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What Does the Bible Say About Money? – Being a Wise Steward

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The Love of Money Is a Root of All Kinds of Evil

1 Timothy 6:6-10 — “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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.”

One time someone asked me, “If I believe in Jesus, what do I get?” He was wondering if following Jesus would help him get a better job, or make more money, or become rich. This is the same trap that the false teachers in the previous verses were falling into. Many people look at religion as a means of gaining wealth.

Paul says that in fact being godly does result in great gain, but that gain is not material. Money and materials do not bring contentment or happiness. These come from a proper relationship with God, nothing else. Anytime a person tries to shortcut or find their own way to happiness it won’t work. All the money in the world cannot buy happiness.

Therefore we need to have a long term perspective, asking ourselves the question, “Is what I am doing now going to make a difference one hundred years from now?” Jesus said we should not store up treasure on earth. Moth and rust destroy, stock markets go down, and thieves scam and steal. Even if you manage to keep your money safe, you cannot send it ahead of you to eternity.

Application — We can invest in God’s kingdom with our time and money now. In this way we can build up treasures in heaven. Instead of using our money for ourselves, let us consider how to build God’s kingdom with it. We can support missionaries, give toward church planting and discipleship, and spend more time ministering to our families and serving God in or out of church instead of wracking up hours of overtime.

Note that Paul does not vilify making money. Neither does he say it is wrong to be rich. He is not advocating some kind of socialist or revolutionary attack against rich people. Rather he is talking about people’s motivations and heart attitude. A person who sets his heart on worldly riches will fall into temptations. His greed will cause him to sin in many potential ways.

The lure or riches will seduce him into doing things he would not otherwise have done if he wasn’t setting his heart on money. For example, a person who desires most of all to honor God would not consider telling a lie to save money whereas a person who wants to get rich would. A person who seeks after God first will not consider altering paperwork illegally in order to make more money. A greedy person will.

We have a choice, love God or love money. Loving money leads to many poor decisions.

Reflect — Spend a few minutes to write down various evil that comes as a result of loving money.

Here are a few examples.

• • Choosing money and work over family.
  • Tax fraud or evasion.
  • Dishonesty in business or negotiating.
  • Selfishness.
  • Envy.
  • Stinginess.
  • Manipulating others to “pay the bill.”
  • Addiction to shopping or fads.
  • Gambling.
  • Prioritizing profit over ethics in business.
  • Competition and strife with people instead of mutual respect and encouragement.

— From our Bible study on 1 Timothy 6:1-10

Fleeing the Love of Money, Pursuing Godliness

1 Timothy 6:11 — “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.”

Paul stresses the fact that Timothy is a man of God, and not a man of the world. In the previous verses he talked about the dangers of loving money. A worldly person pursues worldly things. But a follower of God loves God first and makes serving Him the priority. Followers of Jesus are called “Christians,” not “wealthtians.” We follow Christ, not money. Next time you are tempted to compromise in order to get more money remember that as a man or woman of God your allegiance is to Him.

The things Timothy is supposed to flee are the ones mentioned in verses four to ten. It includes both the teachings of the false teacher and his wayward lifestyle which leads him to greed and materialism. “Flee” is a word often used in Scripture denoting a believer’s correct response to temptation. We are to run away from things which can tempt and snare us.

Do you know your own weaknesses? Which temptations are more effective on you? Part of the key to victory is understanding your own weaknesses. When you know the temptations that often work against you, then you need to run away when you face these things. The difference between Joseph and Samson is that Joseph ran away when faced with a temptation from his master’s wife while Samson would see a beautiful woman, keep looking, and then go closer to enjoy a bit.

Reflect — So how does a person flee from the love of money?

• • Leave when a person tries to bribe you.
  • Avoid hanging out with people that encourage you toward dishonest business practices.
  • Avoid people who always talk about money or obsessed with fashion, luxury, etc.
  • Make intentional decisions about our careers and vocation to choose ones where we can serve God rather than focusing on getting rich.

