Introduction⤒🔗

Over the last months several questions have been received on the subject of finances. In a series of articles I would like to combine these various questions and provide you with the needed biblical guidance in this critical area of our daily life. In writing this series of articles I have asked Elder John VanBrugge from the Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Norwich, Ontario, to assist me with his experience and insight as a banker.

These articles will be set up somewhat differently from what has been customary. Experience has taught me that personal involvement in exploring a biblical theme is more profitable than the mere reading of an article. Hence each article will include an abundance of Scripture references for you to explore (see footnotes); at the end of the article are several selected portions to search in preparation for the next article, which will appear in a subsequent Banner of Truth, D.V.

Money in general←⤒🔗

In His Word God has given us a staggering amount of guidance when it comes to money. There are approximately 700 direct references to money in the Bible and hundreds of more indirect references.¹ A quick perusal of all of Jesus' teachings brings to light the frequency of His teachings relating to money.² In addition, it must be remarked that most of the Bible's references to money contain the element of a fierce warning.

The reason why money receives so much attention in the Bible is because of the reality of 1 Timothy 6:10, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred (margin, been seduced) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."³ Paul's language, "pierced themselves through with many sorrows," is very suggestive. How much marriage and family tension has been created because of disagreements on the management of finan­cial resources? How many lives have been consumed in the ambitious drive for more? How many others are filled with anger, frustration, worry, and anxiety when it comes to money matters? How many have been seduced from the path of truth through the allurements of wealth? How many sermons are choked because of the thorny bush of "the deceitfulness of riches"? How many are presently pierced with the torments of everlasting sorrow because they forgot Jesus' question, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" One wrote, "Men have lusted for it, killed for it, died for it, and gone to hell for it. Money has come between the best friends and brought down the proud and mighty. And, alas, it has torn millions of marriages limb from limb. Materialism and debt have devastated more families than perhaps any other factor."⁴ It was also money which finally brought Jesus' own disciple, Judas Iscariot, to ruin.

The history of several very successful American businessmen, who met in the 1920's, also serves well to illustrate the above. This group included the most successful speculator on Wall Street, a Cabinet member, and the presidents of the New York Stock Exchange, the Bank of International Settlements, the largest steel company in the United States, the largest utility company, and the largest gas company. A few years later, all these men were dead! Three committed suicide, three had been in prison, one had gone insane, and two died in total bankruptcy. All had been ruined by the Great Depression of the 1930's. At a time when millions of common people tightened their budgets, these men were destroyed because their lives centered on money. With the money gone, they felt there was little purpose in living. For how many in our days is this true as well?⁵

The love of money←⤒🔗

However, it is not money itself that is the problem. Wealth is neither moral nor immoral.⁶ Without an adequate supply of money we cannot provide for the daily needs of our family. Paul didn't say that money is the root of all evil, but the love of money. The lurking danger of money lies not in the first place in its possession or acquisition, but in our attitude toward wealth and in our management of these resources. Who doesn't recognize this power of the love of money in his life? Solomon recognized that if we displayed as much thirst for the truth as we naturally display for money, our souls would greatly prosper: "If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:4-5).

Stewardship←⤒🔗

God, in His sovereignty, not only has determined everyone's portion hereafter, but He has also decreed the extent of our portions here below. Proverbs 22:2 reads, "The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the Maker of them all." Hannah sang, "The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich" (1 Samuel 2:7).⁷ To some, God measures out a larger portion on earth than to others. Not only is this a matter of His sovereignty, but it is also of His wisdom. The Lord states this clearly in the parable of the talents, Matthew 25:15, "And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability." Sometimes, to have less in life can be a great mercy.⁸

Each of us has been called to be a steward of whatever God gives in our life. We must not limit this stewardship only to money. We are to be good stewards of our time, of our health of body and mind, of our spiritual privileges, and, in a sense, also of our children. God's servants are to be good stewards of the mysteries of faith (1 Corinthians 4:1), and God's people are to be "good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Peter 4:10).

All that we receive into our custody God calls us to use to His glory and to the promotion of His kingdom. In Paradise God adorned us with His image and called us to be stewards of that lovely garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15). We were good stewards neither of the manifold graces with which He adorned us nor of the garden entrusted to our care. Instead of stewards, we aspired to be sovereign owners. Satan's suggestion, "Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil," also includes the issue of stewardship versus ownership.

Ever since that tragic and rebellious fall we are grossly blinded to the question, "Whose is whose?" How often do we not contemplate "our" possessions, such as our house, car, wife, husband, children, and money, without realizing we are but stewards? How often are we mindful of our calling to relieve the needy when we cash our pay-check? Likewise, how often do God's people forget that God granted them the light in their heart so they would be a steward of this light in the world in which they live (Matthew 5:14; Ephesians 5:8).

Tithing←⤒🔗

One reason that God legislated the practice of tithing is to counteract both our spirit of forgetfulness with regard to our station as steward and our spirit of covetousness. Tithing refers to returning ten percent of our gross income to the Lord.

In anticipation of the subsequent article, in which I would like to share God's teaching about tithing, I encourage you to study the following passages of Scripture:

1. Pre-Mosaic times: Genesis 14:20, 28:22.
2. Mosaic times: Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:24-28; Deuteronomy 12:17; Deuteronomy 14:22-23, 28.
3. Times of the kings and prophets: 2 Chronicles 31:5-6; Nehemiah 10:35-39; Nehemiah 13:12; Jeremiah 6:13; Malachi 3:8-12.
4. New Testament times: Matthew 23:23 in connection with Luke 18:12; Luke 11:42; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.
5. Also consider the following texts in connection to the subject of tithing: 1 Chronicles 29:14; Proverbs 3:9-10; Proverbs 11:24-25; Malachi 3:10.