God orMammon: A Biblical View of Finances Based ontalk delivered at the ERCS Reformation Conference on 9 Nov 2002 I am not an expert in the matter offinancial management, nor do I have much to manage. In fact, my wife is thefinancial manager of God’s gracious providence to our family. I receive mypocket money from her! So I am in no position to share about financialmanagement, nor would I have agreed to address this subject if that was what Ithought was required of me. But the indirect reference to Matthew 6:24 in theassigned title assures me otherwise. For, while I cannot share any practiceadvice on wealth management, nor think it fit for a gathering of Christianpeople to spend time on such a subject, I believe there are some things thatthe Holy Spirit intends us to learn concerning our finances. The Word of God,after all, has much to teach us in regard to the way in which we should viewour wealth; or in other words, what our attitude with regard to money andfinances should be. We can, in particular, derive at leastseven biblical principles, which more or less describe the teaching in God’sWord on how we should view and deal with the wealth that God has given us. Principle#1: This is the most basic principle, which wemust bear in mind whenever we begin to think about our wealth or finances. Godis our Creator and the Creator of the universe, therefore everything in thisworld belongs ultimately to Him. The Scripture affirms this doctrine innumerous places. For examples:
If we, and all the things in the worldbelong to God, then all our wealth or monetary resources belong to God. That isto say that God is Lord even over our wealth. Therefore our attitude towardsour wealth and the manner in which we should manage our wealth is not a matterof indifference—seeing that what we have, do not ultimately belong to us. Thereis therefore such a thing as right or wrong in our attitude and management ofour wealth. But how do we determine what is right andwhat is wrong? Well, this must be determined from the Scriptures. This is whywe are drawing principles from the Word of God on this matter! Principle#2: The first principle that we had statedthat all things in the world belongs to God, has,—in the history of theChurch,—led to two errors. The first is the glorification of materialpoverty. This was the error of the monastic movement, which taught that pietyinvolves giving away all that one possesses. Since all things rightly belong toGod, it would surely be better to give away all that we have, rather than keepthem and be tempted to rely upon them rather than on God. This doctrine appearsto be reinforced by what the Lord Jesus told the rich young man: "sell allthat thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure inheaven: and come, follow me" (Lk 18:22). The second error, which is related to thefirst, is the renunciation of private ownership of material wealth. Many of theAnabaptists during the days of the Reformation fell into this error. Like thefirst error, this doctrine seem to have its support in the Scriptures,especially in the description of the early church in Acts 2:44-45 that"All that believed were together, and had all things common; And soldtheir possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man hadneed." What do we say to these two propositions?Well, in response, we must insist that the two passages neither forbid privateownership nor place spiritual value on poverty. They teach us rather about ourattitude towards our wealth,—such as whether we are ready to part with them outof love for Christ and His Church, whenever there is a need. It is no sin for aChristian not give to away all that he possesses. Ananias and Sapphira were notpunished for keeping back a portion of what they sold. They were punished forlying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:4). Elsewhere in the Scriptures we are taughtthat it is proper for Christians to own private property or wealth. The 8th commandment "Thou shalt notsteal" (Ex 20:15), immediately assumes the legitimacy of privateownership. How can anyone steal if nothing belongs to anyone in any sense? Conversely, the Scripture speaks of wealthas being the blessing of God according to His providential apportionment:"The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow withit" (Prov 10:22). So Abraham is positively described as being "veryrich in cattle, in silver, and in gold" (Gen 13:2). Job was a man of greatwealth because God had blessed the work of his hand (Job 1:1-3, 10). Likewise,Solomon was granted by the Lord, riches and honour unparalleled among the kingsof his day (1 Kgs 3:13). Having said thus, however, we mustremember that Scriptural ownership is not absolute ownership. We are reallystewards of God’s wealth. In fact, we ourselves belong to God! One day we willhave to give an account of how we made use of the wealth that God has assignedto us. This is the principle taught in the Lord’s Parable of the Talents (Mt25:14-30) as well as the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Lk 16:1-15). In thesecond parable, our Lord teaches: "He that is faithful