— From our Bible study on 1 Timothy 6:11-21

An even more common temptation for the wealthy is to set their hope on riches. Their savings accounts, retirement accounts, 401ks, insurance, and stocks make them feel safe and give them confidence that everything will be well as they grow old. But even if no disaster strikes and all their financial hopes are realized, they will still be disappointed. Why? Money cannot bring lasting satisfaction. People seek after money thinking that it will make them happy, but it doesn’t. The thrill of the most exciting purchase wears off quickly and it is on the next thing.

What a wonderful statement, that God richly provides us with everything to enjoy. God has our best interests at heart. He happily fills our lives with good things. Christians are not like Buddhist monks who deny themselves basic pleasures for no reason. Following God does not mean that we must reject the fun and pleasant things in this world.

I once heard a story of a missionary family who were so discouraged at the attitudes of their fellow co-workers that they gave up and returned from the mission field. They had been ridiculed for using an air conditioner and pampering themselves. Their team even criticized them for having peanut butter sent in. “A missionary should not live a life of luxury” was the prevailing attitude.

But our God is not like this. He is generous and gracious and happy for us to have nice things. However, He wants us to keep Him at the center of our hearts and minds. As in most things in life, there is a balance.

Application — How can you bring God into your fun activities? What is one way that you will be heavenly minded while enjoying something nice God has given you?

No matter if God has given you a lot or a little, you should be generous with what you have. If you have a lot of money, perhaps this is why God gave it to you! The money and materials He has placed in your hands are resources He has given you for building His kingdom and His kingdom is His people. As we generously share with others and support those who work for God, we store up treasure in heaven and build our lives on a solid foundation that will not crash like the stock market.

— From our Bible study on 1 Timothy 6:11-21

Rich Oppressors Will Be Judged

James 5:1-3 — “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.”

We know from other Scriptures that being rich in itself is not a sin. Sometimes God chooses to bless certain believers with great riches. Abraham, Job, Solomon, and many others were wealthy. Money is neither good nor evil. It is neutral and can be used for good or evil. However, the desire to get rich will ensnare those who have it. Loving money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10).

Firstly, money is not evil, nor is it the key to happiness. It is neutral. There is a right way and a wrong way to get money. There is a right way and a wrong way to use money. Loving money is a sin. The question is, do you love money? How can you tell if you love money?

Reflect — Here are a few tests you can use to discern if you love money too much:

• If you find yourself often thinking about money and how to make more money.
• If a major topic of conversation between you and your friends and family is how to make more money or plans on spending money.
• If you often compare how much you make or the number of possessions you have with others, either in pride because you are doing well or envy because you aren’t.
• If you are stingy and find it hard to give to God and other people.
• If you love spending money and find a thrill in buying expensive items because you can.
• If at work, you are scheming for ways to get a promotion or always thinking about changing to a better paying job.

The right view is that money is only a tool. It is a tool to provide for ourselves and our families. Nothing more. All that we have is given to us by God. Whatever we have, we should be content with it.

Money is temporary. It is not lasting. There are no earthly materials or riches that will not fade away eventually. If gold and silver can rust and be stolen and fade away, just think of paper money these days. Central governments around the world are printing money and going into record debt. History tells us that money can lose its value very quickly.

In 1914, about four German Marks equaled one US Dollar. In 1923, 1 trillion Marks equaled one US Dollar. That is not a typo. People had to wheelbarrow around their money to buy bread, and some people even burned it as fuel because it was so worthless.

Even if you manage to get through your whole life and hold on to your money, you can’t take it with you. But actually, rich people are not really more satisfied or happier than poor people. They always want more, and their riches leads them into many kinds of sins that they wouldn’t be exposed to or tempted by if they remained poor.

What is luxurious living? Basically, it is living a lavish lifestyle far greater than what is needed. It is indulging oneself in the lust of the flesh by buying everything possible to satisfy one’s wants. The problem is that God has given the money to you, and you are a steward of it. Using it like that is a waste. How can a person excuse using dishes that costs thousands of dollars when there are starving people in the world? How can a person excuse himself for owning several mansions when there are homeless people in the world?

Sadly, many wolves in sheep’s clothes exploit the flock to satisfy their own earthly desires. Some of these have multiple private jets. I have read of one who has a fleet of luxury cars. A lavish lifestyle does not give glory to God. Instead, it is a bad testimony and repels people from the church. I believe God makes some Christians rich and successful businessmen so that they will generously help support His work. Wealthy Christians should use their riches for God’s kingdom and not their own.

