Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

The Bible indicates that the pursuit or possession of money should be treated as a means to be employed in service to God, or for purposes indicated by Him (including basic self-support, as well as helping others in need), rather than as an end in itself, or as something that supersedes the importance of God in the individual's life, and thus in effect becoming the individual's true "god". As Jesus indicated in Matthew 6:24, simultaneous service to God and money is impossible.

Money can be an earthly blessing if kept in perspective, but assigning it too much importance turns its pursuit and possession into a form of slavery from which faith in Christ is intended to free the individual. As Paul said to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:7-10, "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." (Note that Paul does not say -- as he is often misquoted -- that money itself is the root of all evil, but that love of money is.)

August 12 2020 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

There are over two thousand verses in the bible that mention money and material wealth. Sixteen of Jesus's parables talk about money and how we are to manage it. Jesus talked more about money than he did about love. Why? Because money is a powerful TOOL and a powerful TEMPTATION. 

We live in a world where ninety percent of the world's wealth is held by ten percent of the world's population. If we enjoy the basic necessities of life (food, clothing and shelter), then we are considered wealthy compared with most of the world. It has only been in the last one hundred-fifty years that people living in the western industrial world have been able to amass wealth beyond what is needed for daily life. God expects the wealth of this world to be used to meet the basic necessities of life for all people, and he expects his people (Christians) to lead by example.

Having money and material wealth enables us to gratify every sensual pleasure imaginable. Sinful desires are born when we manage money in worldly ways. The "high" we get from spending money on our pleasures is like a drug addiction. We enjoy the pleasure but the good feelings don't last so we need to spend more. Then, like an addict, we need more money to buy more drugs, so we become enslaved to lust and greed to get more money to spend on our pleasures.

When Jesus encountered the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-30), Jesus could see in this young man's heart a deep desire to live a God-pleasing life (like many Christians today) but Jesus also saw that money and material wealth had enslaved him. To break the chains, Jesus told this young man to give all his wealth away and then follow Jesus. The young man went away very sad because he couldn't let go. Then Jesus made the astounding statement that it is impossible for rich people to enter the kingdom of God (ie to become Christians) on their own, but it is not impossible with God's help. The cure for the drug addiction of money and material wealth is a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that is witnessed through a life of abounding generosity.

August 13 2020 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report