Biblical Wisdom for Money Management

Introduction

What the Bible teaches about managing money is important to ALL Christians, regardless of income, wealth, and financial well-being. The Bible also provides wisdom that is beneficial to non-Christians. Simply put, understanding the Bible’s teaching will help you to make better financial decisions and be more content!
The book includes 336 Bible verses in 162 different passages and is organized in chapters focused on different topics. There are roughly an equal number of passages from the Old Testament and New Testament. And, the passages from the New Testament include some of Jesus’ parables. The Bible clearly has a LOT to say!!
This book is intended to help you understand what the Bible teaches about key aspects of money management. I encourage you to spend time studying and reflecting on what the Bible teaches. Questions are provided at the end of each chapter in case you want to use it as a Bible study. This section can also be used to make notes.

Table of Contents

Introduction 4
Chapter 1: Ownership 6
Chapter 2: Stewardship 10
Chapter 3: Tithing 15
Chapter 4: Generosity 20
Chapter 5: Caring for the Poor 27
Chapter 6: Planning and Budgeting 34
Chapter 7: Debt and Lending 41
Chapter 8: Wealth 47
Chapter 9: Saving and Investing 56
Chapter 10: Contentment 61
Chapter 11: Trusting God 68
Chapter 12: In Closing 73
Appendix A: List of Bible Passages 75
About the Author 81

Chapter 1: Ownership
Attitudes toward money are shaped by your belief system and these attitudes will significantly impact your priorities and behaviors as it relates to the uses of money (e.g., giving, saving, and spending). A key first step is to consider what the Bible says regarding who is the creator and ultimately owns and has (or should have) control over the resources you have been blessed with.

BIBLE VERSES
Deuteronomy 10:14

1 Chronicles
29:11-13 (ESV)

Nehemiah 9:6
(ESV)

Job 41:11

Psalm 24:1-2

Psalm 50:10-12

Psalm 89:11

Acts 17:24-25

1 Corinthians 10:26

Colossians 1:15-17

Revelation 4:11

Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and in your hand it is make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise Your glorious name.

You are the LORD, you alone. You have made the heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.

Who has first given to Me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the entire heaven is Mine.

The earth is the LORD’s and all it contains, the world, and those who live in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

For every animal of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and everything it contains.

The heavens are Yours, the earth is also Yours; the world and all it contains, You have established them all.

The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things.

FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

“Worthy are You, our LORD and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.

REAL-LIFE APPLICATION
As a scientist, Joe was looking for evidence of God’s creative power. The first thing he considered was the immense size of the universe. Hubble telescope observations led to estimates of 100 – 200 billion galaxies. And our galaxy, the Milky Way, is estimated to have 200 billion stars. The second thing he considered was the very existence of life on Earth, including some of this life being sentient (e.g., having feelings and being responsive to its environment), and some also being sapient (e.g., self-aware, intelligent, and capable of higher reasoning). The third thing he considered was the incredible complexity of the human body, with approximately 100 billion neurons in the brain and 100 trillion bacteria in the digestive system. He concluded that all of these are hard to explain without God as the creative force.

QUESTIONS
1. Do you recognize God as the creator of the universe and life on earth? Why or why not?

2. Are you thankful to God for your life? If yes, what is your response? Does this affect how you view money?