A Fuller Balanced Look At What The Bible Says About Money
Depending on the circumstances and the particular way God is working with His people at a specific time and place in history, either biblical understanding could be the correct and relevant one. Its best to look at many passages, not just one or a few, to come to a mature and balanced understanding about a topic as big as money, wealth and management of it.
In fact, the question posed at the beginning of the article was a bit of a trick question. There is no one single passage in the Bible that is more important than all the others. Everything God says on a matter should be studied. We need to beware of an approach that results in a single verse doctrinal understanding.
The topic of this article is only one example. It is far better to study all the scriptures, not just a few, in order to understand Gods will on any subject. And, of course, it is important to pray for a full, mature and balanced understanding of any topic, after studying as many biblical passages as we can on that topic.
Bible Verses About Good Money Management
Luke 16:10-12Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone elses property, who will give you property of your own?
1 Timothy 5:8But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Matthew 25:21His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your masters happiness!
Luke 14:28 Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Wont you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?
Isaiah 55:2Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Proverbs 14:23All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
God And Money: A Fuller And More Complete Conclusion
Here is a third set of passages, most of which were not included in either of the first two sets. If you would like to take the time and make a personal Bible study about money, consider all of the following: Deuteronomy 6:10-13 Psalm 62:10 Proverbs 6:6-9 13:22 15:16-17 Matthew 6:25-34 13:22 Luke 3:14 9:23-25 12:15-21 Acts 20:35 Philippians 4:11-12 1 Timothy 6:8, 10, 17-18 and Revelation 3:15-18.
Taking them prayerfully into consideration would help a person develop a more mature and fully developed understanding of this topic. Now, something like the following summary statement would be appropriate:
Money and physical wealth are simply things. They are not inherently either good or bad. It is His peoples use of the thing and attitudetoward the thing that God is most concerned with. God sometimes does permit or cause His people to face poverty and need, sometimes as a test. In those cases, they should be grateful for and content with the necessities, and look to Him for His help and provision. In other cases, God blesses His people abundantly, and they should be grateful, generous and humble in the face of those blessings, never forgetting their source.
For those interested in pursuing this large topic more fully, see these LifeHopeandTruth.com articles:
Recommended Reading: Omer Bible Meaning
Bible Verses About True Wealth In Christ
Luke 16:10-12 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone elses property, who will give you property of your own?
Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Ephesians 1:17-21 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
More Bible Verses On Other Topics
Bible Verses About Putting Your Hope In Your Wealth
Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Matthew 19:21-26 Jesus answered, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Then Jesus said to his disciples, I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, Who then can be saved? Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Peter answered him, We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us? Jesus said to them, I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first
Psalm 62:10 ..if riches increase, do not set your heart on them
Don’t Miss: What The Bible Says About Isolation
What Can Help Prevent Us As Christians From Frivolous Spending
We can use this question quoted from John Wesley to help :
In spending this money, am I acting as if I owned it, or am I acting as the Lords trustee?
Remember, God owns it all anyway, right? So lets remember its His when we spend cash or swipe a card. Now, hear me loud and clear: we must be disciplined with our spendingbut that doesnt mean that we cant enjoy some things too!
Is The Bible The Ultimate Financial Guide
Stained glass at St John the Baptist’s Anglican Church , Ashfield, New South Wales.
Grandich is co-founder, with former New York Giants player Lee Rouson, of Trinity Financial Sports & Entertainment Management Co., a firm that specializes in offering guidance from a Christian perspective to professional athletes and celebrities.
He says the answers to all sorts of money issues can be found in the good book.
I get my financial guidance from the Bible, said Grandich, author of Confessions of a Wall Street Whiz Kid, in a prepared statement. Money and possessions are the second most referenced topic in the Bible money is mentioned more than 800 times and the message is clear: Nowhere in Scripture is debt viewed in a positive way.
Grandich, who says his years as a highly successful Wall Street stockbroker left him spiritually depleted and clinically depressed, says the Bible is an excellent financial adviser, whether or not youre religious.
Whats Grandichs No. 1 most important biblical rule of finance? God owns everything. You may have bought that house, but He gave you the money to buy it, so its His.
He shares other pearls of wisdom found in Scripture.
Dont focus on acquiring possessions. There are many, many warnings that accumulating stuff is dangerous. Material things are fleeting and theyll do you no good in the long run. What you put your effort into, thats where your heart will be, Grandich says.
Maybe it’s time to go back to Sunday school.
Recommended Reading: Rhema Correspondence Bible School
Principle : Invest To Make Your Money Grow
Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. Proverbs 13:11
Well save the dishonest money portion for another post. For now, lets discuss how people become wealthy by making their money grow over time.
Once youve ramped up your savings, then its time to invest. Find a reasonable investment that fits your goals. I prefer index funds initially for growth and then real estate as you transition to retirement and need more income. Whatever your choice, put your money into it then sit back and watch it grow.