in that which isleast is faithful also in much… If therefore ye have not been faithful in theunrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" (Lk16:10-11). Principle#3: We have seen how God assigns outwardwealth for our stewardship. But how does he assign the wealth? Well, sometimesHe does it by an immediate bestowal of inheritance or gifts such as whenAbimelech gave Abraham sheep and oxen, and menservants and womenservants (Gen20:14). But in general, God assigns wealth through the sweat of our faces, orin other words, through hard work (Gen 3:19). So Solomon reminds us: "He becomethpoor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent makethrich" (Prov 10:4). And conversely Paul commands "if any would notwork, neither should he eat" (2 Thes 3:10b), and "Let him that stolesteal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thingwhich is good" (Eph 4:28a). It is therefore clear that we shouldlabour to provide daily bread for ourselves and our families. But what aboutfurthering our wealth and outward estate in ways other that our regularcalling? Or in other words, is it right for Christians to make investments orto manage any accumulated wealth that we may have so as to increase what wealready have? Well, I believe so. The fact that Godapproves of our managing our wealth can be seen in many parts of Scripture. Inthe Lord’s Parableof the Talent, the twoand five talent slaves were commended for their using their master’s moneywisely so as to make more talents, whereas the one-talent man was condemned forhiding the talent and returning it to his master without any profit. Notecarefully the master’s words of condemnation: Thou wicked andslothful servant,… Thou oughtest… to have put my money to the exchangers, andthen at my coming I should have received mine own with usury (Mt 25:26–27). Of course, this parable is designed toteach concerning spiritual fruitfulness, rather than on the management of funds.However, we may see from the parable, the Lord’s tacit approval for managingwell the wealth that God assigns to us. So too in the book of Proverbs, we see thevirtuous woman managing well the extra funds that she has by buying andcultivating a field (Prov 31:16). It is for these reasons that theWestminster divines actually considered that the 8th Commandment requires "the lawfulprocuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves andothers" (WSC 74). It is therefore no sin for the Christianto invest his savings in some ways, so as to further his outward estate, sothat when times are bad, he and his family may have something to fall back on. Let me put it this way: Investments forthe sake of savings and prudential wealth management is legitimate for theChristian. However, the Christian should never engage in any investment out ofgreed. This then should rule out any speculative, high risks investments, evenif there is a possibility of great gains. Christians must never indulge in gamesof greed and chance. That said, we must always remember that itis God who assigns us our wealth, whichever legitimate means we may obtain themby: "Thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth theepower to get wealth" (Dt 8:18a), says Moses. We must not put ultimate trust in ourwealth. Indeed, the Psalmist warns that God will bring to ultimate destruction"the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his greatwealth" (Ps. 52:7). Principle#4: "Man’s chief end is to glorify Godand to enjoy Him forever" (WSC 1). The apostle Paul reminds us of this duty in concreteterms: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all tothe glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31), he says. It should not surprise us,therefore, to learn that our outward wealth is assigned to us as mean by whichwe may glorify God. How do we glorify God with our wealth? Wemay glorify God chiefly by making prudent use of our wealth so as to accomplishthe greatest amount of good. The Lord Jesus in His parable of the UnjustSteward, exhorts us to trade what is material for what is spiritual, or what istemporal for what is eternal. He says: "Make to yourselves friends of themammon of unrighteousness [i.e. worldly wealth]; that, when ye fail, they mayreceive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which isleast is faithful also in much" (Lk 16:9-10a). How may we do so? Solomon suggests a way:"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which hehath given will he pay him again" (Prov 19:17). The apostle Paul makes itinto a command, especially for those who were guilty of theft: "Let himthat stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands thething which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth" (Eph4:28). Another way, of course, is to support theLord’s work, whether it be to provide for the poor or to provide the financesnecessary to promote the work of the Gospel: He which sowethsparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reapalso bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let himgive; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And Godis