What does the Bible teach about Money?

The Bible is filled with principles that help us to be wise with our finances. The Pentateuch is littered with financial legislation to regulate OT Israel in their personal finances and economy. The book of Proverbs provides readers with a practical guide on how to avoid the self-induced poverty of the sluggard. The book of Ecclesiastes sounds a sober warning to all who are tempted to trust in the vanity of earthly riches. The Gospels record Jesus teaching his disciples that you cannot trust God and money, you have to choose one. The NT Epistles explain the importance of a personal work ethic to create the wealth needed to survive and to give.

The Bible is not afraid to talk about money and even to tell us what we should do with our money, which means that we need to listen to what Scripture has to say if we want to be faithful with our finances. Among all that the Bible teaches about finances, there are a number of principles that are especially important to consider.

Principles for how to think about money

We need to begin by considering some principles for how we are to THINK about our money. The Bible doesn’t help us with our money by telling us what purchases to make or what investments to consider. The Bible helps us with money by helping us to approach our money with the right mindset. If we are going to be prudent with our finances then we will need to think carefully and biblically about money. Here are some principles that will help you have the right mindset when it comes to thinking about your money.

Principle of Ownership

PRINCIPLE: Everything belongs to the Creator, including our money.

This principle is the most important principle that should impact every aspect of your views about money. Another way of stating this principle is to say that your money doesn’t actually belong to you; it belongs to God because everything we have comes from him.

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,” (Ps 24:1, ESV)

“Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.” (Job 41:11, ESV)

“For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine.” (Ps 50:10–12, ESV)

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” (Acts 17:24–25, ESV)

Principle of Providence

PRINCIPLE: The Lord is the one who providentially determines our wealth.

We are responsible for foolish actions that lead to poverty and we called by God to make wise decisions that lead to provision. That being said, what we have and how much we have is ultimately determined by God—our station in life comes from Him. The category of providence is often replaced with pragmatism (I did it) and class warfare (you did it to me). But the Bible teaches that the Lord has sovereignly chosen to bless some with great wealth, and others with more meager provisions.

“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 8:17–18, ESV)

“Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.” (1 Chronicles 29:12, ESV)

“The blessing of the Lord makes rich.…” (Proverbs 10:22, ESV)

Principle of Stewardship

PRINCIPLE:  God has entrusted money to us as stewards/caretakers of what belongs to him.

We are caretakers of what God entrusted to us and we will an account to Him for what we did with his money. As stewards we must prioritize faithfulness to God in our finances over satisfying our desires with our money. When you misuse, neglect, and waste the money that God has given to you it is a form of “spiritual embezzlement.” We must view ourselves of “stewards of God’s varied grace” including financial provision (1 Pt 4:10). We must seek to be faithful stewards with the money God has supplied to us.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:” (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:1–2, ESV)

Principle of Devotion

PRINCIPLE: Money is not worthy of our devotion, only Christ is worthy of devotion

Money is a horrible idol that will never satisfy and will certainly ruin every part of your life if you worship it. Rockefeller is reported as saying at the end of his life, “I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness.” Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men in the history of the world, said, “Millionaires seldom smile.” We must resist the temptation to be devoted to money instead of God. Don’t trade a relationship with the living and true God so that you can love, serve, and idolize money. God is worthy of our total devotion, especially when you consider the infinite value of the GOSPEL. There is no dollar amount that would make it worthy to compromise in your devotion and loyalty to Christ.

““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.” (Matthew 6:24, ESV)

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 Jn 2:15)

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”” (Mark 8:36–38, ESV)

““The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44–46, ESV)

Principles for how to respond to money

It is also helpful to consider some principles for how to respond to money. There are unique responses and temptations that arise within our hearts when it comes to the issue of money. For you it might be anxiety, or control, or selfishness, or pride… or a revolving door of all these inward impulses. Money—and all you can do with money—can be an incredibly deceptive influence (1 Tim 6:9-10).

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:9–10, ESV) 

Here are some principles that will help you rightly respond to the issue of money in your heart.