The magic happens as compounding works. Your money increases over time, growing on itself over and over again. Eventually the money youve earned from your investments will be worth more than what you initially put in.
This is why time is the best way to maximize your investment return. It multiplies what youve invested.
Then you simply keep repeating the process you gather little by little, invest it, and it grows. Then you look up 20 years later and your net worth has skyrocketed.
Which Verses Sum Up Financial Discipline In The Bible
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.We must love God above all else, especially money. His Word makes it clear that its one or the other. Once we get our hearts and minds right in that aspect, we will be able to steward our money well and with Biblical discipline.
Read Also: Bible Verses To Read When Lonely
Obedienceis Keyto Financial Success
If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land
I have chosen the way of faithfulness I set your rules before me.
For biblical money management principles to work for you, you need to obey them. Its not enough to know what the Bible says about your finances. Whats truly important is what you do with that knowledge. Like the Bible says in James 4:17, So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Now, dont get me wrong, doing the right thing especially when it relates to finances can be pretty hard. For example, bad spending habits is one of the most difficult habits to change. It takes lots of trial and error to break this habit. However, it can be done, as long as theres a willingness to change, to obey God, and do what he says about your finances.
You cant apply biblical financial principles if you are not willing to obey the word of God. This is one instance where your action truly determines what you believe.
So if youre serious about managing your finances according to biblical principles, you must be willing to obey what Jesus said about money.
Bible Verses About Planning Ahead
Proverbs 13:16 A wise man thinks ahead a fool doesnt, and even brags about it!
Luke 14:28-30For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish itlest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying This man began to build and was not able to finish?
Proverbs 6:6-8 Go to the ant, you sluggard consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
Proverbs 16: 9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
Proverbs 27:23 Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds.
Proverbs 14:29 He who is impulsive exalts folly
You May Like: List Of Fear Not Verses In The Bible
How To Know What The Bible Says About Debt
Paying off debt can be a difficult task for many people. It is easy to get stuck in a borrowing cycle and accumulate more debt, with no end in sight.
If you are a Christian, you may carry some guilt or even shame around your debt. Perhaps youve been taught that having debt is a sin, or that its considered an act of disobedience towards God.
The best way to learn what the Bible says about debt is to read the scriptures. There are many people who like to express their opinions and ideas about this subject, but havent actually aligned their views with what God instructs in His Word.
Did you know that God never meant for you to struggle with the weight of debt? Thats why Hes given us principles for handling money and living a debt-free life.
Yes, there are verses about money in the Bible that can help you find your way out of debt and live in financial freedom! So you might be wondering, what does the Bible say about debt?
In this post, I will reference over 50 passages throughout the bible that can help you can take the necessary steps to achieve a debt-free life. These verses about debt and money management can give you guidance and encouragement as you prayerfully consider how God wants you to handle your finances.
For your convenience, here is an index of every verse referenced in this post there are over 50 passages! Simply click on the reference to jump to that verse.
DEBT
You can rely on God to do His part, but you must also be willing to take action.
Debt Isnt Condemned But It Does Have Consequences
While the Bible addresses debt, it never states that you should not have any debt as a Christian. It does, however, characterize debt as a form of bondage. In Proverbs 22:7, the Bible says, The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender. Like many things, the problems with debt are a result of how its used.
Consider these three instances where someone might be in debt:
- A mortgage loan from purchasing a first home
- Debt a church may hold from building renovations to fit their growing congregation
In two of these scenarios, the debt has come from an intentional investment into something that has value beyond indulgence. Still, debt comes at a cost. Any debt and interest payments prevent you from using the same money for another purpose.
Lastly, debt always presumes upon the future. The book of James reminds us that we are not guaranteed tomorrow:
Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Chronological Order Of The Bible
C Churches Should Wisely Help The Needy Both In The Local Church And Through Christian Missions Worldwide
According to Bob Deffinbaugh , 90 percent of the references to giving in the New Testament are related to helping poor believers. In his usual blunt style, the apostle John asks rhetorically , But whoever has the worlds goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? He was reflecting the words of Jesus, who said that to the extent that we help even the least of His brothers, we do it to Him .
As far as helping poor unbelievers, the churchs main job is to preach the gospel. But often ministry to the poor can open doors for evangelism. Practicing the Golden Rule means acting with wise compassion toward the needy. Galatians 6:10 commands, So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
So we must be discerning when we give to help the poor. The question is, do people truly want help to become financially responsible and independent or are they just looking for an enabler? Two helpful books on this subject are, When Helping Hurts , by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert and, Giving Wisely , by Jonathan Martin. Our church has an SOS fund that is not part of our budget. You may give to it by designating your donation to that fund. By IRS regulations, the elders have the final authority on how to distribute those funds.