Bible Money Matters

Christian personal finance

Menu
    • About
    • Archives
    • Contact
    • Close
  • Making Money
      • Popular Articles

        • 50 Ways To Make Money: Maximizing, Creating And Increasing Your Income
        • 10 Weird And Unconventional Ways To Make Money
        • Making Money With A Blog (e-Book)
        • 10 Places To Sell Or Trade Your Unused (Or Broken) Electronics
        • Ways To Make Extra Money Series: 20 More Income Generating Ideas From Our Readers
        • Making Side Income Can Help Blunt The Impact Of Becoming A One Income Family
        • Earn Cash Back With Discover it® Credit Card
      • Recent Articles – Making Money

        • Best Sites Like Fiverr To Make Money As A Freelancer
        • 13 Of The Best Independent Contractor Jobs
        • 25 Of The Best Gig Economy Jobs
        • How To Make Money Blogging: Turn A Blog Into A Business
      • Categories

        • Making Money
        • Investing
        • Retirement
        • Jobs & Work LIfe
        • Money
        • Income
    • Close
  • Saving Money
      • Popular Articles

        • 50 Easy Ways To Save Money Every Month
        • 10 Weird And Unconventional Ways To Save Money
        • 10 Practical Ways To Save Money And Increase Your Net Worth
        • How To Save Money On Just About All Of Your Regular Monthly Bills
        • Ways To Watch TV Without Paying An Arm And A Leg For Cable TV
        • Save Money On Your Hospital Bill - Just By Asking
      • Recent Articles – Saving Money

        • How To Save $100k In 7 Practical Steps
        • Stairs App Review: Save And Invest To Earn 4-6% Interest
        • Honey Review: Save Money Automatically When You Shop Online
        • 9 Convincing Reasons Why You Need An Emergency Fund
      • Categories

        • Saving Money
        • Frugality
        • Planning
        • Finance
        • Saving For Retirement
        • Savings Accounts
    • Close
  • Banking
      • Best Rates For 2019

        • Best Credit Cards
        • Best Savings Accounts
        • Best Mortgage Rates
        • Best CD Rates
        • Best Brokerages
        • Free Credit Scores
      • Recent Reviews

        • TradeStation Review: Commission Free Stock And ETF Trades
        • Firstrade Review: Commission Free Trades on Stocks, Crypto, And Options
        • Cadre Real Estate Investing Review: Commercial Real Estate Investing
        • Axos Self Directed Trading Review: Invest, Trade Stocks For Free
      • Categories

        • Bank & Software Reviews
        • Investing
        • Credit
        • Banking
        • Mortgage
        • Insurance
        • Family Budget
    • Close
  • Recommended
  • Video
    • Close

Christians And Wealth: Do They Mix?

By John Frainee 6 Comments - The content of this website often contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you buy through those links (at no cost to you!). Learn more about how we make money. Last edited February 10, 2014.

Share7
Pin1
Tweet5
Share
13 Shares

Today I’d like to tackle a difficult topic. Every Christian surely has struggled with thoughts about becoming rich: is it a godly thing to do? It’s not always easy to understand how God views wealth. However, the Bible does have a lot to say about the topic of money. So let’s start there, with the Bible.

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. – Proverbs 23:4-5 NIV

When you read the verse above, did it lead you to believe that Christians should not acquire wealth? Read it again carefully. The verse says “do not wear yourself out” to get rich. This is an important distinction to make. This passage is talking to those people who toil and strain to become wealthy. Clearly, if you’re putting all your effort into becoming rich and wearing yourself out, your heart is in the wrong place. Aren’t we supposed to be focused on God? The verse is not saying that the pursuit of wealth is evil. Let’s explore another verse:

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf. – Proverbs 11:28 NIV

Here we get the same sense as the first verse. Trusting in riches is not of God. Trusting in God to provide, now that is where we need to be! The righteous will always thrive, and don’t we obtain that righteousness from Jesus Christ, the one in whom we trust?

The Bible also has a lot to say about what we do with wealth. For example:

A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. – Proverbs 13:22

It’s clear that wealth can be used for good or evil. A sinner’s wealth, however, will eventually end up in the hands of the righteous. Christians must decide how they are going to use their wealth.