Principle of Faith

PRINCIPLE: Your money is an opportunity to entrust yourself and your family to God.

Faith and finances are inextricably linked… but not in the way that the Televangelist claims they are linked. Faith is not the key to increasing your wealth in a name it and claim it kind of way— I am NOT talking about the prosperity gospel. There is not a one-for-one equivalence between your faith and your bank account. Instead, you should view finances as an opportunity for you to test, prove, and exercise your faith in God to provide for your needs.

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matthew 6:31–32, ESV)

“Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” (Proverbs 11:28, ESV)

Principle of Thankfulness

PRINCIPLE: Your money is an opportunity to be thankful to God no matter how much (or little) you have.

We have an obligation to give thanks for whatever the Lord provides to us, especially when we consider the fact that we don’t deserve anything from him. Sometimes we spend so much time fretting about where money for tomorrow will come we don’t thank God for today. Usually, we are not even anxious about our needs being met, we are anxious that only our needs will be met! We should be grateful to have a God so kind that he wants to bless us materially, it should cause us to worship that we possess anything rather than tempt us to anxiety that we do not have enough!

“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, ESV)

“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:4–5, ESV)

““Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’ ”” (Luke 17:7–10, ESV)

Principle of Humility

PRINCIPLE: Your money is not something that you can boast about.

There is a significant temptation to boast in our wealth and view it as a sign of our superiority over others. Even if you worked very hard for what you have, you must take into account the fact that God gave you the energy to work and blessed your effort. Bottom line: You owe everything to God, which means your money should never be something that you take pride in.

“A rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has understanding will find him out.” (Proverbs 28:11)

“…What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7, ESV)

Principle of Contentment

PRINCIPLE: The secret to faithfulness in your finances isn’t wealth, it is contentment.

Your money can’t satisfy your heart, there’ll never be enough money to do everything your flesh wants to do. You can only find peace in your finances if you learn to be content with what God has provided to you, especially if that includes the provision of salvation in Christ Jesus. If you know Christ you can be content with lots of money or with just a little bit of money because you know that all of your eternal needs will be met in him.

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10, ESV)

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11–13, ESV)

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”” (Hebrews 13:5, ESV)

Principle of Self-Control

PRINCIPLE: Your money is not for your flesh, so you must exercise self-control.

If the principle of ownership is the most important principle, then this is the most personal principle. Your flesh wants to consume and wants money so you can consume more, but money is not to feed the flesh. In fact, why would the Lord bless you with disposable income if he knows you are going to spend it on your flesh?

“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8, ESV)

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3, ESV)

Principles for how handle money

We also need to consider what the Bible has to say about how to handle our money.

The Bible does not provide us with specific figures on how to use money, but it’s still an amazingly practical guide on how money should be handled. Here are some principles that will help us to prudently handle the money God provides for us.

Principle of Diligence

PRINCIPLE: Your money—most ordinarily—will be the result of diligent work.

The general principle set forth in Scripture is you will have to work hard to provide for your physical needs. The way God designed for this world to function is that ordinarily you can only expect prosperity thru work. Get rich quick schemes, working smarter not harder, exploiting others are all manifestations of laziness, not a way to beat the system. Things got a lot harder as a result of the Fall, but hard work has always been a noble response to God and the realities of the world he created. Diligence is the most ordinary method for building wealth and providing for your needs.

“By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”” (Genesis 3:19, ESV)

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5,)

“Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.” (Proverbs 12:11)

“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” (Proverbs 13:4, ESV)

“A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” (Proverbs 10:4, ESV)

Principle of Duties

Principle: There are some specific duties and obligations God intends for you to use your money on.

God gives you money so that you can meet the needs of your household (1 Tim 5:8). God gives you money so that you can help meet the needs of the church/ministry (Gal 6:10). God gives you money so that you can bless the needs of your neighbor (Gal 6:10). The Lord provides use with wealth so that we can meet these obligations, but once these obligations are met you are free to use your money for your enjoyment. (1 Tim 6:17)

“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8, ESV)

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10, ESV)

“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.” (1 Timothy 6:17, ESV)

 Principle of Deliberation

PRINCIPLE: Your money should be deliberately handled to make the best use of all God provides.

