Did you know that the topic of finances was discussed by Jesus more than any other topic? Jesus talked about making and investing money. Jesus talked about spending money. Jesus even talked about giving money away.
When the average person makes a decision to follow Jesus – they often forget that their pocketbook is a part of that equation. Jesus wants to be the Lord of our life. He wants to be involved and oversee every area of who we are. Including that part of us that is very near and dear to us – our finances.
1) It is God’s Money
As a follower of Jesus – it’s so important for you to understand how Jesus wants you to manage the finances that He has given you. Yes – all you have has been given to you. The Bible teaches us that God has blessed everyone He has created with all that we have. All of our wealth has been created for us by God.
Now the Bible teaches us that while we were separated from God, and were under the control of Satan, we actually served Satan’s kingdom with the money that we had. Some of us were so driven and controlled by money, by the lust of our flesh (consumerism), and by the lust of our eyes (materialism).
The Bible teaches us that once we choose to make Jesus the Lord of our life – He wants us to see money differently. The Bible teaches us that God wants us to see that we are stewards of the finances He has given us to manage. God wants us to see ourselves as mangers of His finances. God wants us to treat our finances as if they were His – because well – they are. That’s a totally different mentality than we might be used to. We often see the money in our bank accounts as “our money”. The Bible teaches us that God wants us to see that our bank accounts are actually His bank accounts. Our investments are actually His investments. Our businesses are actually His businesses.
This is the most important step we can take as a follower of Jesus – but it’s often the hardest. It’s hard to give control of the money we have worked to earn over to Jesus. It’s hard to change our savings, investing, giving and spending habits. Especially the ones that we’re so used to and the ones that we’re so comfortable with.
It’s hard to see that we manage isn’t ours but has been given to us to manage – but that’s the first step. It’s important as followers of Jesus to see ourselves as managers of God’s money. Then as we see that – we will understand that everything else we do – work & invest, give, and spend come out of that.
For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; (Romans 14:7)
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17)
2) Work & Investment
The Bible teaches us very clearly that it is God’s desire that the finances our finances would prosper. The Bible teaches us that it is God who prospers us at the right time – at a time where money will not destroy us – and at a time that we are prepared to oversee it.
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)
Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:10)
That doesn’t mean that God will give to all equally. The Bible teaches God oversees the welfare of both the rich and the poor – and because of this we ought not to be people who mock the poor. We ought not to look down on those who are without. We are not to see those with less money as less spiritual.
The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all. (Proverbs 22:2)
He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker; He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished. (Proverbs 17:5)
The Bible is very clear. It is God’s desire for us to work. It’s God’s desire for us that we all use our skills and talents and abilities to find and maintain gainful employment – whether that means working for another company or that means working in our own business. God doesn’t promise that all work will be easy but promises that if we are faithful in our work – He will be faithful to us in providing for our needs.
He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. (Ephesians 4:28)
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
The Bible is also very clear about investing – God is into it. God wants us to take what He has given us and find investments that both honor Him and will yield a good return. We must do our homework and find God honoring investments. We must also ask for wisdom to choose investments that will turn out for our greatest benefit.
“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. “Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.”In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. “But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.”Now after a long time the master of those slaves *came and *settled accounts with them. “The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.’And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.’Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. (Matthew 25:14-27)
“But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:28)
3) His Kingdom
For a long time, I believed that it was up to me to decide how much of my income was to be given to charity. What I discovered, however, is that God has prescribed a particular percentage for me to give – and who it is to whom I was to give it.
The Bible teaches us that right from the beginning, people recognized their duty of setting aside and dedicating a tenth of the increase of their income to God. We see that Abraham paid a tenth of his increase to Melchizedek – a priest of the time (Gen 14:20; Heb 7:6). We also see that Jacob vowed that He would give a tenth of all He had to God.
Later on, when God gave the law to His people through Moses, we find that God prescribed three sets of tithes equaling twenty three percent of people’s income. The first ten percent was designated for the priests, the second ten percent for the use of the temple and the annual feasts, and three percent was to be used for the poor of the land (Lev 27:30-32, Num 18:21-24, Num 18:26-28; Deu 12:5, 6, 11,17; Deu 14:22, 23).
