True spiritual wealth: Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18

The Book of Acts relates how the apostle Paul met one of his most beloved disciples, Timothy, during his second missionary journey, having arrived in Lystra. The Book of Acts relates that Timothy enjoyed great fame in that city. It is from this encounter recounted in Acts 16:1-5 that Timothy becomes one of Paul's great collaborators. And it is very likely that Timothy, sometime after meeting Paul, was also bishop of Ephesus.
And it is to this Timothy that Paul dedicated two beautiful epistles. And the First Epistle to Timothy, which was probably written by Paul while he was in the city of Rome, has some very interesting themes. The letter tells us that Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to prevent the teaching of strange doctrines, and it is very likely that Paul is referring to Gnosticism, which was very fashionable at that time. But then the apostle continued in his letter, and Paul exhorted Timothy to remain faithful to the doctrine he taught.
And near the end of this epistle, the apostle discussed about the true spiritual wealth, because in the Christian communion, all the believers in Jesus are brothers and sisters, and there should be no favoritism based on personal wealth. In the spiritual communion, everyone must work and strive for the common good, and those who have more wealth must contribute more to that common good. This is essentially what life in God's grace consists of, or in other words, this is what the commandment of love, the commandment of excellence, really means.
This is why Paul, at the end of his epistle, wrote a warning to the rich within the Church, the love of money is a sin and humility a virtue, and with these words, the apostle Paul expressed himself: "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share" 1 Timothy 6:17-18. Because that is how, Paul concluded, that men attain that true treasure which is eternal life, the life which once obtained cannot be lost.

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