7 Lies Christians Believe About Money
Money is a big deal in the Bible. We’re given more instruction in the Bible about money (there are over 2,300 Bible verses on money, wealth, possessions, and finances) than almost anything else. In this article, I will break down some of the common misconceptions and lies Christians believe about money.
7 Lies Christians Believe About Money
1. God cares more about my heart than what I do with my money.
While God absolutely cares about the condition of our hearts, he also cares about the actions we take as a result of the posture of our hearts.
For example, if we have truly been transformed by the gospel, this should change the way that we view money and the things we believe about it. And this new belief about our money should lead us to change the way we handle our finances.
To say that our hearts have been transformed by the gospel and to not make any outward changes is to not actually be transformed. Let’s put our money where our mouths are, and practice what we say we believe!
James makes it very clear that our faith leads to actions, and when it doesn’t it is a sign that our faith is dead.
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
James 2:14;17; 26
The way that we handle our finances can be an act of worship towards Christ, and we should always be on the lookout for ways to honor God with our money. At the end of our lives, God will review how we have done with the resources he has provided us with while on earth, that includes our wealth. And when we show that we can be trusted with the resources God has given to us, he will entrust us with so much more!
If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches?
Luke 16:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:10
2. The act of giving is more important than how much I actually give.
Another one of the lies Christians believe about money is that it’s more important to just give money rather than give a specific amount. This is a common disagreement among many believers. Some Christians believe that tithing is not for modern-day believers, yet others believe we are commanded to tithe.
While most of the advice and instructions throughout the Bible, in regards to finances, is rather vague and up to us to interpret, the instruction to tithe is very clear. In fact, when you put together all of the advice throughout the Bible when it comes to money, you’ll notice that the instruction to tithe is the only time that God gives us a specific number.
Whether or not you actually give 10% will not result in a change in your salvation status. While I do believe that God commands us to tithe, we should still view it as an act of worship and give back this money to him cheerfully.
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.
Malachi 3:10
I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.
Luke 18:12
Related: The Key to Financial Freedom According to the Bible
3. To live in poverty is holier than to live in wealth.
Whether it is conscious or unconscious, many Christians tend to believe that it is unrighteous to have money. This belief stems from 1 Timothy 6:10 which tells us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
However, this implies that having loads of money means that you must love money. When in reality, there are many faithful believers who are wealthy, yet do not love their money more than God. On the other hand, just because someone does not have money in the bank does not mean they do not yearn for having riches!
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
1 Timothy 6:10
In fact, we learn throughout Proverbs that it is actually wise to save money.
The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.
Proverbs 21:20
And yes, Jesus does tell us that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:23-24), however, it is not impossible. The reason that Jesus says this is because those with money tend to rely more on their wealth than on God. It is easy to get comfortable when you have the money to buy anything you desire.
But it is not up to us to decide whether or not our hearts are in the right place, with or without money.
Related: Was Jesus Wealthy? 5 Clues That Jesus May Have Been Rich
4. God promises to take care of me so I don’t have to worry about my poor financial situation
There is no doubt that God promises to take care of our every need, but this doesn’t excuse you from practicing good money management skills. Just because God promises to take care of your needs does not give you a ticket to kick back your feet and wait for his provision. This is one of the major lies Christians believe about money…
The truth about God’s provision is that he provides for the ones who seek after him first…
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
Luke 12:31
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!
Psalm 84:11-12
The question then becomes, “How do we seek the Kingdom of God?” This simply means to become more like Christ in all areas of life. This includes becoming more Christlike in the way we handle our money.
So now my question to you my friend is, do you believe that Jesus would give up when he has hit a financial rut? Or do you believe that Jesus would take some action and look for ways to apply good money management skills to the little bit that he does have?
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24
Think of it in terms of a race. You wouldn’t enter into a race if you didn’t plan to at least TRY to win it. Pursue your finances with excellence as if it were a race you were trying to win!