At that time, the temple was more than just the people’s religious centre – it was their political and legal centre as well. We find out that over time, God allowed society and people’s obligations to change. We see a separation between church and state. We see law and order, judgment and society being ruled – not by priests or prophets – but by kings. We don’t see, however, God changing His mind about the people allocating their income to maintain the priest and the temple.
The Bible teaches us, in fact, that God’s people were rebuked by the prophets and their land was ravaged with poverty when the people neglected delegating a portion of their income that God had pre prescribed for them to give away.
“For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. “Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts. “All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts. (Mal 3:6-12)
Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?” Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways! “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways! “Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the LORD. “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the LORD of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. “Therefore, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld its produce. “I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands.” (Hag 1:3-11)
We find that after Jesus, the people of God are called to continue doing what was done in the Old Testament. The Bible teaches us that we are all priests to God (Rev 1:5-6) and that God does not dwell in particular buildings (John 4) – but God still calls us to set aside a portion of our income to go to our local assembly – the local spiritual family that we’re involved with.
The Bible teaches that money is to be collected and distributed to the following areas inside the church:
1 – Overseers, visiting teachers (to help them with life costs). (1 Corinthians 9; Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17-18)
2 – Those who have a need in the local assembly. (Acts 4:35; 1 Timothy 5:9; James 2:15-16)
3 – For those who are establishing other churches home / abroad. (Romans 5:26; 2 Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:14-20)
4 – For facility/equipment rentals & costs. (1 Corinthians 16:1-3 ) We need to be careful that this cost does not grow beyond our capacity. The early church grew without owning buildings.
The Bible also teaches that there are four main areas that finances are to be put towards outside the assembly: the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, and the poor. (Exodus 22:21-25; Zechariah 7:10; Acts 20:35; Galatians 2:10; James 1:27)
Now, the question that many ask is – how much do I give? There is no percentage or specific amount allotted in the New Testament like the Old Testament. What we do have, however is both the command of Christ and the example of the early church that to the principle of tithing – or the giving of ten percent of ones income.
Jesus affirmed the tithing as a value along side justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.(Matthew 23:23)
In the early church, many people actually gave all they had to share with their spiritual brothers and sisters – not ten percent – one hundred percent. The first Christians were so overwhelmed at what Christ had done for them in rescuing them from Satan’s kingdom and bringing them into God’s eternal kingdom – they wanted to share all that they had with their local spiritual family – not some of what they had – all of what they had. They realized that they didn’t serve themselves anymore but God – and what God had given them was for all to enjoy. Listen to this.
For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 4:34-37)
There are principles for how much we give that we can extract from the example of the early Christians. Firstly, we ought to give from a heart that sees self as a steward of all God has given us (Job 1:21). We can’t give God money. We can use what is given and be a steward of it. We stand before God at the end to be judged by Him about how we handled His money (Matthew 16:27). Secondly, we need to realize the expenses that are there in the body. Thirdly, we need to do what can with what we’ve been given. In OT it took well over 10 percent of most people’s salary to fund the tabernacle. In the NT people shared their finances with each other. As we find our priorities in life – we will focus on them.
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.” Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. (2Co 9:6-12)
“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure–pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” (Luke 6:38)
4) Your Daily Needs
The Bible makes it very clear that it costs to live – but just like God feeds the birds of the air – so will He provide for His own. God has promised that if we follow Him, He will provide whatever it is that we need.
“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Mat 6:31-34)
God never promised to provide for our wants. In fact, God actually commands us not to eagerly seek a lavish and extravagant things beyond what we really need. Why? The wisest and richest person in the world – Solomon the King – tells us in Ecclesiastes that the pursuit of wealth is meaningless and like trying to bottle the wind. Why? He gave a few reasons. A person can never have enough – and the pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied. A person may never live long enough to enjoy what they have. A person’s things can be destroyed or misused the day after they die.
Peter also reminds us that all we have is glorified dust that eventually will no longer exist – so we ought to focus on those things that will last.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, (2 Peter 3:10-14)
Jesus sums it up this way.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
That’s probably a lot different than you may have thought. The Bible teaches us that money is a means to an end – it’s an element of life that we use but must not be controlled by. Money is a tool that we are given to live life by God to manage and to use as He wants us to.
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. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)