly focus while we are on earth.
My friend misunderstood the crux of the matter. This verse is not averse to taking care of our fleshly needs and desires. Getting life insurance isn’t about storing treasures here on earth instead of in heaven. Getting life insurance is a wise investment of the financial resources which God has given unto us. However, if our mind and heart puts its trust on our life insurance instead of God to provide for us, then we are in danger. It is a matter of priorities rather than a blank statement against having material possessions. According to Carson, he committed a fallacy arising from omission of distanciation in the interpretative process.[3] In some way, he is interpreting this passage just like the fisherman in F.F. Bruce’s story. Thinking that acquiring or being rich in material possessions is bad, he then imposes that theology on this particular verse. A proper understanding of this verse should lead him to first and foremost, question his motives behind getting a life insurance. Is he getting it so that he does not become a burden to those he will leave behind? Is he getting it so he can ease the burden on his family since his death will result in a loss of income for the family at large? Or is he getting it because he does not trust that God will provide and so he better start taking care of himself because God may or may not help him out in the end? Examining his priorities and evaluating his response would be a better way for him to tackle this question.
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