What are the Moral Conditions Necessary to Generate Godly Wealth?
Good Morning Friends,
The Bible speaks to all of life and gives principles that have much to say about economics and business. To be able to assess our current economic situation and determine what policies would be best locally and globally to put us on a path of prosperity, we must know what the Bible teaches about economics as it relates to our spiritual development. You see God desires us to have wealth as opposed to perishable riches in order to fulfill His purposes. Wealth is having the skills, spiritual knowledge, and Godly character needed to live a productive and kingdom-centered life. Maybe it is possible for a person with talent and resources who generates wealth to escape the clutches of greed and truly benefit the larger community. It depends. Which brings us to today’s question, What are the Moral Conditions Necessary to Generate Godly Wealth?
Scripture: 10For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 (NRSV)Top of Form
Bottom of Form
17Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full.
Proverbs 19:17 (NRSV)
16All scripture is inspired by God and is* useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NRSV)
21Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.
Proverbs 13:21 (NRSV)
10The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NRSV)
My child, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Keep straight the path of your feet, and all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
Proverbs 4:20-27 (NRSV)
26Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind* in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth,* and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’27 So God created humankind* in his image, in the image of God he created them;* male and female he created them. 28God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’
Genesis 1:26-28 (NRSV)
Message: The moral conditions of the generation of wealth is that we not keep it but share and invest it for Godly purposes. Jesus said, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
Thomas Aquinas argued that it was a moral obligation of businesses to sell goods at a just price.
Economics and faith collide here if we do not have the confidence to look ahead and discover answers of a spiritual nature tied to poverty. On average 22,000 children in the world will die today because of poverty. But we must look ahead and trust that God will provide us what we need. Friends, the way to times of true prosperity is to look ahead with the confidence of scripture on our hearts. We have to believe that every day we are traveling down a highway of holiness so that one day it will all make sense. Friends, that day is coming, so maintain a heart of integrity… the Lord will be faithful, the winds of the Holy Spirit keep our faith in a God who loves. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But we as cultures dishonor the poor. The rich tend to oppress. Friends, true wealth comes through work, thrift, and God’s blessings. People must have Godly character to produce wealth. In a Christian society, each succeeding generation will be more prosperous than the one before. Today’s scripture gives us a little practical instruction that could be helpful for learning to engage a sustainable economic future. Its intention is to be a gem for daily living that guides us on the journey to always be
looking ahead to economic security but still wondering… if capitalism is just a ticket to greed that exploits the poor. The real challenge is not in helping people with talent by providing resources but in helping them in escaping the clutches of greed so they might truly benefit the larger community. Market economics is a lot like a religion that worships the generation of wealth. Liberation theology interprets scripture through the plights of the poor. Is there a better way?
Pray that we become examples of God’s blessings before others… exalt Him for giving us a double blessing. Pray that we establish a foothold of love in our economic endeavors. Pray we realize that our life is just on loan and that there is no reverse. Pray we overcome the resistance to learn new things. Pray we open our eyes and remember that life is in the living of it. Pray we realize that the Bible answers questions of a spiritual nature. Pray we realize the firm foundation for the experience of our life is God. Pray that God bless all of us and open our minds and hearts so that we can help each other. Pray we remember that blessings are for community. Pray we generate true wealth in moral ways for the common good. Pray we realize that it is not just free markets or liberation theology but something in the tension between them where community exists. Pray we realize that the goal of prosperity is to provide a path toward a standard of living for everyone. Pray we realize the importance of a Christian tradition in providing for such a future. Pray we realize that perceptions, expectations and beliefs matter if we value trust. Pray we not ignore the human dimension of economic growth.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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