What Does the Bible Say About Finances? Scriptural Verses on Finance.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

These words from Jesus reveal a profound truth: our relationship with money reflects our relationship with God. 

As Christian financial advisors, we've seen how understanding biblical principles about money can transform not just someone's finances, but their entire life. 

With over 2,300 verses addressing money and possessions, scripture offers clear guidance for the various financial decisions we face. However, 2,300 verses is a lot to sort through!

In this article, we’ll give you a head start in studying biblical teachings on finance. We will take a look at some prominent, helpful scriptures on finances to better understand God’s will for Christians regarding finances and wealth such as:

1. How to have a healthy relationship with money
2. How to properly steward what God has given you
3. What does the Bible say about giving and tithing 
4. How to manage money in times of abundance 
5. What the Bible says about managing debt 
6. What does the Bible says about pursuing wealth

How to have a healthy relationship with money

The bible has ample warnings about how easily we can be drawn into an unhealthy relationship with wealth. Even the simple, powerful fear of losing it can cause us to lose our way. 

Fortunately, Jesus provides clear teaching about our relationship with money in Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV):

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. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This teaching doesn't condemn wealth itself, but rather challenges us to evaluate our priorities. We should manage our finances towards the purpose of advancing God's kingdom rather than building our own empires. This means living purposefully below our means to free up resources for kingdom work.

When we follow God's priorities and guidance for how we manage our wealth, it leads to something that seems pretty shocking to traditional thought around finance. And indeed, it is a much healthier perspective on things. God's ways bring contentment to our relationship with our money. 

Contentment is not a concept you often hear in financial planning. When have you ever heard a traditional financial planner tell you to be content with what you have earned? However, the Apostle Paul writes about this in Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV):

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

This teaches us that contentment is learned, not inherent , and it is certainly not bought! It's a spiritual discipline that comes through trusting God's provision regardless of our bank account balance.

It is very important for Christians to remember that we are not entitled to wealth in any way. Throughout history, often due to forms of persecution, Christians have gotten by with very little in the way of wealth. They found their contentment in God, in His love and in following in the footsteps of Christ.

How to Properly Steward What God Has Given You

The foundation of biblical finance is the understanding that God owns everything. This truth is powerfully expressed in 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 (NIV):

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.

This perspective fundamentally shifts how we approach financial decisions - from "What should I do with my money?" to "How can I best manage God's resources?" 

When we embrace this truth, it transforms our approach to earning, saving, spending, and giving.

But what does faithful stewardship look like? Jesus teaches about it in Luke 16:10-11 (NIV). In this passage, we find hope that we can start with the little things and allow God to teach us and guide us as we learn and grow as a steward of what He has given us:

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

What The Bible Says About Tithing and Giving

The concept of tithing, giving one-tenth of your earnings to the church, is widely misunderstood, and we write in depth about the issue of tithing and its scriptural foundations in this article. 

Most importantly though, the focus this conversation places on determining percentages and amounts of giving often distracts from the deeper issue at hand, our attitude towards giving and the heart from which we give.

Second Corinthians 9:7 (NIV) provides guidance on our attitude toward giving:

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

As C.S. Lewis noted, "I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare." 

Giving should stretch us and demonstrate our trust in God's provision. It's not about meeting a quota but about reflecting God's generous nature.

When you see yourself as a steward of God's resources and see the beauty of His heart for us, it is easy to imagine He won't have much trouble providing more resources for us to share. God turns the fear of losing money into love for others and gives us the confidence to give joyfully from a grateful heart. 

How to Manage Money in Times of Abundance

As the Israelites entered The Promised Land, they found themselves blessed with incredible wealth, but God offers them (and us) a warning in Deuteronomy 8:10-14 (NIV):

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 

Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and 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.

Notice in this passage, there is nothing wrong with abundance! It is only when we lose our way because of it. This passage warns us about the subtle danger of prosperity - not that wealth itself is wrong, but that it can lead us to forget our dependence on God. 

During abundant times, these practices, along with prayer, will help keep you centered on God's heart and plans for your wealth:

• Remember to acknowledge God as the source of wealth
• Guard yourself against pride and self-reliance (and ask God to help you!)
• Increase your giving rather than just your standard of living
• Use the surplus you are given strategically for Kingdom purposes

What the Bible Says about Managing Debt

The Bible doesn't speak positively about debt. In fact, Scripture is crystal clear that debt creates a form of bondage. Romans 13:7-8 (NIV) instructs us:

Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another.

Debt essentially means you've sold your future labor (and freedom) to someone else. It's a form of economic slavery that can prevent you from being generous and following God's leading in your life. While some modern debt might be necessary (like mortgages), the biblical principles are to:

• Avoid taking on unnecessary debt
• Pay back what you owe promptly
• Live within your means
• Maintain financial freedom to serve God

What the Bible Says about Pursuing Wealth

Can Christians pursue wealth and still be faithful?

This question requires careful nuance. The short answer is that we can't pursue wealth as our primary goal and remain faithful to God.

Jesus clearly stated we cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). However, wealth can be a byproduct of faithful stewardship. The goal is always faithful stewardship and the building of God's kingdom, not personal empire-building.

The key to understanding Christian financial management, the north star, is the understanding we mentioned above that God owns it all. The words of David in Psalm 24:1 (NIV) remind us of this foundational truth:

The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.

Keeping your eyes and heart focused on this truth is not easy. Fortunately, there are many more teachings in scripture to guide us. We have barely scraped the surface here!

Christian Financial Management Is a Lifelong Journey of Learning and Discipleship Meant to be Shared.

Well, you have just encountered some powerful teachings fround throughout the Bible. There are still about 2,300 to go! Not only is there an endless amount of biblical wisdom to explore about wealth, but God also has a way of making his teachings new to us as the years go by and deepening our understanding. It can feel like a daunting task to learn what we need to know to follow Jesus faithfully in how we manage wealth.

However, there is something else available to us to aid this quest in addition to the scriptures and prayer - community. Christians are meant to navigate this world and the complexities of following Jesus in it together. This can include the guidance of a Christian financial management professional. Our faith and our finances are not meant to live in silos, and they don't have to. 

At Peak Financial Management, as Certified Kindgom Advisors, we help you make biblically-based choices and manage your wealth as a faithful follower of Jesus.

Schedule a brief, 25-minute meeting with our team to learn more about our process. If nothing else, you will find a place where you can discuss your faith and your finances at the same time, and you will find there are far more options open for you to live as a faithful steward of God's resources than you ever realized!