Is It Wrong To Love Money?
Want Money? Who Doesn’t?
Need Money? We All Do!
Love Money? Guilty or Not?
I need money
How do we as Christians justify our desire and need for money? Desiring money seems so guilty and filthy. Wanting more money makes us feel like we are carnal and not spiritual. Focusing on money makes many Christians feel ashamed, like they can’t and don’t trust God when they focus on getting more money. Is the desire for more money simply a carnal desire that is not spiritual? Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus taught and spoke about money on many occasions. In fact, he taught that God’s people can actually learn lessons on how to manage money from unbelievers (See Luke 16:8) because sometimes Christians are simply ignorant or irresponsible with money.
I want money
Struggling with money happens for rich and poor alike (and anyone in between those extremes). Jesus did not say money, having money, needing money, or wanting money was wrong. 1 Timothy 6:10 teaches, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Paul points out the problem with this overwhelming desire for money is covetousness. Having money is not sin. Wanting money is not sin. Needing money is not sin. Coveting money, now that is sin. While God does not always promise that we will continually live with abundance, He does consistently bless his people with abundance. Adam and Eve in the garden, lived in abundance. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph all lived with great financial wealth at their disposal. King David and King Solomon were both wealthy. Paul even referenced believers in New Testament times that were blessed with abundance of wealth.
I struggle with money
Do you struggle with money? Many poor people are struggling with how to get more money. Many wealthy people are struggling with how to utilize their wealth wisely. Jesus blessed Peter with money in a fish’s mouth to pay their taxes. He used the upper room of a wealthy man for the last supper. He even spent 3 nights in the sepulchre that was owned by a wealthy Jew, Joseph of Arimathaea. Jesus understands money and its benefits better than anyone else. When He called Matthew to follow Him, Matthew did not have to “clean up his act” as a tax collector like Zacheus did. Matthew had character and was an honest man. That’s why Jesus called him. Like all other tax collectors in his day, Matthew had money. Zacheus, on the other hand, while he had money, he had taken it from people in a dishonest way. That’s why Zacheus addressed the very issue of covetousness in his heart. He had to go back and make financial restitution with people he stole from.
So fellow believer, how are you focused on money? Here are some simple Bible principles:
Tithe - Tithing is a Bible principle. Abraham tithed to God before the law had been given to Moses and the Israelites.
Give Graciously. 2 Corinthians 9:7 reads, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
Focus on the Blesser, and not only the blessing. Thank God for His financial blessings.
Ask God to give you wisdom. In Luke 16:8 Jesus is quoted as saying, “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”
Learn how to accept and live with God’s blessings as His child. (Repeat this until you believe it: “I am the rich child of a loving Father.”) Then live in light of that truth daily. You will be amazed how many false beliefs you have about money will try to keep you from living in light of that simple truth!
