Christians & Money

How should Christians handle money? Is it okay for Christians to want to get rich? Doesn't the Bible teach that money is the root of all evil? And didn't Jesus teach his followers to give all they had to the poor? What about debt and spending habits? What lessons can one take from the Bible concerning money?
Priority of God's Kingdom
In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus sets the tone for his ministry and teachings. He tells his listeners to not "lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" (Matthew 6:19-20).
He goes on to say that his people should not worry about the future (including their financial future), but should "seek first the kingdom of God" and trust God to provide for their needs (Matthew 6:33).
Clearly, the priority of God's people is (or should be) the kingdom of God. When God's people shift their focus to the things of the earth, they are focusing on that which is perishable and will not last.
Copyright 2008 - Brian Tubbs – All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Rejection of Lust and Greed
Is it okay for Christians to want to get rich? Taking Jesus' Sermon on the Mount into account, Christians are not to focus their lives around "laying up treasures on this earth." This would indicate that the accumulation of earthly wealth is not to be one's primary goal in life.
In his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul places the "love of money" at the "root of all evil" (I Timothy 6:10). While most modern English translations have softened this to say "the root of all kinds of evil," the original King James Version seems to be more accurate to the original Greek.
The "love of money" represents greed - the desire for gain. Sociologists today would be hard pressed to deny that greed and the desire for gain -- for possession - is not at the source of all our social pathologies.
Compassion and Love
Jesus said the two greatest commandments were to love God and love your neighbor. In the context of these commandments, he challenged the "rich young ruler" to "sell all that you have and give to the poor" (Luke 18:22). The young man refused and left Jesus.
Copyright 2008 - Brian Tubbs – All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Many commentators conclude that this passage sets a works-based standard for salvation or establishes a requirement that one eschew any financial ambitions in order to be a part of the family of God. I disagree.
A more contextual reading of this account takes one back to the Mosaic Law itself, where people were told to have "no gods" before Yahweh. Jesus correctly identified riches and wealth as the rich young ruler's ultimate "god" and, therefore, the young man's barrier to God.
The Bible teaches that a person must fully and passionately love God and his or her fellow human beings. This means putting personal wealth on the back-burner of one's priority list, and instead extending love and compassion to those around him or her.
Stewardship
Money is, however, a reality of today - as it was a reality of Jesus' day and Moses' day. Money is a possession, a tool. And thus it falls under the same general stewardship principles found in the Scriptures. We are responsible before God for all that which is under our care.
Copyright 2008 - Brian Tubbs – All Rights Reserved Worldwide
So, with the preceding foundational principles in mind, let us address some of the specific questions that confront Christians today when it comes to money…
WHAT IS MONEY?
When we think of money, we must understand that it is a tool used for the exchange of goods and services. We should not make it more complicated than that. Money is a tool for exchange.
Without coinage or currency, societies resort to barter. For example, a farmer may offer a portion of his crop in exchange for medical care for his family. When he does so, that crop portion becomes essentially the same as money.
Of course, the earliest and best known form of barter is labor. Adam Smith said, “Labor was the first price, the original purchase-money that was paid for all things.”
What is typically the case now is that we labor for money – and then we use money to acquire the goods and services we need or desire.
HOW PEOPLE GET WEALTHY
Throughout all of human history, some form of barter or money exchange has been in place to facilitate the exchange of goods and services.
Copyright 2008 - Brian Tubbs – All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Those with access to the most money or the most goods to barter with held the most power and influence over the marketplace and enjoyed the greatest level of comfort and security.
In the Bible, some of the richest individuals were landowners and/or sheep-herders. Examples include Job, whose property and livestock gave him wealth and status.
This was the case with nation-states...