James mentions the last indictment of those who love money: they condemned and murdered the righteous. It is killing the righteous to preserve one’s own way of life. History repeats itself again and again. The prosperous either directly or indirectly kill the poor to become richer. Some irresponsible corporations do the same thing today by cutting corners.

DuPont knowingly poisoned thousands of people with Teflon in order to make a profit. Some estimates say that 99.7% of Americans have been poisoned with Teflon. They knew it was harmful and kept doing it because it was highly profitable. Every rich person who has exploited the poor to enrich themselves will one day face judgment from God.

— From our Bible study on James 5:1-12

Robbing God: The Tithe

Malachi 3:8-10 — “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

God is the Creator of all things. He made us and He made this world we live in. Everything actually belongs to Him. But He puts some of it into our hands so that we can be stewards over it, using it for His kingdom. A steward is a caretaker who is entrusted with his master’s possessions. His job is to take care of these possessions, use them for his master’s business, and protect the interest of the master. We should understand that whatever God has put into our hands, we are to use it for Him and for His glory.

Reflect — Why does God give us something just so that we will give some of it back to Him again?

When I was growing up, my parents sometimes gave me and my siblings an allowance. It was their money, and they were not required to give us anything. But they did. And then they taught us how to use it. They taught us to give some to God. They taught us to save some. They taught us to use some to buy gifts for others, including for them. They used the money as a way to teach us how to be generous and think of others, not just ourselves.

I believe God entrusts materials and money to us for the same reason. He wants us to use these things wisely. He wants us to extend them back to Him with an open hand. He wants us to be generous.

Now I am a father with four children. And I also give them an allowance. It makes me so happy when I see them being generous with what they have been given and joyfully sharing with others. On the other hand, when they are selfish or stingy, it saddens me. We can imagine that God feels the same way when He looks down from heaven and observes how we manage the resources He has entrusted to us.

If the people did not tithe, then the entire system would collapse. Very strong language is used as God accuses the people of actually robbing Him! This is how seriously He takes the issue of giving. Refusing to tithe is the same as robbery.

Our use of money often shows where our heart is and what our priorities are. God knows that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10.)

Reflect — What are some excuses people make for not giving to the Lord? How would you answer those?

Application — What does God think of your account books? Are you being a good steward? Are you generous with others? Are you faithful to offer God your tithe and offering? Take some time this week to evaluate your giving. Prayerfully ask God if you need to make any changes or increase your giving in some area. Remember that God commends the one who gives sacrificially, and He loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

We should be careful to note that how God dealt with the Israelites in the Old Testament is different from how He deals with us. He blessed them materially when they obeyed Him. In the New Testament, God does not promise to make us prosperous if we give to Him. Some pastors might make outrageous claims that if you give $10 to God, He will give $1000 back to you. What they really want is for you to make a donation to their “ministry.”

Let me be clear. God never promises to make Christians rich no matter how much we give! Be very wary of any religious leaders who make claims such as these. Nonetheless, God is able to take care of us and provide for our needs when we give Him a portion of our income. He works in mysterious and marvelous ways. Trust in God. He is not limited by the size of our bank accounts. Hudson Taylor and George Mueller are two people who saw God miraculously provide for their physical needs (and those around them) again and again. If you have faith in God and allow that faith to direct how you use your money, you will also be amazed.

— From our Bible study on Malachi 3:6-15

Grace-Filled Generosity

2 Corinthians 8:9 — “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Paul gives the churches of Macedonia as a positive example of generosity to the Corinthians. The churches of Macedonia (and all churches) had received God’s grace. It was this grace that motivated them to give. Believers need to give out of the right motivation.

Many people historically have given to the church because they thought that this could in some way help them to merit salvation. In the worst cases, the Catholic church actually sold letters of absolution to people, promising forgiveness of sins if they met the required donation. In Austria, the Catholic church deducts people’s tithes directly from their bank accounts. It is basically membership dues. If you don’t pay your dues, then you are not a member and cannot have a church wedding or event.

