By Conner Compton
Throughout the Bible, there are numerous passages that address the relationship between God and money, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing spiritual values over material wealth. Jesus’s admonition against serving both God and money (Mathew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters”) highlights the potential pitfalls of wealth. The love of money can lead to greed, selfishness, and a misplaced sense of security. When people prioritize money above all else, they risk neglecting their spiritual well-being and losing sight of higher, eternal values.
However, it’s essential to recognize that money itself is not inherently evil. In fact, money can be a blessing when used wisely and in accordance with God’s principles. It can be used to support one’s family, contribute to charitable causes, and advance God’s kingdom on earth. The problem arises when money becomes an idol, taking the place of God in one’s life and driving decisions and actions.
Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 6 underscores the importance of prioritizing spiritual treasures over earthly ones. Earthly treasures are subject to decay and loss, while treasures in heaven are eternal and not subject to corruption. By focusing on accumulating treasures in heaven, individuals align themselves with God’s eternal purposes and recognize that true fulfillment and security come from a relationship with Him, rather than material possessions.
At the same time, passages like Luke (NIV) 14:28-30 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’”
This verse highlights the importance of responsible stewardship and planning. While Jesus warns against the love of money, He also recognizes the practical necessity of managing resources wisely. Planning and financial prudence are not contradictory to spiritual values but are rather seen as prudent and responsible behaviors.
This leads us to where we see people on two sides of trust. On one hand, some individuals place ultimate trust in money, neglecting their faith and falling into sin. On the other hand, there are those who don’t plan at all for the future, who aren’t using the wisdom God has given them to be wise stewards, and this is true of people that forget that God has given us free will. God’s gift of free will is a fundamental aspect of human existence, allowing us to choose our paths and make decisions.
However, people often forget this responsibility, blaming fate or external factors for their actions. This forgetfulness leads to a sense of powerlessness, ignoring the personal responsibility inherent in free will. We see evidence of this early in the bible in Genesis 2:16-17 “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” This shows that while God has created us in his image, he has also given us free will.
This leads us to see that work is one of our fundamental duties as image-bearers, God designed us to work for Him but He loves us so much that He has given us the ability to make our own decisions. We see this in 2 Thessalonians (NIV) 3:10 “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.'” This verse talks about the biblical principle of the dignity and necessity of work for sustaining oneself and contributing to society. This goes to show that neither one of those extremes is right. The Bible emphasizes the importance of trusting God with everything while also acknowledging the necessity of planning for the future, as mentioned in Luke (NIV) 14:28-30.
God has blessed us with the ability to plan and envision the future, reflecting His trust in our capacity for rational thought and decision-making. However, He also desires us to trust in Him while utilizing the abilities He has bestowed upon us. This balance involves acknowledging God’s sovereignty and seeking His guidance, while actively engaging our talents and resources to pursue our goals. By trusting in God’s wisdom and remaining open to His leading, we can navigate life’s uncertainties with confidence, knowing that He is always with us.
Therefore, while Jesus advises against serving both God and money, it’s not a condemnation of wealth but a caution against allowing money to become the primary focus of one’s life. Balancing the pursuit of financial security with spiritual priorities requires a heart that is aligned with God’s purposes, recognizing that money is a tool to be used in service to Him and His kingdom.
Conner Compton is a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in Financial Planning and Wealth Management.