The bible says a lot about money, property, greed, comfort and a plethora of other issues about both our spiritual and financial lives. A quick google search shows that there are over 2000 bible verses about money. Suffice to say; there’s a lot more to learn about money than just how we spend it on commodities, we need direction and transparency on the issue. Continue reading below to find out three important things the Bible teaches us about money.
Is Money The Root Of All Evil?
First Timothy 6:10 is a frequently misquoted verse leading many to believe that money is the root of evil. On the contrary, it is the love of it that leads people to wander away from the faith. The correct quote shows that an unnatural earnest towards money, apart from what God intended, leads to evil manifesting itself in our lives. God is therefore not against being rich, but he is staunchly against the sole pursuit and love of it because doing so brings forth evil. Satan is the source of all evil. Paul says that the lust for wealth will inevitably cause some to wander away from their first love, Jesus Christ. Ultimately, we find that when we gain riches, happiness doesn’t necessarily follow.
Nothing Wrong With Being Rich
Matthew 19:24 details an incident when a young man asks Jesus what he could do to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Jesus remarked, sell all you have and follow me. Promptly, the rich man left feeling depressed because he has great possessions. This lead Jesus to say that it’s easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than a rich man to enter heaven. Does this mean that rich people can’t go to heaven? Quite the contrary, Jesus didn’t say that the rich can’t come into heaven, but that it is exceedingly difficult because a rich person is in need of nothing, so the motivation to go to God to have their needs met is virtually absent. The rich person would have to come to a complete realization of the spiritual depravity of their circumstances to change; a conclusion reached only through grace. Some people who support the ministry of Christ are rich. There’s no problem with being rich, think of Abraham. Abraham was rich, and God blessed him exceedingly.
Freely Give
Proportionally, the poorest give more when compared to the rich. Psalms 41:1-3 details the overabundance of blessing laid up for those who give, whether it be to the poor or the work of God through paying tithes. Remember in Mark when Jesus watched the crowd placing money into the temple storehouse. The rich people gave substantial sums, but a feeble widow put in two copper coins, worth less than a penny. After calling his disciples, Jesus said that the poor widow gave more than the rich. The rich had more to give, so it was less of a sacrifice, but the poor widow gave of great sacrifice due to her impoverished circumstances. Ultimately, this shows that the widow has trust in God’s ability to provide, so it’s not about the quantity you give but your sacrifice. God loves a generous giver, their inclination to give stems from a love and faith ingrained in Gods promise.