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Bible Question:
I am a new Christian. I was not raised in the church, and I
have read very little of the Bible. I have worked all of my
life and never seem to get above water. I have always been willing
to help other people when they need it. I will give my last
dime to someone when they need it. Now I realize that I have
created a problem in my own finances. Is there anything in the
Bible that will help me keep the belief that it is better to
give than to receive? I feel like I am falling down a well and
cannot get out. Please help!
Bible Answer:
Some people believe that being rich is a sin and that money
is evil. A few believe that money prevents a person from going
to heaven. Others think that God wants us to give all of our
money to other people. Some think that it is immoral to have
more money than others. But God does not agree.
Wealth and Poverty.
As a younger person I would hear people complain about the wealthy
people and others thought that poverty was a curse from God.
But then I realized that God had made Job the richest man in
the east. It was a gift from God Himself.
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And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed
for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had
twofold. (NASB) Job 42:10 |
I also discovered that God had made Abraham, King
David, and King Solomon very rich. God did this on purpose (1
Kings 3:10-13). It was a surprise to me. It was clear that God
did not consider money to be evil. But if someone wanted wealth,
that desire was a problem.
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But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and
a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge
men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is
a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it
have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves
with many griefs. (NASB) 1 Timothy 6:9-10 |
Just a few verses later we read this,
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Instruct those who are rich in this present world not
to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty
of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all
things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich
in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing
up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for
the future, so that they may take hold of that which is
life indeed. (NASB) 1 Timothy 6:17-19 |
God does not say that we are to give all of our
money away, but He does ask us to share our money with others
when there is a real need. These passages make a strong point.
God gives us the amount of money that He wants us to have; if
we have extra to share He does not expect us to give all of
it to others. He expects us to help others.
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