God didn’t give you money because it can take care of itself, he gave it to you so that you could take care of it. One way we can practically ensure faithful stewardship is through careful budgeting--make sure you are fulfilling your obligations this month. Another way we can practically ensure faithful stewardship is thru careful savings—prepare for tomorrow.

“Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,” (Proverbs 27:23, ESV)

“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” (Proverbs 13:11, ESV)

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.” (Prov 13:22)

“Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” (Proverbs 21:20, ESV)

Principle of Debt

PRINCIPLE: The Bible does not prohibit debt, but it provides significant warnings to avoid unnecessary debt.

Avoid unnecessary debt — If you have to go into debt for it you should examine whether you really need it. Avoid debts you cannot payback — If you make a financial commitment you must keep that commitment. Avoid debts that prevent you from giving to the church — You don’t want obligations that unnecessarily hinder generosity. It is not a sin to take on debt when necessity and wisdom require it, however it is not something that you should do lightly or frequently. 

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” (Rom 13:8)

“The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;” (Psalm 37:21, ESV)

“Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?” (Proverbs 22:26–27, ESV)

The Principles for how to give your money

We also need to consider what the Bible has to say specifically about how to give our money. As believers we have an opportunity to participate in ministry and lay up treasure in heave with our money. We also have an obligation before the Lord to give the work that he is doing through the church around the world. Here are some principles that will help us to understand our responsibility to give a little better.

Principle of Generosity

PRINCIPLE: The way you give your money should be characterized by generosity.

Being a good steward doesn’t mean that you should be a miser with your money, especially when God gives it to you to use. Stinginess can be a result of a selfish desire to fulfill future desires or sinful anxiety that God won’t provide. The Bible doesn’t promise you get rich if you give, but it does teach giving won’t get in the way your finances. Your money is something you can cheerfully part with, especially when it is for someone else’s benefit.

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

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”” (Acts 20:35, ESV)

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” (Prov 11:24)

Principle of Sacrifice

PRINCIPLE: Your money is for sacrificial service not your personal satisfaction.

Believers are not required to give a 10% tithe in the way that OT Israel was; we are not under compulsion to give a specific amount. Instead, we are required to give sacrificially as an act of worship to God that should actually cost you something. This means that believers must practically live below their means rather than at or above them so that can sacrificially give. 

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

“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” (2 Corinthians 8:1–5, ESV)

Principle of First-fruits

PRINCIPLE: A portion of your money should be given to the Lord before anything else.

In the OT the first part of the harvest was dedicated to God and used in the service of the Temple for worship. It was an act of faith—it was so certain God would provide the rest that they gave away their very first fruits. In a similar way, giving is not something we do with our leftovers at the end of the month—it’s a first priority. Giving is not optional if we have enough extra, it is our first financial responsibility as Christians.

““The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God... ” (Exodus 23:19, ESV)

“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.” (Proverbs 3:9–10, ESV)

 Principle of Sowing

PRINCIPLE: Your money is opportunity for spiritual fruit and store up treasure in heaven

Don’t look at your money merely as a way to meet your needs and have some fun while you are on this earth. Your money can be used to store up treasures that are far greater than any material blessing in this life. Don’t be anxious about your money, be anxious to use your money for God’s Kingdom purposes. We want to be careful that we do not fall into the error of the prosperity Gospel. There’s not a one-for-one exact correlation between our giving and the immediate blessings we receive from God. That being said, the Bible does teach that God consistently, eternally, and temporally blesses those who demonstrate stewardship and generosity with the finances that he provides to them.

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Proverbs 11:24–25, ESV)

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Proverbs 19:17, ESV)

“Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.” (Proverbs 28:27, ESV)

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”” (Acts 20:35, ESV)

Conclusion: There is much more that could be said about the unique temptations and opportunities that money can present in our lives—the Bible says a lot on the subject. But for now, these principles will not only helpful us think biblical about the money God has provided for us.