7 Biblical Principles Every Christian Should Know About Their Finances

Have you ever noticed that the Bible talks a lot about money? There’s mentions of taxes, paying off debt, not loving money, what to do about material possessions, real estate investing, budgeting your money, and more.

Now that I’ve pointed it out, you’ll notice money talk all the time as you read your Bible! Especially because there’s over 2,300 verses in the Bible that mentions money!! This is one indicator of how important our use of money is to God.

However, as a money coach and financial blogger, I see so many young professionals misusing their money, making big mistakes, and therefore not pursuing the callings they have from God. So many people suffer from debt, overspending, not having enough to pay for emergencies, and struggling to pay their daily living expenses.

When these problems go unsolved, they can lead to deeper issues that will become more and more difficult to untangle as they sit untouched. In this article, we will go over 7 biblical principles every Christian should know about their finances so they can start to untangle the mess, and live financially free and in God’s abundance!

Biblical Principles About Finances

Put God first

The first biblical principle is to put God first in your finances. This principle applies to every area of our lives and we learn it from Matthew 6:33 which says to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.”

Many of us as Christians learn to put God first in our friendships, our marriages, and our daily lives in general, but many of us struggle to understand what that means and specifically how to apply this principle when it comes to our finances.

So what does it actually look like to put God first in our finances? It means giving back to God first and foremost. This can be done through tithing, and giving specifically to kingdom causes.

The funny thing is that God doesn’t technically need our money to do anything – he is God after all… and tithing is certainly not necessary for our salvation… But we have the pleasure of partnering with him and his mission by giving and financially supporting it here on earth. When we do this, give back to God, we actually learn from Malachi 3 that God promises to bless us beyond what we can handle! It is as if tithing is the key to financial freedom.

Many of us experience financial struggles and it typically stems from not understanding the true biblical purpose of our money. In this article we will explore 7 biblical principles about finances that every Christian should know. What does the Bible actually say about managing our money and how can we become excellent stewards of the resources God has given us? Find out in this article! — PIN FOR LATER

Be prepared

The second principle is to be prepared – for both foreseen expenses and unforeseen expenses.

There will always be changes in all aspects of our lives. This is also true with your finances.

Things will inevitably go wrong and there will always be circumstances that you cannot control. The best way to handle change is to be more proactive than reactive.

In Matthew 25:1-13 we have the parable of the 10 bridesmaids to learn from about being prepared. In this parable, 5 bridesmaids came unprepared for a long evening, while the other 5 came prepared with extra oil for their lamps in case they ended up waiting a long time (which happened!). The 5 that came prepared with extra oil were considered wise, and the other 5 were considered foolish.

We can approach our finances the same way – preparing for the events in which we may need extra money to hold us over or pay for emergencies as they pop up. Not only that, but there are so many large expenses we know will happen some day in the near or far future that we need to save and plan for.

So if you don’t already have an emergency fund, work on building one up. But also keep a budget for everyday expenses as well as those near future expenses like your Christmas fund, buying a new car, or a down payment on your first house.

Don’t hide your money in the cellar

The Parable of the Talents gives us a good example of how God doesn’t desire for us to hoard our money away out of fear of losing it. Out of the 3 workers who were giving money to keep safe while their master was gone, the one that hid their money away was considered foolish.

God wants us to step out in faith and take risks for the Kingdom, with our love, time, and even our money. When we invest these things and trust God with our results, he can make them grow beyond what we can imagine!

So do not be afraid to grow your resources. Understand your risks, but don’t let those risks keep you from huge potential rewards!

Be faithful over a little

From the Parable of the Talents we learn that we should not hide away our money, but we also learn another great biblical principle for our finances which is to be faithful over the little we do have.

The workers who took the risk and invested their money were considered wise and even faithful servants because they did something with the little bit of wealth they were given.

If you are honest in small things, it will not be hard for you to be honest in big things. The same principle applies to your finances. If you can take care of a thousand, surely you can take care of a million. Do not despise small beginnings, because this is where you will start to see the blessings in your life.

It is my belief that God does not want you to be poor, rather he is observing to see how well you do with the small bits of resources he gives you to understand if he can trust you with even more in the future. So start now by managing the small amount of wealth you have as if it were already millions! Don’t wait to take your finances seriously until you have more.

Pay back what you owe

This biblical principle can be viewed in light of the taxes you owe to the government as well as paying back a debt on money you have borrowed. Psalm 37:21 teaches us that it is wicked to not pay back money that you have borrowed. Jesus also states that we must “give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.’

If you have debt, create a plan to get it all paid off as quickly as possible. Work diligently until you are debt free and can then become someone who gives and lends freely.

Be generous with what you have

Our God is a generous God and teaches us to become more like him through our own generosity. We all know that “God so loved the world that he….” I’m sure you filled in the blank there with GAVE. Not only did God give, but Jesus himself gave his own life so that we may be blessed with eternal life with God in heaven.

While we strive to become more and more like God, it is impossible to top God in a generosity war. But we can continuously become more like Jesus through the way we manage our money by becoming radically generous.

I encourage you to find new ways to be outrageously generous in order to show others the love, and generosity that God has for all of us.

Being content while waiting

The last biblical principle we will go over today is to be content in all situations, just as Paul teaches us to be in 1 Timothy 6:6.

Contentment is not something that comes easily to me, and many other Christians, but when we live with disappointment we are more prone to falling into money struggles like debt and overspending. It is important that we practice being content in situations that might not feel very comfortable to us instead of resorting to using debt to buy things quickly.

Work on being content and patient while you wait for God’s fruitfulness and promised abundance in the future.

So that is it with the 7 biblical principles every Christian should know about their finances! Having a biblical view of your finances is crucial when it comes to conquering your money struggles. Which of these biblical principles stood out to you the most? Is there one that you need to work on more within your own finances?

Check out these Bible verses for times of financial struggle to gain encouragement as you learn contentment.

Looking For Help?

As I mentioned before, many people I encounter struggle to apply these principles within their finances and because of it, they face many difficulties with their money management. If you are one of these people, first of all, take heart! There is a solution, and it comes through first surrendering then seeking help.

If you could benefit from having a personal guide to help you through learning excellent money management skills that are rooted in these very biblical financial principles I’d love to invite you to book a free 1:1 coaching call with me to find out if money coaching is the right solution for you and your personal situation. Check out all the coaching options I offer here.