A Biblical View of True Wealth

In our era of great material abundance, I believe the need has never been greater for followers of Christ to gain a solid understanding of how the Bible views money, wealth, and possessions.

by Jerry Robinson, FTMDaily.com Editor-in-Chief

Today, by popular demand, we are launching a new regular segment that will focus on what the Bible says about money, wealth, and possessions. Today’s topic: A Biblical view of true wealth.

I have been a student of the Bible since I was 15 years old. Over the years, I have spent thousands of hours studying these ancient writings, with a particular focus on the topics of money andeschatology (prophecy). I simply love the Book and believe it holds the answers to all of mankind’s deepest problems.

Over the years, I have spoken at numerous churches around the country on a variety of topics, including how to build “true wealth.” From my travels, I have discovered a wide array of views and teachings held by our nation’s churches regarding the ideas of money, wealth, and possessions.

For example, some churches teach that seeking after money is a “good” thing and that possessing wealth is a sign of God’s “blessing.” Others, however, are uncomfortable with the notion that God “blesses” people with money and view the desire for it as inherently “evil.” And there are, of course, many other views that fall somewhere between these two extremes.

In our era of great material abundance, I believe the need has never been greater for followers of Christ to gain a solid understanding of how the Bible views money, wealth, and possessions.

Of course, I do not have space to explore everything the Bible has to say about money within today’s brief column. After all, the Bible contains a staggering 2,350+ verses on money, wealth, and possessions!

When I first began studying what the Bible had to say about money back in the early 1990′s, I recall being shocked by the immense number of Biblical references to the topics of money, wealth, and possessions. In my naivete, I remember thinking: “Why does God seem so obsessed with money?”

It was only later that I realized that it was not God that was obsessed with the topic of money. Instead, the Bible’s 2,350+ verses on the topic were written due to humanity’s obsession with money.

You see, the Bible is clear that God views money as His chief competitor for the hearts of mankind. The pleasure, security, and peace of mind that money can buy us can serve to devastate our fellowship with God.

The 16th century English philosopher and statesmen, Francis Bacon, once said: “Money is a good servant, a dangerous master.”

Jesus puts it this way: “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matt. 6:24 (NLT)

Clearly, God views money as a potential competitor for our hearts and minds.

The Biblical View of True Wealth

According to the Bible, real “prosperity” and true “wealth” does not consist of owning an abundance of possessions. Instead, I believe the Biblical definition of real “prosperity” and true “wealth” is “having what you need, when you need it.”

This is exactly the type of “wealth” that Jesus enjoyed during His time on the earth.

So, with this in mind, let’s examine three Biblical passages that reveal Jesus’ unique relationship with money and possessions.

continue article at FTM Daily:

http://ftmdaily.com/daily-briefing/true-wealth/