The prosperity gospel movement has popularized the notion of giving as a “seed,” which can then grow and bring back more. Prosperity preachers fuel this notion and encourage people to make donations so that they can in return receive God’s full, monetary blessing.

The correct motivation for giving, as seen in this passage, is in response to the grace of God. God’s grace is unmerited favor that he bestows on us. It can never be repaid. Yet his kindness should stir in us a desire to serve Him with all of the things He has given us. Since Jesus did not spare His own life, surely we should not spare anything for God’s service.

Application — Evaluate your own motive for giving. Do you ever give because you feel pressured? Do you ever give because others are around you or because you want to be seen? Ask God to give you the heart toward giving. When you struggle with generosity, remember what He has done for you.

The Macedonians were not wealthy. Many people think that giving is for the rich or ultra-wealthy. “I will give when I make more and can spare some,” is a common line of thinking. Here we see that giving is not just for the wealthy. It was a severe test for them. That shows that it was sacrificial giving. They had to give up something. Maybe it meant giving up meat for a while. Maybe it meant foregoing a new set of clothes. Maybe it meant buying less seed to sow in the spring. They gave out of “extreme poverty.” Their example reminds us of the widow in Luke 21:1-4. Jesus praised her because she gave all she had. Though her offering was small by most standards, it was the most because it cost her. She sacrificed more to give that than the rich people who gave one thousand times more.

Application — From the example of the Macedonians, we learn that giving is not dependent on how much you have. God calls every person to give generously. If you have delayed giving to a future time when you may have more, make the leap of faith and begin honoring God with what you have today. He who is faithful in a little thing is faithful also in much. Satan is a master at telling us to wait until a more convenient time to serve God. Do not listen to him.

The Macedonians did not feel begrudged at all in their giving. The joy they felt is a window to their heart, to their pure motivations. If you give because of external pressures, you would not feel joyful while giving. People often seek personal happiness by trying to get things for themselves. But God put a higher spiritual law into our hearts. And that is that true joy comes not from seeking ourselves, but in putting others first.

Paul had shared the example of the Macedonians. And now he shares the ultimate example, Jesus. What is really the motivation for giving? It is not an external thing. It is not pressure. It is not a command from Paul. But it is a response to the grace of Jesus. When you are feeling stingy and reluctant to give, look at what Jesus gave up for you. He had it all. No one was higher. No one had more. And yet no one has become lower. He gave up all of His divine rights and riches (Philippians 2). He became sin so you might become righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). He gave up heaven so you could go there.

Application — When you feel stingy, look at the cross. When you want to hold back something for yourself, look at the cross. Jesus gave it all so that we could have an eternity with Him. How can we still hold back? His grace should motivate us to generosity.

— From our Bible study on 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 — “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Giving is a personal choice. It must come from the heart. Giving that is forced by others through intimidation or pressure is not giving at all. If someone comes and steals your credit card and charges it up, you would not say, “it is a gift.” God looks at the heart. He knows if you are giving for the right reasons. He knows if you are stingy and holding back. He knows when you make a sacrifice to give, even if the amount is not a lot. He knows the battle you face in your mind as you consider how much you should give, and He knows when you have victory and decide to be generous.

God desires us to give to Him freely because we want to. He wants our love for Him to be so great that we seek out opportunities to invest in His kingdom. And He desires that not just for His benefit. But when we open our hearts that way, it changes us. It is good for us. When you give cheerfully, God is pleased. For believers, that is all the motivation we need.

— From our Bible study on 2 Corinthians 9:1-7

Guarding Against Coveting

Joshua 6:18-19 — “But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.”

Everything we have belongs to God. This should effect how we use it.

Application — We should give to God the first of what we have, not the leftovers. We should give to God as much as we can, not as little as possible. We should seek God’s guidance when saving, giving, spending, or investing money. We should use what we have to build God’s kingdom (since it is God’s already.)

When we want something that God has not given us it is coveting. It is often easy to see coveting in children who often want the toy the other child is holding rather than the toy they have. But adults often covet as well. Coveting falls under the category of the “lust of the flesh.” We sometimes look at what other people have and wish we had it. Even if we don’t take action on those desires, it is still sin. It still shows a lack of gratitude to God for what we have.

