How can a believer handle wealth?
Those with Biblical Wealth do not attach their self-worth to their net-worth, but see their wealth as an opportunity to manage what God has blessed them with. We are not owners of our wealth, we are not owned by our wealth, and we are commanded to allow wealth to flow through us to bless others.
In these Bible verses about managing finances, we see some main principles: God blesses those who make money through honest work rather than sinful practices. God calls us to pay back what we owe and help those who have helped us. It's wise for us to plan, think through how we'll make money, and spend money.
Wealth is a responsibility to steward, trusting that God has blessed you to be a blessing and that He will keep blessing you as He sees fit. Our job isn't to keep; our job is to work hard, invest well, and give generously (again, see Matthew 25:14–30).
Proverbs 10:22: "The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 11:14: "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 13:11: "Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”
Jesus comments on the young man's discouragement thus: "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard this were astonished, "Who then can be saved?", they asked.
God's blessing of wealth is usually obtained by great wisdom and responsibility and through discipline, hard work, saving, investing, and seeking God's will. Occasional, Biblical wealth is obtained suddenly by a great blessing such as an inheritance, oil and gas discovery or great invention.
Matthew 6:33
In Matthew 6, we're reminded to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and he will give you all that you need.” Notice Jesus doesn't say he will give you everything you want. God will give you everything you need.
God cares about how we approach financial problems, and he cares about our well-being. He is concerned about those who suffer because of another person's calamity. Psalm 37:21 says, “The wicked borrows but does not pay back.” He also expects us to trust him with something better than our investments.
The Bible issues several warnings against the love of money and the snare of wealth (1 Timothy 3:3; 6:10), but in Proverbs 30:8–9, Agur, the gather of wise sayings, asks that he would have neither poverty nor wealth.
Prosperity theology (sometimes referred to as the prosperity gospel, the health and wealth gospel, the gospel of success, or seed faith) is a religious belief among some Charismatic Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and ...
What did Jesus teach about wealth and poverty?
Summary. Jesus taught, “You cannot serve both God and money.” Therefore people should not worry about food and clothes. God makes sure that sparrows are fed and wild flowers look beautiful. God also makes sure His people have what they need.
God supernaturally imparted this ability to get wealth to the Israelites. Therefore God gave them this power by giving them both the physical fitness and the ideas in their minds to make money. There was nothing dramatic or spectacular about this gift. It was as normal as any normal human ability.
One can indeed be rich and be a Christian, but one cannot worship God and Mammon (money). Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and do not worry what else gets added to you in this life, whether much or little.
Instead of spending our money on things that can lead us to financial ruin, we need to spend our money on the things that matter. Tithing, our families, making sure our bills are paid, getting out of debt, and helping others.
Deuteronomy forbids taking interest from any person. Other Books of the Bible underline the importance of this prohibition on interest. For example, Psalm 15:5 characterizes a righteous man as one who, among other things, lends his money without usury.
The system of tithes (giving a tenth of your money to the poor) is from the Old Testament, and in the New Testament, Jesus often told people that if they wanted to follow him (now called “being Christian”) they needed to give up everything they own to the poor.
Jesus declared, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” He then sates that 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.
What then is money? The Bible represents it as 1) a tool with which to accomplish certain pre-determined purposes (Philippians 4:11-13); 2) a test of the user's loyalties (Luke 16:11-13); and 3) a testimony to the values and priorities that have shaped the user's character. Money, then, is not an end in itself.
God does want each of us to be rich in every possible way -- health, love, and peace of mind, as well as material possessions. God wants this, however, not just for our own sake, but for the sake of all humankind.
God Will Take Care of You and Your Finances
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:31-33). Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable.
What does God say about money and debt?
What the Bible says about borrowing: Exodus 22:14 - If anything is borrowed, it should be paid back. If what is borrowed is lost or injured, full restitution must be made. Ps 37:21 - The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.
Jesus tries to lead his disciples away from worrying about money in Matthew 6 when he explains what God is like. God takes care of all the animals and the plants on earth, none of whom work for a paycheck. Jesus says we should trust God to do the same for us. Security doesn't come from money, it comes from God.
Responding spiritually to a crisis in the right way on the inside involves reflection and prayer. Crises shake our world, but they also stop us in our tracks emotionally; and thus, amidst all the chaos that they entail they also create unique opportunities for reflection and prayer.
Absolutely nowhere in the scriptures are we advised or commanded to use debt to accomplish God-given economic goals. On the contrary, the Bible has many warnings against the use of debt.
First Timothy 6:17 says, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” Jesus himself talks about how hard it is for the rich to remain untangled by the trappings of their wealth, ...
