Money Matters and the Bible

As we retell the story of ultra-wealthy Solomon this Sunday (e.g., 1 Kings 10:14-22), Craig Blomberg, author of Neither Poverty nor Riches (IVP, 2000), can help us put money matters in perspective.  He concludes by stating some of the Bible’s key unifying motifs:

“Material possessions are a good gift from God meant for his peo­ple to enjoy.” Creation is “good” (Gen. 1:3 etc.), and God provides material blessings for our well-being (cf. Acts 4:34; 1 Tim. 6:17).

“Material possessions are simultaneously one of the primary means of turning human hearts away from God.” Many accounts show how having or wanting too much leads to rejection of God, interpersonal hostility, and neglect of the poor (1 Timothy 6:10).

“A necessary sign of a life in the process of being redeemed is transformation in the area of stewardship.” Patriarchs and kings in the Old Testament who were both wealthy and godly shared generously with the needy, and New Testament texts call for generous almsgiving (e.g., Matthew 6:1-4; 1 John 3:17-18).

“There are certain extremes of wealth and poverty which are in and of themselves intolerable.” Still, these extremes cannot be neatly quantified; they will vary depending on economic systems and personal attitudes.  The manna principle applies:  “enough,” but no hoarding (Exodus 16:18; cf. 2 Corinthians 8:13-15).

“Above all, the Bible’s teaching about material possessions is inextricably intertwined with more ‘spiritual’ matters.” Poverty is not an automatic sign of holiness, nor do riches necessarily imply ungodliness.  “But in a remarkable number of instances through­out history, poverty and piety have been found hand in hand, as have wealth and godlessness.”  This underscores the urgency of the second motif above:  beware of the Enemy’s insidious temptations and soul-threatening attacks through wealth!  Take steps to pry your fingers loose from money, and let God’s blessings flow to others (Acts 20:35; 1 Timothy 6:17-19).