1Ti 6:10 CSB For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Not all evil in the universe springs from the love of money. But it is certainly one of the great sources of many varieties of evil. For instance, it leads to envy, strife, theft, dishonesty, intemperance, forgetfulness of God, selfishness, embezzlement, etc.
It is not money in itself which is spoken of, but the love of money. Money might be used in the service of the Lord in a variety of ways where only good would result. But here it is the inordinate desire for money that leads to sin and shame.
One particular evil of the love of money is now mentioned, that is, a wandering from the Christian faith. In their mad striving after gold, men neglect spiritual things, and it becomes difficult to tell whether they were ever really saved at all.
Not only did they lose their grip on spiritual values, but they pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Think of the sorrows connected with the greed for riches! There is the tragedy of a wasted life. There is the sorrow of losing one’s children to the world. There is the grief of seeing one’s wealth vanish overnight. There is the fear of meeting God, either unsaved or at least empty-handed.