able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having allsufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (1 Cor 9:7-8) There are obviously many other ways to dogood with our wealth. We forbear to enumerate them. But we agree with the SouthernPresbyterian theologian Robert Lewis Dabney, that Christian stewardshiprequires us to make the most efficient use of our wealth. He writes: "It is ourduty to make the best use of every part of our possession that is possible inour circumstances. If there was any way within our reach in which our moneymight have produced more good and more honor to God when we spent it insomething innocent, but less beneficial to his service, we have come short ofour duty. We havesinned" (Discussionsof Robert Lewis Dabney [BOT,1967], 1.4). Are you a good steward of the wealth thatGod has assigned to you? Are you glorifying God with your wealth? Principle#5: When we consider that we are but stewardsof God’s wealth, and that we have the responsibility to make the most efficientuse of the wealth assigned to us, it is easy for us fall into asceticism—whichis that we should only make use of our wealth for things that are absolutelynecessary. This may sound very pious, but it isreally an error. The psalmist reminds us that God provides "wine thatmaketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine" (Ps104:15a). These things are obviously not bare necessities, and are in some waysluxuries. Likewise, in the creation accounts, the trees that God made, are saidto be not just good for food but "pleasant to the sight" (Gen 2:9).This clearly indicates that God does not intent us to be pure utilitarians. Itis right and proper for us to enjoy the things of this world that may not be ofabsolute necessity to us. John Calvin, who seemed quite ascetic inhis own life put it this way: "If we are tolive, we have also to use those helps necessary for living. And we also cannotavoid those things which seem to serve delight more than necessity" (ICR 3.10.1). Then he gives us three helpful principleswith regards to the enjoyment of God’s wealth that goes beyond necessities: Firstly, "the use of God’s gifts isnot wrongly directed when it is referred to that end to which the Authorhimself created and destined them for us, since he created them for our good,not for our ruin." That is to say: If something is intended by God for ourpleasure, then it is not wrong to derive pleasure from it. Secondly, "they who have narrow andslender resources should know how to go without these things patiently, lestthey be troubled by an immoderate desire for them." That is to say, no oneshould give priority to acquiring anything that is not a necessity. And thirdly, "all those things whichwere so given to us by the kindness of God, and so destined for our benefit,…are as it were, entrusted to us, and we must one day render account ofthem." That is to say: It is not wrong to enjoy what God has given for ourenjoyment, but we must remember that we will one day be called to give anaccount of our lives. Solomon says essentially the same thing: "Rejoice,O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thyyouth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: butknow thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment"(Ecc 11:9). Yes, we must use our wealth responsibly,because we are stewards of God’s wealth. But no, we need not feel guilty toindulge in some luxuries or pleasure with moderation. Principle#6: The apostle Paul says: "For the loveof money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they haveerred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1Tim 6:10). No, money itself is not the root of evil.It is the love, or earnest pursuit if money that giverise to much evils. This love for money is by any other name, covetousness. Theapostle Paul teaches us that the "covetous man… is an idolater" (Eph5:5) and "covetousness… is idolatry:" (Col 3:5). He who pursues aftermammon has mammon as his idol. Thus the Lord Jesus warns: "Noservant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love theother; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serveGod and mammon." (Lk 16:13) But when does one begin to serve mammon?It is obvious that we need to labour in order to get our daily bread, so it isobvious that labouring to obtain our daily living does not constitute servingmammon. You begin to serve mammon, however, when you begin to pursue mammon forthe sake of pursuing wealth, or when you give priority in your life to thepursuit of wealth. Thus, you would clearly be pursuing mammon or demonstratinga love for money if you are willing to compromise your Christian principles inorder to obtain the wealth which you desire. Thus you would clearly be servingmammon and not simply labouring for a living if you willingly compromise youSabbath rest and worship, for the extra income. Likewise, you would be servingmammon if you expend all your energy in the pursuit of wealth so that you havelittle time or energy to pursue after heavenly treasures, and instead allow thedeceitfulness of riches, to choke any Word heard so that you become