The Bible has a lot to say about riches and wealth. Here is an overview of some of the key Bible passages that address this topic:
Wealth is meaningless without God
Several verses emphasize that wealth and possessions are meaningless and worthless without a right relationship with God. For example:
- “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:26)
- “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Timothy 6:17)
- “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
The deceitfulness and dangers of wealth
Wealth can be deceitful and lead people away from God. For instance:
- “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
- “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
- “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'” (Hebrews 13:5)
Wealth is a gift from God
Rather than condemn wealth outright, the Bible acknowledges that financial resources can be a blessing from God. A few examples:
- “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (James 1:17)
- “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:17-18)
- “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” (Proverbs 10:22)
How to rightly use money and possessions
Scripture provides guidance on how to properly handle wealth and possessions in a godly manner:
- Be generous – “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)
- Share with those in need – “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17)
- Don’t hoard wealth – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19)
- Work ethically and diligently – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23)
- Avoid greed and covetousness – “Then [Jesus] said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'” (Luke 12:15)
The dangers of riches and wealth
The Bible contains stern warnings about the spiritual dangers of wealth, including:
- Pride and arrogance – “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited.” (1 Timothy 6:17a)
- Self-sufficiency and forgetting God – “Then when I eat and are full, when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 8:12-14)
- Unbelief – “Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.'” (Mark 10:23-25)
- Misplaced priorities – “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
We cannot serve both God and money
A key principle found throughout Scripture is that we cannot serve both God and money. A couple examples:
- “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
- “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
The point is that money should never replace God in our affections or priorities.
Do not worry about material needs
Rather than seeking security in wealth, Jesus taught that we should trust God to provide for our needs and not be anxious about money and possessions:
- “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26)
- “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33-34)
Wealth is uncertain and easily lost
Numerous passages remind us that riches can disappear quickly and are ultimately undependable:
- “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” (Proverbs 23:5)
- “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.” (Proverbs 23:4)
- “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.” (James 5:1-3)
Wealth does not bring lasting satisfaction
The Bible warns that money and possessions do not ultimately satisfy our souls:
- “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
- “A person’s life does not consist in the abundance of their possessions.” (Luke 12:15b)
- “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'” (Hebrews 13:5)
Wealth creates great responsibility and accountability
Those blessed with riches and resources have a duty to use them wisely and generously:
- “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48b)
- “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10)
God owns everything
A foundational principle is that God owns everything and we are just stewards of His possessions. For example:
- “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1)
- “To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.” (Deuteronomy 10:14)
- “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:8)
This perspective shifts how we view wealth – it all belongs to God, not us, and we must use it accordingly.
God blesses us to be a blessing to others
The ultimate purpose of wealth is not simply personal fulfillment but blessing others:
- “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:18)
- “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)
God prospers us not just for our own benefit but so we can generously share with those in need.
The wise use money for eternal purposes
Scripture encourages storing up eternal treasures rather than earthly wealth:
- “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20)
- “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Wealth can hinder people from entering God’s Kingdom
Jesus spoke very bluntly about the spiritual peril of riches:
- “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23-24)
- “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” (Luke 6:24)
Wealth tends to foster self-reliance rather than reliance on God. The rich need to guard themselves against pride and self-sufficiency.
Helping the poor and sharing wealth
Concern for the poor and using one’s resources to meet their needs is a consistent biblical theme:
- “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.” (Luke 12:33)
- “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” (Proverbs 19:17)
- “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:3-4)
Wealth will fade away
Multiple passages emphasize the temporary nature of earthly wealth and possessions:
- “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” (Proverbs 23:4-5)
- “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19)
- “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36)
Compared to investing in eternal rewards, earthly wealth should not be our focus or priority.
Wealth is not a reflection of godliness
Prosperity or poverty do not necessarily indicate one’s standing before God. For example:
- “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15b)
- “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5)
Outward wealth does not automatically mean someone is approved by God.