What Does The Bible Have To Say About Wealth?

As you may know if you’ve been following my blog for awhile, I write about two main topics.

1. My life as a follower of Jesus.

2. Money; specifically frugal living and managing money well.

Those are the “meat” of the “sandwich” on my blog, although there is a variety of other “lifestyle” bits sprinkled throughout.

At times, I feel convicted of getting caught up in my desire to make money on my blog or the stats on how well my posts are performing. While I never aim to make money through my Christian content posts, I do desire to make money with my other content.

Is this wrong? Should my blog be solely focused on content that’s purpose is to encourage others in their relationship with God? Or can I blog about both my faith and other topics and still bring glory to Christ?

Those questions brought me to dig a little deeper into the Bible and prayer for answers regarding money and living for God. I have prayed since day 1 that my blog would be honoring to Christ. However, I would be lying if I said I never get caught up in the numbers game. There have been many days where work on my blog consumed me instead of spending time in God’s word and in prayer.

I am convicted of that and know it is sin to put anything, including work, above God. That is called idolatry. Idolatry means elevating something into a position of more importance over Christ.

Key Point #1: God doesn’t want us to have idols in our life – Money or anything else

Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.”

This speaks to money being an idol in one’s life. If I put working on my blog (and the work being done in hope of making money) first above my time with Jesus, it is sin.

Is it possible to be successful in work and make a lot of money without it being sin?

YES!

This brings me to Key Point #2: Remember that EVERYTHING you own belongs to God

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

I heard a great sermon last Sunday in church that mentioned people believe they deserve all the money they make because they work hard to earn it.

While it might be true that they have worked hard for the money they have, we have no control over the fact that we were born in the richest country in the world with opportunities knocking at our front door.

If you were born in the slums of a 3rd world country, it doesn’t matter how hard you work, you won’t be making the same kind of money you do now. In fact, many people in 3rd world countries work twice as hard as we do, and make pennies to show for it. We can’t say that we deserve what we make. We are blessed. That’s that.

So should we feel guilty for making bookoo bucks compared to others around the world?

No.

Because…

Key Point #3: We are called to be generous with our money and give back to God, remembering that all we own is HIS. We have the important job of managing the money He’s allowed us to have.

Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)

The Parable of the Talents

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 

He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 

So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 

But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 

Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them^. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 

He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,  so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 

But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The Meaning of the Parable:

To sum it up in a few words, God allows us to manage everything He has given us: Our time, money, gifts/talents, and abilities.

It’s our responsibility to use what he has given us to work for the glory of Him and give back to His kingdom. Whether that looks like giving money to the church and the poor, working hard to bless others and do our best in our jobs for His glory, or using our gifts and talents to point others to Christ. God wants us to USE what He has given us for His glory.

This article explains the entire passage in greater detail.

God wants us to honor Him with what he has given us. When it comes to money, that means not clinging to it as if it is our own but being generous with it; giving it the church, missionaries, and those who are in need.

Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”

He also wants us to give with a cheerful heart, not because “we are supposed to” but because we want to.

2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Key Point #4: You Can Have Wealth Without Being A Lover of Money

It all comes down to what you do with the wealth God has blessed you with.

Matthew 6:19-21 says, “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.”

This doesn’t mean you can’t have wealth. Plenty of Christians are amongst the richest people in the world. (and plenty of Christians have absolutely nothing monetarily. Being a Christian doesn’t promise wealth). However, it all comes down to what you do with the wealth you have.

Laying up treasures in heaven, not on Earth, means your treasure is your salvation in Jesus Christ. In our salvation their is fullness of joy when we realize what we have in Christ (our salvation) is all that we need and He satisfies us in ways nothing else can.

To Sum it Up

Yes, you can have wealth and salvation in Jesus Christ. However, we must remember that everything we have been blessed with belongs to God, from the breath in our lungs to the money in our bank account.

We are called to be wise with everything God has given us, from money to our abilities, and everything we have can be used to glorify God.

Most importantly, the true joy of salvation will give you the desire to bless others and be generous with what God has given you. Especially when we realize money will not give us the true satisfaction that salvation in Jesus Christ will.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Feel free to leave me a comment below or email me using the contact button below or in the sidebar. I hope you walk away from reading this post with clarity and a renewed desire to live for Jesus in all aspects of your life. God bless!

Other posts you might like:

What You Need to Know When Waiting for an Answered Prayer from God

When God Says No: Struggling with the Pain of an Unanswered Prayer

5 Things You Must Do to Keep Jesus the Focus of your Healthy Lifestyle

Follow me on YouTube & Instagram & Facebook

Would you please do me a favor?

If you liked this post, would you please take 10 seconds or less to share it?
Blogs are built one small share at a time, so your share means a lot and contributes to the growth of Write Your Story.
Thank you so much for your support!
Ways to share:
-Pin It! (using the image below) -Share to Facebook, Twitter, Stumble Upon, or the platform of your choice using the share buttons below. Thank you!