unfruitful(Mt 13:22). Rather than pursuing wealth, the Christianmust "But seek… first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" (Mt6:33a). That is to say he must put priority to the service and worship the Lordand to his Christian witness. When he does so, he can expect that those thingsthat are necessary for his sustenance will be added unto him by the Lord (Mt6:33b). While the world pursues after wealth, andthen ask God to bless their pursuits, the Christian must pursue after the Lordfirst, so that even their labours must be "as unto the Lord" (Col2:23). Such a Christian will understand what theapostle Paul means by "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1Tim 6:6). Such a Christian would also not become unduly anxious, shouldProvidence makes it necessary for him to live on his savings for a time. Whatis the purpose of savings but so as to provide for the time when we haveinsufficient to live comfortably (cf. Prov 6:6–8). Principle#7: This final principle is related to theprevious point. The Christian must never be tempted to measure wealth by howmuch a man owns. A man who is poor in the standard of The rich fool in the parable which theLord spoke to illustrate the point we just stated, is a typical example of atruly poor man. He thought himself to be rich. He said: "I will say to mysoul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat,drink, and be merry" (Lk 12:19). But the next day, his real worth isexposed. He dies. He loses everything—not only all he possessed, but his soulas well. "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towardGod" (Lk 12:21). Conversely, the Christian who seek firstthe kingdom of God and his righteousness, may have nothing, and yet possess allthings (2 Cor 6:10). For as the apostle Paul says: "For ye know the graceof our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes hebecame poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor 8:9). Indeed, Christians who are materiallypoor, and therefore have no riches to trust in are often spiritually very richbecause their trust is in the Lord. So James says: "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hathnot God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdomwhich he hath promised to them that love him? " (Jas 2:5) Are you rich in the world, but poor in theLord? Then you are still languishing in poverty. Are you poor in the sight ofthe world, but rich in the Lord? Blessed are you, for yours is the kingdom ofheaven (Mt 5:3). Conclusion We learned seven biblical principles withregard to personal wealth or finances: 1. Everythingin the world belongs to God 2. Privateownership or rather stewardship is legitimate & appointed by God 3. Weshould lawfully procure and further our wealth and outward estate. 4. Weare given wealth so that we may glorify God 5. It islegitimate to enjoy the wealth that God gives us. 6. Thelove of money is the root of all evil whereas godliness with contentment isgreat gain 7. Truewealth is spiritual, not material Martin Luther once taught that threeconversions are necessary for the Christian: the conversion of his heart; theconversion of his mind and the conversion of his purse. May the Lord grant usthat this short study may be used of Him for the latter two ‘conversions’ forHis own glory. Amen. — JJ Lim
WLC 141. What are the duties required in the EighthCommandment? A. The duties required in the EighthCommandment are, truth, faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commercebetween man and man;1 rendering to everyone his due;2 restitution of goods unlawfully detainedfrom the right owners thereof;3 giving and lending freely, according to our abilities, andthe necessities of others;4 moderation of our judgments, wills, and affectionsconcerning worldly goods;5 a provident care and study to get,6 keep, use, and dispose these things whichare necessary and convenient for the sustentation of our nature, and suitableto our condition;7 alawful calling,8 anddiligence in it;9frugality;10 avoiding unnecessary law–suits,11 and suretiship, or other like engagements;12 and an endeavour, by all just and lawfulmeans, to procure, preserve, and further the wealth and outward estate ofothers, as well as our own.13 1 Ps 15:2, 4; Zech 7:4, 10;8:16–17. 2 Rom 13:7. 3 Lev 6:2–5; Lk 19:8. 4 Lk6:30, 38; 1 Jn 3:17; Eph 4:28; Gal 6:10. 5 1 Tim 6:6–9; Gal6:14. 6 1 Tim 5:8. 7 Prov 27:23–27; Eccl 2:24; 3:12–13; 1Tim 6:17–18; Isa 38:1; Mt 11:8. 8 1 Cor 7:20; Gen 2:15;3:19. 9 Eph 4:28; Prov 10:4. 10 Jn 6:12; Prov21:20. 11 1 Cor 6:1–9. 12 Prov 6:1–6; 11:15. 13Lev25:35; Deut 22:1–4; Ex 23:4–5; Gen 47:14, 20; Phil 2:4; Mt 22:39. WLC 147. What are the duties required in the TenthCommandment? A. The duties required in the TenthCommandment are, such a full contentment with our own condition,1 and such a charitable frame of the wholesoul toward our neighbour, as that all our inward motions and affectionstouching him, tend unto, and further all that good which is his.2 1Heb 13:5; 1 Tim 6:6; 2Job 31:29; Rom12:15; Ps 122:7–9; 1 Tim 1:5; Esth 10:3; 1 Cor 13:4–7. |
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