WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ... MONEY
- By Pastor Greg Hooker
(Question by Betty S Sluder - Shaffer)
Let’s lay the ground work for this important question. Money or wealth is not a sin. God is not displeased with those who are fortunate to have money. In fact, there are many instances in the Bible where the Lord blessed His servants who have great wealth. Research these Scriptures:
(1) (Deuteronomy 28:1-8
(2) Abraham in Genesis 13:2
(3) Jacob Genesis 30:42
(4) King Solomon 1Kings 10:23
When we look at the Old Testament concerning money we actually discover it was an indicator of blessings from the Lord. However we can never determine a persons standing with God by the amount of wealth they have. According to Psalm 73 and Jeremiah 12:1, some righteous people are poor while some wicked people are rich.
As we move over to the New Testament we discover there were several wealthy people who were instrumental in advancing God’s Kingdom
(1) Matthew - Luke 5:27-29
(2) Joanna - Luke 8:9
(3) Joseph of Arimathea - Matthew 27:57
(4) Zachhaeus - Luke 19:8
(5) Lydia - Acts 16:14-15
All these individuals were wealthy and called by God to do special works for God. Thay all used their wealth for a righteous cause. Remember this, riches itself is not morally wrong. It can be used for God’s glory, or used for the Devil.
Now let’s look at a verse of Scripture that is often misquoted and taken out of context:
“For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Sometimes people use this verse to teach that money itself is evil, but that’s not what it says. It’s the “LOVE” of money that is evil.
In context, Paul, who was the spiritual leader for Timothy, warned him about false teachers who would come into the church for financial gain. They were filled with greed and if allowed to, their sin would spread throughout the believers and infect them as well. This happens in many churches today.
The rest of the passage says “... which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
The Bible never says that money is evil, only to avoid the love of it. We are also to be carful not to let money become an idol. Listen to Psalm 62:10:
“Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.”
It seems it’s human nature to get ‘spiritually lazy’ when we have plenty in our bank accounts. We begin to move our trust from God to trusting our money. When that happens, our wealth has become an idol. Jesus said in Mark 10:25 that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man (who puts his trust in money) to inherit eternal life. Jesus put it this way:
“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” - Luke 12:15.
Jesus also taught in the parable of the rich fool, the principle that when money becomes our idol, it becomes our downfall. It will lead to our downfall if we move God out of the center of our lives and replace it with wealth (Luke 12:14-21).
Moreover, we are taught by Jesus that we cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13). It’s impossible to serve God with all your heart, mind, and soul and serve riches at the same time (Mark 12:30). Rest assured, the Lord will never share His throne with anything.
Any abundance beyond our daily sustenance is a gift from the Lord, and we are to use it wisely. When we consider that all we have and all we are belongs to God, we are more careful to use everything for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). When we see wealth as an investment entrusted to us by its rightful Owner (God), we are more likely to keep it in its rightful perspective.
Here’s a good prayer from Proverbs we all need to pray:
“Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches--
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God (Proverbs 30:7-9).”
- By Pastor Greg Hooker
(Question by Betty S Sluder - Shaffer)
Let’s lay the ground work for this important question. Money or wealth is not a sin. God is not displeased with those who are fortunate to have money. In fact, there are many instances in the Bible where the Lord blessed His servants who have great wealth. Research these Scriptures:
(1) (Deuteronomy 28:1-8
(2) Abraham in Genesis 13:2
(3) Jacob Genesis 30:42
(4) King Solomon 1Kings 10:23
When we look at the Old Testament concerning money we actually discover it was an indicator of blessings from the Lord. However we can never determine a persons standing with God by the amount of wealth they have. According to Psalm 73 and Jeremiah 12:1, some righteous people are poor while some wicked people are rich.
As we move over to the New Testament we discover there were several wealthy people who were instrumental in advancing God’s Kingdom
(1) Matthew - Luke 5:27-29
(2) Joanna - Luke 8:9
(3) Joseph of Arimathea - Matthew 27:57
(4) Zachhaeus - Luke 19:8
(5) Lydia - Acts 16:14-15
All these individuals were wealthy and called by God to do special works for God. Thay all used their wealth for a righteous cause. Remember this, riches itself is not morally wrong. It can be used for God’s glory, or used for the Devil.
Now let’s look at a verse of Scripture that is often misquoted and taken out of context:
“For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Sometimes people use this verse to teach that money itself is evil, but that’s not what it says. It’s the “LOVE” of money that is evil.
In context, Paul, who was the spiritual leader for Timothy, warned him about false teachers who would come into the church for financial gain. They were filled with greed and if allowed to, their sin would spread throughout the believers and infect them as well. This happens in many churches today.
The rest of the passage says “... which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
The Bible never says that money is evil, only to avoid the love of it. We are also to be carful not to let money become an idol. Listen to Psalm 62:10:
“Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.”
It seems it’s human nature to get ‘spiritually lazy’ when we have plenty in our bank accounts. We begin to move our trust from God to trusting our money. When that happens, our wealth has become an idol. Jesus said in Mark 10:25 that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man (who puts his trust in money) to inherit eternal life. Jesus put it this way:
“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” - Luke 12:15.
Jesus also taught in the parable of the rich fool, the principle that when money becomes our idol, it becomes our downfall. It will lead to our downfall if we move God out of the center of our lives and replace it with wealth (Luke 12:14-21).
Moreover, we are taught by Jesus that we cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13). It’s impossible to serve God with all your heart, mind, and soul and serve riches at the same time (Mark 12:30). Rest assured, the Lord will never share His throne with anything.
Any abundance beyond our daily sustenance is a gift from the Lord, and we are to use it wisely. When we consider that all we have and all we are belongs to God, we are more careful to use everything for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). When we see wealth as an investment entrusted to us by its rightful Owner (God), we are more likely to keep it in its rightful perspective.
Here’s a good prayer from Proverbs we all need to pray:
“Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches--
Feed me with the food allotted to me;
Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the Lord?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God (Proverbs 30:7-9).”