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What Does The Bible Say About Rich People

Use It Or Lose It The Parable Of The Talents

The Bible and Money: What The Bible Says About Rich People

In life, you can either use your skills and talents or they will be taken away from you. I can see how a lot of people miss an important point with this parable. They focus too much on the taking of the 1 talent and giving it to the servant who already had 10. In doing so, they miss the fact that even with the one talent, he wasted all the time and didnt do anything

Lets make a slight alteration to the scenario. What if the master on return requested the talents he gave each servant PLUS 50%? What would happen then?

The servant that got the one talent and did nothing would now be in debt. Meaning even that which he does not have, he will end up losing.

Lets take this on an even more personal level. If you have 3 children and you give them 4, 2 and 1 house chores respectively. You go on the road to sort out some business and return in about 4 hours to find:

  • Matthew completed his 4 chores and did an additional 4 on his own.
  • Luke didnt do crap

On your way back you picked up 3 items to give them. I dont think we need to discuss why Matthew deserved 2, but we should definitely discuss if we spare the rod for Luke.

Now back to the topic

What is the one talent that you have that you are wasting that could help you increase your earthly riches?

Bible Verses About Seeking Godly Guidance And Wisdom

Proverbs 12: 1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 13:13 Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.

Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heeds his fathers instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes.

Proverbs 13:18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.Back to top index

Bible Verses About Money

The Bible has a lot to say about money, wealth, greed, contentment and a variety of other topics as they pertain to our financial and spiritual lives. Over the years Ive heard it said more than once that the Bible has well over 2000 verses about money.

While I wont be able to list all 2000+ verses here, I want to give a selection of verses in a variety of topic areas.

Topics:Wealth | Contentment | Giving | Greed | Debt | Ethics | Work & Laziness | Rest | Rest | Planning | Saving | Stewardship | Guidance | Gods Provision | Worry | True Wealth

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Hearing The Cries Of The Poor

Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.

Its easy to look at this verse and assume that its saying that God doesnt answer the prayers of those who ignore the needs of the poor, but thats not really how God works. God doesnt ignore us because of our failures. But how we treat others is one factor that He considers when considering how to respond.

The author of Proverbs wants to communicate something simple but profound. The Hebrews lived in a community. By ignoring the cries of the poor, they would create a culture where it was easy to turn a blind eye toward needs. Unfortunately, they would eventually be the ones in need, and no one would answer when they cried out.

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Why Does The Church Talk So Much About Money

What Does the Bible Say About Being Rich?

There are two good reasons why the Church talks so often about money. First, the reason the Church talks about money is because God talks about money. Consider these statistics on bible verses about money:

  • 16 out of 38 of Jesusâ parables deal with money and possessions
  • Nearly 25% of Jesusâ words in the New Testament deal with biblical stewardship
  • 1 out of 10 verses in the Gospels deal with money
  • There are more than 2,000 scriptures on tithing in the Bible, money, and possessions in the Bible, which is twice as many as faith and prayer combined

Many verses in the Bible talk about money, and for a good reason too, which leads me to my next point.

Second, bible verses about money are frequently used because thereâs a direct correlation between the way we handle our money and our faith.

When it comes to money, we will either worship wealth or worship with our wealth.

Read that again.

Thereâs a big difference between the two.

From the seduction of success to the lure of lust, many things in this world will vie for your affection and devotion. But the most significant idol you will face is money .

God desires our devotion, and he knows you will come face-to-face with the temptation of money, which is why he speaks so often about it.

Money itself may be amoral. But itâs our attachment to and our worship of money that will lead us into sin and making poor financial decisions.

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Family Is More Important Than Money

My father recently made a decision about his will that substantially reduced the amount I would inherit, while increasing the amount that would go to my siblings. But we talked about it. I understand his reasoning completely, and I agree with his decision. I will never allow anything as trivial as money to cause a division in my family.Josué, 55.

Bible Verses About Money: What Does The Bible Have To Say About Our Financial Lives

The content of this website often contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you buy through those links . Learn more about how we make money. Last edited August 24, 2020

This site has been live for almost 10 years now, and in that time Ive written quite a bit about our main niche topic, the Bible and money.

Weve had articles about giving, prayer, tithing, greed, contentment as well as hard work and stewardship. Weve covered a pretty wide array of topics, and Im sure well continue to.

One thing Ive never done, however, is put together a comprehensive listing of important Bible verses that relate to our financial lives. Ive done a lot of one off articles about certain topics, but never put a large number of bible verses about money in one place. Today were going to rectify that.

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What Does The Bible Say About Being Rich

There are two extreme financial teachings in Christian camps today: the Prosperity Gospel and the Poverty Gospel. I believe both are wrong.

Those who believe that riches are a sign of Gods blessing advance what is commonly referred to as the Prosperity Gospel. This teaches that you can command God to prosper you financially, that when you give you can expect a larger financial increase in return, and that your spending can be extravagant and carefree. This false theology is in contradiction to the many Scriptural warnings against greed, selfishness, coveting, idolatry, and the love of money.

Luke 16:14-15: The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in Gods sight.

First Timothy 6:10: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

You should be on your guard to identify and reject the teachings of the Prosperity Gospel as well as the other extreme, the Poverty Gospel. This false teaching claims that money and possessions are evil, that rich people are greedy and sinful, that being poor makes you more righteous in Gods eyes, and that spending brings guilt and condemnation.

Is It A Sin To Be Rich The Biblical Answer

Does the Bible say all rich people are going to hell?