Modern day advertisements are meant to feed people’s coveting nature. These ads show us the wonderful, carefree lives of people who own a certain type of car, phone computer, appliance, etc. Many people also buy products not for their own usefulness, but because of wanting to project a certain image to those around them. The world of materialism we live in is meant to feed our coveting appetites. Social media also is a world which is often used both to covet and to elicit coveting in others. People post pictures of all the exotic places they have been and all the wonderful foods they are eating.

It is not inherently wrong to post nice pictures on social media, but there is a danger to begin focusing on the wrong things. There is a danger to brag to others about what we have or have experienced. And there is a danger to wish that we could have those same experiences or things that others have.

Reflect — Here are a few things that we may covet (including believers):

• Possessions (car, phone, house, electronics, etc.)
• Job. We may tend to complain about our jobs and wish we had a job like so and so.
• Travel. We may tend to complain about how busy we are and wish we could travel like so and so.
• Relationship. We may complain about being single and wish we could have a happily married life like so and so. Or we may complain about the difficulties or burdens of marriage and wish we could have a carefree single life like so and so.

We know it is wrong to covet. How do we guard ourselves from coveting? What is the opposite of coveting? How can we be more proactive to show gratitude for what we have so that we won’t fall into the temptation of coveting?

— From our Bible study on Joshua 6

Don’t Worry About Money — Seek God First

Matthew 6:24 — “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

It is impossible to serve two Masters. Jesus Himself said so. We have to make a choice to serve God or the world. Only one can be in first place.

Reflect — What are you living for? Money or God?

We live in a world that is obsessed with money.

Application — Consider your past year. At what times have you chosen God over money? At what times have you chosen money over God? Resolve to put God first the next time you face this choice.

We should not be worried about money because it is not our focus. It is not our treasure. Our heart is not set on getting more of it. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? We eat to live, not live to eat. God created us for a purpose. And that is to serve Him.

Do not be worried — this is a command. It is wrong to worry about money. It displays a lack of faith in God and a lack of trust in His promises. God takes care of sparrows (and other animals), and we are more valuable, so of course He will take care of us. Of course, sparrows also do “work” for their food. They don’t just sit in their nests and wait for it to fall from the sky. At the same time, they do not worry about the future.

Who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? The answer is no one. Worry is not productive. It zaps joy. It ruins our sleep. It causes us to be cranky. It takes away our focus from the Lord. It is a lack of faith. It can cause physical sickness.

Flowers do not worry about the future. They are not even conscious of it. But yet they are beautiful. They are not forgotten by God. People are more valuable than flowers. He will make sure that you have what you need as well. Instead of worrying, let’s spend more time thanking God.

God promises to provide for our needs. He never guarantees to give you everything you want. There is a difference.

— From our Bible study on Matthew 6:24-34

The Rich Young Ruler: Choosing God Over Riches

Mark 10:17 — “And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'”

This guy’s pride is already evidenced from his very first statement. He thought that there was something he could do to earn eternal life. This is human nature. It is somehow an integral part of our logic that we think we can compensate for our sins by doing something to earn salvation.

Mark 10:20 — “And he said to him, ‘Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.'”

Mark 10:21 — “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.'”

Jesus saw to the core of the matter. Jesus probes to the heart of the issue, which is his pride and reliance on himself and his possessions. The man is very rich. Perhaps it was his intelligence and skill that helped him get rich. Maybe it was ethical business practices that were blessed by God. Yet he didn’t recognize that what he had was from God. And he wasn’t willing to give up his security, stability, and comfort in order to follow after God. Faced with a decision to serve God or money, he chose money.

He made a clear choice to not follow Jesus. He went away grieving. He was grieving because he felt guilty and convicted. He knew what he should do, but he could not do it.

Application — Be humble. Accept that there is nothing you can do to deserve eternal life. Instead, have complete faith in Christ alone for salvation. Belief in God requires sacrifice and commitment. If we want to be His disciples, we must be willing to give up everything for Him. Do not choose money or materials over God. This is one of the dumbest and short-sighted decisions we can ever make. Thank God for the material blessings He has bestowed upon us and resolve to use them for His glory rather than for our own comfort.