Related: Bible Verses About Excellence That Prove That Christians Should Be the Best in Every Industry
5. I will prosper financially if I pray a lot and have enough faith.
Even though we just discussed that God promises to provide for those who seek him first, he does not work like a vending machine. If you are seeking after God just for financial prosperity, I will tell you now that you will most likely end up feeling duped.
We should not seek after God as a way to gain worldly blessings. God will search your heart and know your true motives when it comes to pursuing him, and if he does see your desires for wealth, he will most likely deny it.
However, this should not stop you from praying bold prayers when it comes to your finances! God does want to bless you beyond what you can handle, so don’t ever be afraid to ask him for your true desires.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
1 Samuel 2:7
Related: How to Pray for Your Finances
6. Investing my money is a form of loving my money and therefore should be avoided.
To be honest, this could be a very true statement for some Christians out there. If you recognize that you are only investing your money simply to pursue riches then, by all means, do not give in.
However, investing your money and building up wealth isn’t sinful. In fact, it is a common money principle taught throughout the Bible. Investing your money is a form of good money management according to the Bible and can be a way we respond in worship towards God. The money we have is not our own, we are simply stewards, or managers, of God’s money.
In Matthew 25:14-30, we learn that when we are given money to manage for someone else, it is wise to invest it and try to gain a return on it. In fact, in this parable, the manager who gave each one of his workers some money scolded the worker who did not attempt to gain a return on it. This can easily be applied to how we handle the resources that God has entrusted us with.
Related: 5 Bible Verses About Real Estate Investing
7. I don’t have a lot of money and cannot give any of it.
Maybe you don’t make a lot of money, and there are times throughout the year where you feel like you are deciding between tithing and buying groceries. No matter what your income level is, God still desires for you to act in faith and give cheerfully, even when it hurts!
Even if you don’t feel like you have enough to even cover your own expenses, you should put into practice the act of giving. If you practice it when you have very little, it will be easier to apply this practice as your income grows.
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Matthew 25:21
“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.
Luke 16:10
Don’t wait until you feel like you have enough to cover your own expenses and feel like you can spare some. God asks for our first fruits. He desires to be first when it comes to our money decisions. So start practicing that now when you feel like there is little to go around.
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Proverbs 11:24
In Conclusion
There are plenty of lies Christians believe about money. Have you ever believed any of these lies? Are there other lies that should be added to this list?
Whether it comes to common misconceptions about money or biblical principles about finances, it is wise to do a bit of research to figure out why you believe what you do.
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This is all so true, I have completed Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace course and giving and investing are so important to being financially secure. God provides for us financially but sometimes that means God providing a job and access to information about finances so we can make more spiritually sound financial decisions.
Amen! One of Dave Ramsey’s quote is that God does feed the birds, but he doesn’t throw worms into their nest! God still requires action from us, and that action is taken as a response of worship =] I’m so glad you have taken his Financial Peace University and have been blessed by it!
I will just speak to lie #7. We tithed from the first of our marriage. But when my husband was in the Army for a few months, we did not feel like we had enough money to tithe. And we got further behind. When he left the Army and went to Seminary, we returned to our practice of tithing (because we loved God). And we discovered that, despite our poverty, God kept providing here and there, by this means and that means everything that we truly needed. We have never forgotten that lesson. But I do want to reiterate that the tithing was both a means of love and obedience – not as a way to try to buy anything from God. Thanks for this great article.
Hey Carole, this is an awesome testimony and I hear similar stories all the time about God’s faithfulness when we tithe! Just like in Malachi 3, he says that he promises to bless us beyond what we can handle when we tithe! But you’re absolutely right, we shouldn’t just tithe, give, pray, or follow God as a means to receive these blessings! He’ll see right through us when we try to go that route! He wants our whole hearts first, and when we are transformed we respond through giving, and then the blessings are just icing on the cake! Thanks again! I pray God continues to bless you and your family.
These are all so good! Thanks for pointing us to the Bible when it comes to our financial world!
The Bible is loaded with so much awesome advice on how to handle our finances! Thanks for reading =D