Is wealth a blessing or a danger?

from the old testament

• Wealth is one way that God blesses people. Moses warned the Israelites, “You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18a). This is because, as David said to God, “Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all” (1 Chronicles 29:12). Therefore, wealth is not inherently sinful and is a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 5:19).
• That said, having wealth does not necessarily mean the wealthy are righteous. Indeed, wealth often reveals a person’s sin. It can lead to forgetting God (Deuteronomy 8:11–14) by placing trust in it, leading to one’s downfall (Proverbs 11:28). Because of this, Agur wisely prayed, “give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8b–9). Wealth can be a gift, but it can also be a snare for someone whose heart is not right.
• Though wealth is a danger, it does not mean it can’t be handled well. Men like Abraham (Genesis 13:2), Job (Job 1:3; 42:10), and David (1 Chronicles 29:2–5) demonstrated that righteous men can be wealthy and use it in ways that honor God.

from the new testament

• Jesus never condemned wealth, but He did condemn the hearts of those who relied on it. For example, because wealth often creates misguided trust, He said, “only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:23). He also said how money makes people foolish, giving a parable of a man who had so many material things that he was devising ways to store all his stuff. God said to that man, “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” (Luke 12:20).
• However, the issue was not the wealth but the love of it. Paul commented, “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:9–10). It is the sinful desire and love of money that is the problem.
• Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). Our priorities (what we treasure) reveal our heart. Because we can only truly love one thing, Jesus added, “no one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
• So, wealth is not the problem; the heart is. Rather than desiring money, we need to learn to be content with what God has given us. Paul remarked, “I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11–13). By Jesus strengthening him, Paul meant that his contentment came from dependence on Christ, not wealth. That allowed Paul to have much at times and little at other times, yet still be content. He demonstrated that his treasure was Jesus, not wealth.
• What, then, should a wealthy Christian do? First, he or she should thank God for the wealth, acknowledging that God has been generous. And then he or she should use the money to help other believers. Paul said, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share” (1 Timothy 6:17–18). Paul was exhorting them to be aware of those who lacked the basic necessities for survival and to be quick to help them. By doing so, they would demonstrate that Jesus, not their money, was where their trust lay.
• What about a poor Christian? First, he or she is not to despair, thinking that his lack of wealth means he has displeased God. Many men throughout biblical history, including Jesus (the most blessed man of all!), lived lives with very little wealth. Second, he or she should thank God because He only gives good gifts (James 1:17) and has good reasons for withholding more. Third, he or she is to strive to use what God has given (talents, time, opportunities) to serve God faithfully.

implications for today

Agur once complained that it seems the wicked are the rich ones (Psalm 73). While he corrected himself by reminding himself that God will ultimately make things right, he made a good observation, one that Jesus would later echo (Luke 12:15). Wealth can be a trap in this life that precedes eternal damnation in the next. That is not because having money is inherently bad but because it exposes the heart’s true desires. However, while many wealthy people have also been wicked, God has used wealthy believers to greatly advance His kingdom. That is, money, like anything else, can be handled wisely by a heart that loves God more than things.

Also, just like wealth doesn’t mean that God is blessing one, neither does poverty. History is littered with men and women trying to be spiritual by denying worldly goods. However, in their zeal, they made poverty their god! That was because they evaluated spirituality on financial scales, just as those who claim that wealth equals spirituality do.

As believers, we must learn to walk the line with material things. Scripture never teaches us to deny planning for our future (Proverbs 6:6–8), but it does condemn relying on our plans (James 4:13–15). It teaches that everything we have comes from God (James 1:17) and that we are to use what He has given to help others (1 Timothy 6:18). In both cases, we are to strive to be content. It’s interesting that Paul remarked that he learned to be content with much (Philippians 4:12), not just with little. Even the wealthy can be discontent! Wherever your financial situation, be content and be wise with what you have.