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 6:24 NIV

Jesus made it clear that Money can be a false god. The last thing a Christian wants to do is have their wealth become their god. It’s crucial to check in with our thoughts and intentions to ensure that our wealth is not glorified. We are only to give glory to God, and God alone. That doesn’t mean, however, that God wants us to be unwise with our money. The Lord desires us to manage our finances, health, relationships, and life responsibly.

The Bottom Line

So, do Christians and wealth mix? Is it possible to accumulate wealth and still be called a Christian? I believe so. I know one thing: God wants us to give away as much wealth as is reasonable while still taking care of our families. Giving is a joy that can’t be measured.

This is why I’ve dedicated myself and my blog the pursuit of giving Godly financial advice. Money is something that we must deal with whether we like it or not. If we have to use money, we better use it in a Godly way! If anyone must have wealth, it should be the people who are more likely to use it wisely.

I’m excited that so many financial blogs have set themselves apart as Christian, including Bible Money Matters. There’s a great need for biblical financial advice! Do you have a Christian financial blog? What are some of the principles you teach? And, what do you think about the topic of Christians and wealth? Let’s hear from you in the comments!

Related Posts

  • Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: Love of Wealth

    Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10

  • Bible Verse Of The Day

    Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave…

  • Bible Verse Of The Day

    Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. But even the hairs of your head…

Share7
Pin1
Tweet5
Share
13 Shares
Last Edited: 10th February 2014 The content of biblemoneymatters.com is for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Visitors to biblemoneymatters.com should not act upon the content or information without first seeking appropriate professional advice. In accordance with the latest FTC guidelines, we declare that we have a financial relationship with every company mentioned on this site.

This article is about: Bible Verse, Christianity, Making Money

About John Frainee

John Frainee is a personal finance writer at TheChristianDollar.com. His goal is to provide biblical financial principles that encourage people to live healthier lives. Beyond personal finance, John enjoys spending time with his wife and two crazy cats, playing a competitive game of Monopoly, and reading just about anything he can get his hands on. You can also find him on Twitter and Facebook.

Comments

    Share Your Thoughts: Cancel reply

  1. Olivia says

    I do struggle with what is “right” for a believer. There seems to be a great deal of subtle emphasis in Christian circles on the “cookbook” approach. “If I tithe and am faithful with what God has given me, He will make me financially comfortable.”

    Personally, I haven’t found this to be true. He said He would provide for our needs. He determines what our needs are. Paul expressed this by saying if he had food and clothing with that he would be content, and even more had learned to be content without those basics. “Nakedness, peril, sword…” In my own situation I suspect the Lord is working a contentment with Him apart from material things. Along the lines of Psalm 73.

    If we buy into the cookbook approach, we start making divisions within the body. Wealth is the mark of godliness and good stewardship. Poverty is a sign of God’s displeasure. Our current shift falls out in several ways. How many of our church leaders are blue colllar guys? Not college educated. Not middle class or better. How many are working poor who just love Christ and His word? Are they homely or good looking? We also think in terms of expediency. If this guy is great at managing a company, he’ll make a terrific elder. We start a shift from the scriptures and what they say are the qualifications for office and start using our own judgement.

    When the scriptures talk about “God works all things together for good”, what is the good God works towards? Not necessarily what we consider “good”. He means the cross. Not comfort. He means death. Not good health and long life. He means remaining faithful in the face of adversity. “Having done all, to stand.” He means to make us look like Jesus in the end. And if Jesus learned obedience through what He suffered why should we think we can learn obedience through comfort?

    When Christ walked the earth, He had no place to lay His head. This easily rolls off the tongue but we seldom think of it’s implications. He was laid in a feeding trough as a baby. He slept His last days on the ground in a garden. He didn’t have a place to be buried, but a rich man made space for Him in his own tomb. Jesus was not good looking. People would not normally be attracted to Him. He worked with His hands. They were not the soft hands of a palace dweller. All the things we look to as signs of sucess. Jesus didn’t have them. He became poor for our sakes so that in Him we might become rich. But what does “rich” mean? Not what we normally think. It’s not material and it’s not now.

    Reply
    • Joe Luna says

      Yeah, I’ve asked myself related questions about how a person feels about monetizing the Gospel of Christ. Money is neither good nor evil. It is man that is inherently either. A man can be rich or poor as long as his faith is in Christ. At the same time we will be providers in different fashions. The challenge is when the Gospel is merchandised and the purpose of financial gain is elevated above the salvation of souls. That’s when problems occur. With so much greed and immorality in today’s secularized society, Christians have to do all we can to advance the Kingdom of Christ, not our all-mighty pocketbook.