Jesus used illustrations of money in his parables. He didnt hesitate to call out those who were hoarding their money, and he often called the rich Pharisees sinners and hypocrites, but what does that mean for others who do have lots of money?

Is it a sin to be rich? It is not a sin to be rich, but loving money is a sin. 1 Timothy 6:10 says, For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil. Wealthy Christians are not sinning by having money. They do need to keep their hearts pure and ensure they are not loving more or making it an idol. Also, the Bible urges Christians to use whatever riches they have to bless others and glorify God.

The Bible has endless stories, proverbs, and parables about riches and how we as Christians are supposed to handle our money. From Joseph to Lydia of Thyatira, we can discern being rich is not a sin, but rather a blessing and a responsibility were meant to steward well.

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What Does The Bible Say About Poverty

Yennifer, 6, holds her familys bible. She lives in Guatemala.

The Bible is rich in wisdom about Gods love for people living in poverty and about our responsibility to help. We love the way Jesus showed us how to care for the poor and oppressed. Reflect on these Bible verses and pray for children, families, and communities in need. Heres what the Bible says about poverty.

Bible Verses About Saving

Proverbs 21:20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.

Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

Genesis 41:34-36 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.

1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Proverbs 27:12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

Proverbs 30:24-25 Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer Back to top index

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Kill Greed In Your Heart

Who is a greedy person? Is it a politician? How about the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company? Or are athletes, musicians, or actors or actresses greedy? Regardless of what image comes to your mind, hereâs something you need to know about greed: Itâs not good, and youâll have to fight it off in your life.

Greed is bad, and itâs something all of us will have to fight in our life. In the words of the Apostle Paul, âPut to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatryâ .

Thereâs a good chance you probably donât think you have a greed problem. But let me ask you these questions:

  • Are you satisfied with how much money you make?
  • Do you want to purchase more things?
  • Does your desire for more money and possessions choke out your interest in God?

In life, the presence of greed will come and go in waves, which is why itâs a good idea to keep your finger on the pulse of your heart and to kill the presence of sin in your life with the antidote of the gospel.

The Bible Says Our Riches Can Bless Others

What Does it Mean to be Rich?  FINANCIAL PLANNING and ...

When riches are mentioned in the Bible, it is never a trivial thing. Riches, or lack of them, always tells us about the character of God and how he operates.

Think of the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. Joseph began as a shepherd and was the favorite of his fathers children.

Because of his fathers favoritism, his brothers became jealous and sold him into slavery, propelling Joseph into a life of both suffering and fame.

After working for a man named Potiphar and spending two years in jail, Joseph found himself interpreting Pharaohs dream and rising to second in command over all of Egypt.

Through his position and riches, Joseph was able to forgive and reconnect with his brothers, and save whole nations with his storehouses of wealth and food during the time of famine.

His wealth blessed others because God turned what others had meant for evil into good in Josephs life.

Another story of riches is found in the New Testament where Lydia of Thyatira, who was a dealer of purple cloth, blessed Pauls ministry and the church with her riches and hospitality.

From learning about Joseph, Lydia, and others in the Bible who used their riches for Gods glory, we can know that we can use whatever we have in the same way, and bless others, maybe even save their lives, with our riches.

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Bible Verses About Laws Regarding The Poor

In the Old Testament, God gives a set of special laws through Leviticus that show how he set up systems to care for the poor and the foreigner. Those who owned land were told to leave the edges of their fields for those on the fringes of society to benefit from. In addition, every seventh year in the year of Jubilee, the Israelites followed Gods laws by forgiving any outstanding debts to prevent overwhelming poverty. What a great way to not only bless others who are less fortunate, but also protect our hearts from greed! Take a look at what the Bible says about poverty and how God set up laws and systems to support the poor.

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.Leviticus 19:9-10

Leviticus 19:34The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 25:35If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.

Greed Can Make You Forget The Value Of A Good Reputation

âA good name is more desirable than great riches to be esteemed is better than silver or goldâ

Your reputation among colleagues, peers, and even family, can have a lasting impact on your earning potentialâeven a lifelong impact.

Itâs important not to trade your reputation for quick cash. This is a common error among youthful entrepreneurs and businesspeople that ought to be avoided. The monetary value alone of having a reputation as a fast learner, hard worker, and honest employee will yield a higher lifetime return than any fast-return ploy.

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What Does Bible Verse 1 Timothy : 18 Specifically Say About Money

The enjoyment of everything as Gods generous gift leads away from high-mindedness and false security to the freedom of giving generously. Indeed, the whole of this verse repeats in four ways that the wealthy are to use their wealth for the benefit of others.

It begins, command them to do good, which is then repeated with a play on riches : to be rich in good deeds. And in case that is not clear, good deeds is further defined as being generous and willing to share.

This last item, an adjective form of koinnia , implies the liberal sharing with others what is ones own. Hence true riches is found in the giving, not in the having.

The Rich And Poor Matter To God

“Jesus Was Rich!” What Does the Bible Say?

Whether youre monetarily rich or poor, God loves you and wants to bless you with the riches of His kingdom. His abundance allows everyone to be rich in love, joy, peace, hope, and so many more good things.

As Christians, we are called to seek the treasures of the kingdom of God first, and that doesnt always mean worldly riches like money.

The goods news is anyone can access the riches of Gods goodness, whether rich or poor.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

Ultimately, God wants our hearts. He wants to lavish His love upon us. The riches of Gods love can be experienced by anyone at any time, no matter what their bank account says.

So while its a sin to love money more than God, and to mistreat the poor with your wealth, it is not a sin to be rich because we can use those riches to further the kingdom of God, bless others, and most importantly, glorify God.

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