The Truth About Money

Written by Ken Harmon

This article is courtesy of ParentLife magazine.

God’s Word not only points us to His amazing grace, mercy, and unfailing love but also gives us a roadmap of how to live our lives. This even includes the area of finance.

The Bible gives clear directions for earning, spending, investing, giving, and getting out of debt. The subject is so important that there are more than 2,350 verses on money and possessions.¹ The very fact that God gives the subject so much mention should encourage us to pay attention to what He has to say.

Sixteen of 38 parables Jesus taught were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. Jesus spoke so much about the subject because He knows how easily it competes for our hearts. He said in Luke 16:13: “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Many of us end up serving money because we do not know what God’s Word says about it.

Society says: “God plays no role in handling money and my happiness is based on being able to afford my desired standard of living.” In contrast Scripture says: “As you learn and follow scriptural principles of how to handle money, you will draw close to Christ and learn to be content in every circumstance.”²
My hope is that you will gain a better understanding from God’s precepts that will be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path (Psalm 119:105) regarding your family’s financial matters.

As we explore God’s Word on finances, it is necessary to grasp some fundamental truths.

• What we possess, God owns. Society would have us believe that we own all we have and control our own destiny. The Bible teaches that God loves us (John 3:16-18) and gives us good gifts. He is ruler over all things, owns everything, and is in absolute control (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). There should be no doubt that God is the owner of all we possess.
• We are to be stewards of God’s possessions. God has given us responsibility as stewards (managers) over His possessions (Genesis 1:26-31). We will have to give account to God regarding how we manage the resources He has entrusted to us.
• God wants us to be wise with His resources. God wants to find us faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2). Unfortunately, statistics indicate that over 90 percent of Christian educational institutions, denominations, and churches lack planned training on finances. Learn all you can and make a plan. Hopefully the topics addressed in the months ahead will be vitally important for you.
• Work with proper focus. Society gives us extreme messages about work. Some say get out of work any way you can. Others say work is the only thing that matters; it does not matter who you hurt along the way. The Bible reminds us to work as if we are working for God. Work hard but do not let it become an idol.
• True joy comes from a relationship with Christ, not from wealth. Some may think that wealth brings security and happiness, but those qualities are fleeting. Our trust should be in Christ. If God blesses you with wealth, share freely with those in need.

1 Dr. John E. Haggai, The Sin We’re Afraid to Mention (The Maclellan Foundation, 2000). Audiocassette.
2 Howard Dayton, Your Money Counts (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House, 1996).

Ken Harmon is employed by the investment brokerage firm Morgan Keegan and serves as a volunteer for the Middle Tennessee Ministry of Crown Financial as a City Team Member and group leader.