      Reply
  2. Tim says

    Great article John! Thanks for asking us to share our Christian finance blogs – I’m at http://www.FaithAndFinance.org and we address finance issues for individuals, businesses and churches.

    I think you brought up great points about the way we should view money. Funny that you wrote this today because my latest blog post addresses prioritizing time and money as a Christian. Working hard and earning money is a great tool that we can use to further God’s kingdom. The important thing to remember is that we need to seek His kingdom first. If our ultimate goal is to build wealth simply to have it and forget that we should use it to further the Gospel, we’ve made money our god and need to take a look at our motives.

    Thanks again for posting – I’m looking forward to exploring your blog today and reading your articles!

    Reply
  3. Tiffany says

    I do believe that one can be wealthy and a real Christian, but they know Who comes first and Who their real wealth belongs to. There is nothing wrong with wanting to provide for your family and becoming financially stable (which some people would consider wearlthy). You just have to do it in the right way. Yes, I believe that tithing is part of this, but also putting God first in your life. This means even if you make a 6 fiigure income if you are asked to do something that goes against God, you need to quit your job and not worry about the money are you making as God will provide.

    Reply
  4. David/moneycrashers says

    I think that wealth is a wonderful thing to strive for as a Christian, as long as we give back to the Lord once we get there.

    It could be easy to forget about thi spiece, but the Lord is who brings us wealth in the first place

    Reply
  5. Khaleef @ KNS Financial says

    This is a topic that comes up often. We see so many warnings in the bible about making money a false God, and depending on riches rather than on God’s provision. I think that it’s clear that this is a very real concern, however, it doesn’t mean that money is evil or a rich person doesn’t understand how to rely on God. But we must be careful to gain all of our wisdom and direction from God’s word, and not from the world’s system.

    Oh, I also have a Christian Personal Finance blog called “Faithful With A Few” (the link should show up in my name).

    Reply
Previous Post: Ways To Make Extra Income: How To Create And Sell An Ebook On Your WordPress Site
Next Post: What Is A Health Savings Account (HSA)? How Does It Work?
Discover Investment Platforms

Popular Posts

  • 21 Easy Ways To Earn Free Amazon Gift Cards
  • 10 Best Free Tax Filing Services And Software Online
  • 21 Apps That Pay You Real Money Fast
  • 17 TV Apps And Live TV Streaming Services To Watch TV Free
  • 30 Legit Online Jobs That Pay Well
  • 37 Easy Ways To Get Free Gift Cards
  • How To Get Free Stock
  • 40 Easy Ways To Get Free Money Fast
  • 21 Places To Read Free Books Online
  • 24 Legit Online Jobs
  • 17 Best Work From Home Jobs: A List Of Legit Online Jobs That Pay Well

Recent Posts

  • How To Save $100k In 7 Practical Steps
  • How to Save Money When Remodeling A Home
  • How To Hire A Contractor For Your Remodeling Project
  • Remembering 9/11 Years Later: Where Were You On That Fateful Day?
  • TradeStation Review: Commission Free Stock And ETF Trades
  • Firstrade Review: Commission Free Trades on Stocks, Crypto, And Options
  • Cadre Real Estate Investing Review: Commercial Real Estate Investing
  • Best Sites Like Fiverr To Make Money As A Freelancer
  • Axos Self Directed Trading Review: Invest, Trade Stocks For Free
  • 30 Quotes About Easter And Resurrection: He Is Risen!

Disclaimer

The information contained in BibleMoneyMatters.com is for general information or entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional financial advice. Please contact an independent financial professional for advice regarding your specific situation.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, we state that we have a financial relationship with some of the companies mentioned in this website. This may include receiving access to free products and services for product and service reviews and giveaways.

Any references to third party products, rates, or websites are subject to change without notice. We do our best to maintain current information, but due to the rapidly changing environment, some information may have changed since it was published. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

We respect your privacy: Privacy Policy.

Thanks for visiting!

Bible Money Matters - Seen On These Sites and more..
Bible Money Matters is a personal finance, entrepreneurship and investing community. Give more, save more and live more.

Copyright © 2023 · Bible Money Matters | Sitemap | Advertise | Privacy Policy