6 Surprising Things the Bible Says About Money

Maybe it’s the small bead of sweat that rolls down your forehead every time the offering plate starts to come down your pew on a Sunday morning. Maybe it’s the quick change of the channel the moment you see those pitiful African orphans on television or the slight revulsion when another late-night huckster screams from the screen, “God wants your money!”

However you approach it, Christians start to get a bit uneasy when the subject of money comes up. But rather than a subject to be avoided, Christians ought to know what the Bible says about money, because what it actually says might surprise you. Did you know that Jesus talked more about money in the New Testament than He did about heaven and hell? Why would money garner more attention than even the afterlife? It speaks to the power of money in your life, for both good and evil. Here’s a verse you’ve probably heard about money:

“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

If you think this means God wants you to live in poverty, you would be wrong. If you think you’re supposed to give all of your money away to a charity, you would be wrong. When you start to look at what the Bible actually teaches about money, you will find some surprising things. Here are six surprising things the Bible says about money.

Your money isn’t really your money.

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If you’ve ever raised a child then you’ve encountered that humorous moment when they mistakenly claim ownership of something that’s not theirs. “My sister can’t have my toy. It’s mine.” To which you would rightfully reply, “Actually, that toy is mine. I bought it with my money. I’m just letting you play with it.”

How many of us hoard our money and like that young child try and say, “God, you can’t have my money. It’s mine!”? In reality, your money is not your money because everything belongs to God. Here’s what the Bible says.

"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." Psalm 24:1

The very next breath you take, the mind and intellect and physical strength you exert to go and earn money are all gifts from God. At the end of the day, everything we have belongs to Him, including ‘our’ money.

God isn’t after your money, He’s after your heart.

So if everything belongs to God, then why do we need to give Him our money? Is He poor? Does He need a loan? Isn’t it all His anyways? When God asks you to give, He’s not after your money (because it’s already His). God’s after your heart. Look at what Jesus taught,

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart.’” Matthew 22:37-38

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

When you follow the money, you find your heart. If you opened up your checkbook, it would be quickly obvious where you focused most of your affection. Money is the quickest onramp to your heart. If you can steer your money in the right direction, your heart will soon follow. Why does Jesus talk so much about money in the New Testament? It is because He is concerned with the condition of our hearts.

Giving is the only antidote to greed.

Imagine the greediest person you know: the person that focuses only on themselves, who thinks the world revolves around them and uses people only to further their own interests. Is that the kind of person you want to be around? Is that the kind of person you want to be? Absolutely not! Many people still wear the emotional scars of being around greedy people concerned only with their own interests. This is why the Bible speaks so strongly against greed.

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." Colossians 3:5-6

Greed is a cancer which, if left unchecked, will grip your soul and never let go. What’s the antidote? Giving. When you willingly give your money away, when you choose to live a life of generosity, you break the power of greed in your life.

Every time you get paid, you take a test.

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A common theme in the Old Testament is the principle of firstfruits: God asks us to trust him with the firstfruits of our wealth as a sign of worship and trust.

"Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops." Proverbs 3:9

When we honor God with the first portion of our income, also known as the tithe (which means tenth), God blesses us in return. And whether you know it or not, every time you get paid, whether it’s weekly, bi-monthly or monthly, you take a test. Will you trust God with the firstfruits of your income? Will you trust Him with the tithe? Here’s the promise from God Himself of what happens when you do:

"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,' says the Lord Almighty. 'Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,' says the Lord Almighty." Malachi 3:10-12

You’re happier when you give.

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When the Apostle Paul was nearing the end of his ministry, he set an example of generosity and reminded the church of the power of giving:

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35

Who are the happiest people you know? Think about it for a moment. Happiness isn’t directly tied to your bank statement. In fact, some of the most miserable people in the world are some of the richest (just read the tabloids). Conversely, some of the happiest people you know are people who don’t necessarily have a lot in this world but they’ve found something deeper, a richer joy that transcends worldly wealth and possessions. It all goes back to what Jesus said 2000 years ago. You are more blessed (a word that means joyful and happy) when you give. Try living a life of generosity and see how it improves your disposition and overall mindset.

How you handle God’s money now is a trial run for greater riches.

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Let’s say you’ve got a cousin that always asks for money. They promise to pay it back, but all they’ve done is waste it on useless and selfish things. How tempted would you be to give them even more money? Let’s say you have a financial or money manager that has managed to waste away all of your retirement. How tempted would you be to give that manager even more of your money?

God looks at us in the same way. We’ve been called to manage or steward his riches on earth. For many of us, we’ve wasted away the little amount of money we have on useless and selfish things, and we’re angry that God won’t give us any more. We ask God for more wealth, but we can’t properly manage what we already have. Why would God give us any more financial blessing when we can’t take care of what we already have? In the Parable of the Talents Jesus drives home this point in a story of a master who went away and entrusted his servants with money. When they managed it well, here was the master’s response:

"His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.'" Matthew 25:21-29