As we welcome fall and acclimate ourselves to the structure and routine of getting kids back “to” school–in whatever way that looks during today’s climate–we have been thinking about the word OBEDIENCE and the implications of being obedient by exercising faith-based investing.
As Christians, we aren’t ‘recommended’ to obey or ‘asked’ to obey. God commands us to obey Him. And, when we obey, the results of obedience are eternal rewards.
At Beacon Wealth, we believe part of being obedient requires Christians to be educated investors. We offer Biblically Responsible Investing because when we invest in companies that profit from activities, products, or services that go directly against the Word of God, we must not participate in them because God considers them to be unfit for his storehouses. “You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both.” (Deuteronomy 23:18). And throughout the Bible, there are other passages that indicate that it would be better to earn lower returns than to support injustice. (Also read Proverbs 16:8.)
We did a little Scriptural research and found verses that give us a four-point roadmap to be responsible and obedient to God in relationship to our finances.
The Command to Work
At the beginning of Genesis, we read that God considered His creation work. “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.” (Genesis 2:2)
Not only had God worked, but when He created Adam, He expected Adam to work by caring for the Garden of Eden. “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)
The Reward for Work
In the Garden, abundant fruit and vegetables were the results of the labor. However, as sin entered the world, and the work climate changed from being one of care-tending a gorgeous garden to working by the sweat of the brow, a wage and reward system eventually came onto the scene. (Genesis 3:17-19) NIV) God’s order was that mankind should work and the reward would be the ability to eat.
The Offerings from Wages
God made it clear throughout His Word that a tenth of everything we earn — the first fruits of our labor would be given cheerfully and worshipfully. (Malachai 27:30-31)
Anything less than giving back to God a tenth of the harvest is disobedience and comes with consequences. God likens withholding tithes to robbing Him of what is His in the first place. “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. (Malachai 3:8)
It’s a privilege to earn and it’s a joy to give back to God and, it’s obeying His command. We find that even the poorest of the poor who gave cheerfully and willingly were blessed. “…Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:43-44)
The Expectation to Increase
Have you ever considered that Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) and faith-based investing is not new? It started back at the beginning of God’s Word. He not only expected financial generosity for His faithful, but he promised a financial increase to them.
The word entrusted is a key one in Matthew 25:14 where the master who was going on a journey gave money to three of his servants. As we read in the Parable of the Talents, two of the servants took what had been entrusted to them and doubled it. They were responsible and displayed competence to increase. (Matthew 25:14-30)
God has entrusted his faithful followers with skills, education, and experiences that lead to earning a living. When we receive our pay, God expects us to give a portion as a tithe and another portion as offerings, and He expects us to wisely invest so that there is an increase. This is a perfect example of faith-based investing.
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