Mark 10:24-25 — “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Following Jesus requires humility. It means confessing our sins and submitting ourselves to God’s authority. This is not easy to do. A rich person finds it even more difficult to follow God. He tends to trust in his own abilities and wealth. It is impossible to enter that gate without God’s help.

Mark 10:27 — “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Reflect — Share about how God helped you go through the narrow gate. How did He convict you that you could not rely on yourself and needed His help?

— From our Bible study on Mark 10:13-27

The Widow’s Mite: Sacrificial Giving

Mark 12:43-44 — “And he called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.'”

Jesus was observant. He carefully noticed what was going on around Him. By observing, Jesus was able to identify many areas that needed to be addressed through teaching. This passage ties into the last. Jesus is pointing out that God looks at the heart and things that may often look spiritual to people are not necessarily valuable to God.

Here again, the people are focused on the external appearance rather than the internal motivations. Rich people would put in large sums of money. Notice the giving was set up in such a way that people could see how much others gave. These rich people gave a lot. But they did not do it with pure motivations. They intentionally drew attention to themselves so that others would see and praise them for their generosity. Religion turned into impressing others.

In the 2000 years since then, people have not really changed. After the Sichuan earthquake in China in 2008, I recall seeing pictures in the newspaper with celebrities who were showing off how much money they were donating. Churches too fall into this trap by writing down the names of people who give or setting up memorials, plaques, or statues for large donors.

Jesus once again corrects their wrong thinking. He shows them that He cares about our heart motivations, not only our external behavior. At that time, the widow’s coins she put in the offering were only enough to purchase a small slice of bread.

Reflect — So what do we learn from this wonderful story?

• God looks at our hearts. He examines our motivations.
• God desires sacrificial giving.
• Even the poorest can give generously. You don’t have to wait until you have more to be generous with what you have.

Application — Spend some time to evaluate your giving. Do you give with the right motives? Are you happy to do it or do you give because of external pressure? What are some ways you can be more like this widow in the way you use your money?

— From our Bible study on Mark 12:35-44

False Generosity: Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 5:3-4 — “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.'”

Most likely, Ananias and Sapphira were genuine believers who fell into temptation. They likely wanted to serve God by giving something to Him. But they also desired to look spiritual and righteous before men. That desire caused them to deceive others and give a false impression about how spiritual and devoted they were. Which of us can say that we have never tried to impress others with our dedication to God or some good deed we have done? Which of us has never covered over sin because we didn’t want to look bad in front of our family or friends?

Peter makes it clear that they were not required to sell their land and give away the money. It was their choice. The others had done this voluntarily. The sin was not keeping some of the proceeds back, but lying about it. The lie was motivated by pride. They wanted to appear to be something they were not. They wanted their cake and to eat it too. Peter also said their primary sin was against God.

— From our Bible study on Acts 5:1-11

Greed Among Religious Leaders

2 Peter 2:14-15 — “They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,”

Peter tells us another identifying mark of false teachers: greed. He says they “have a heart trained in greed.” Then he gives the example of Balaam. Balaam was a prophet. The Moabites wanted to hire Balaam to say a curse against God’s people. Balaam didn’t want to. He knew that God had not cursed them and he was afraid to incur God’s wrath. And yet Balaam did not tell them to go away. He wanted the money. He kept hoping that God would somehow change His mind and he could get paid. His number one priority was not serving God above everything else. His number one priority was money.

— From our Bible study on 2 Peter 2:10-22

We hope you enjoyed this Bible study on money. May God use His Word to speak into your life and give you strength to follow it. Please take some time to reflect on the questions below and consider leaving a comment with your key takeaway or insight.

Reflection Questions

• What kind of sins spring from a love of money?
• How can you avoid falling into the trap of pursuing riches? How can you be sure that your heart is in the right place?
• What are some practical ways to flee from the love of money?
• What does God think of your account books? Are you being a good steward? Are you generous with others?
• What are some excuses people make for not giving to the Lord? How would you answer those?
• How can you guard yourself against coveting what other people have?
• What is one way that you will be heavenly minded while enjoying something nice God has given you?
• What are some ways you can be more like the widow in the way you use your money?
• Are you generous or stingy? Why do you think that is?
• What is one thing you can do this week to invest in eternity rather than in things that will fade away?