What is the value of friendship? Jesus commands His followers to “make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings (Luke 16:9).” Believers and followers of Jesus are to be eternity minded. We are the pillar and buttress of truth, to us has been given the knowledge of the mysteries of God. This world is not our home and there is nothing more wonderful than God and eternity with Him and friends.
It is our task to make disciples and announce eternity to all the world, to be used by God to witness and save as God is working today to gather a people unto Himself. Proclaiming the gospel and eternal mindedness is an urgent matter! We must not live with our heads in the sand, only concerned with this world and our own business. We are to have vision and courage and conviction as men and women of God in the kingdom, for the kingdom, with eternity in view, and sharing that eternity with Him and friends.
To that end, we use money (and time and other resources God gives), the “unrighteous wealth” of the world, for a specific purpose: to make and build relationships with friends, who will receive us into eternal dwellings. Our view is eternity. These friends are Jesus, brothers and sisters in Christ, and unbelievers, those who don’t know Jesus. Together we will all be received in eternal dwellings, mansions of glory, as we live together with Him and others forever. This is our goal.
Flesh and blood will not enter into these dwellings and see the kingdom, though. You must be born again. This comes through the “great exchange,” where He took your sins and counted you as righteous before God. Our focus is eternity, where you and friends will be forever, because of His work.
Think about your priorities in life as you manage the time and money God has given you. What impact will you, your family, your church make on the kingdom of God, on eternity? “Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” This is what Jesus commands you to do. Money and stuff of this world will fail, but Jesus and friends and eternal dwellings will last forever. Jesus is worth it. Eternal dwellings with friends are worth it. Count the cost and make every effort today.