This week, we are addressing a tension and frustration that can arise when it comes to money, finances, and treasure. Where we get off track, frustrated, and in trouble when it comes to finances is when we try to fulfill roles and responsibilities that belong to God, or ignore or fail to fulfill responsibilities that belong to us. So, in Psalm 50, we are looking at what roles and responsibilities are God’s and what responsibilities are ours when it comes to money and finances.
Yesterday, we talked about the reality that when it comes to our role and God’s role in money, possessions, and treasure, is that we can find ourselves falling into some faulty theology. We looked specifically at a faulty view that is referred to as prosperity theology. Proponents of prosperity theology maintain that God desires that everyone prosper financially and physically as a result of their spirituality. Prosperity theology maintains what is called a “name it and claim it” mentality when it comes to money, possessions, and treasure.
However, there is a huge problem with prosperity theology. And that problem is that any theology that is true to the Bible must be able to have Jesus fit into that theology. Because, when you look at the definition of a spiritually mature person in prosperity theology; that a spiritually mature person is wealthy, with good relationships and without pain or anxiety, that definition excludes Jesus. When you look at the tenets of prosperity theology, Jesus would not be able to fit into their theology. And if Jesus cannot fit into your theology, then your theology is faulty.
Today, I would like for us to look at a faulty view that is referred to as poverty theology. Proponents of poverty theology maintain that the love of money is the root of all evil in the world. For those who embrace poverty theology spiritually mature followers of Jesus view wealth and possessions as evil and corrupting. So, if someone is wealthy materially or financially, it is due to the fact that they are either unsaved, spiritually immature, or have the sin of greed and covetousness in their life.
For those who embrace poverty theology, generosity and giving is driven by the mentality that “I give because I must”. So giving is motivated by duty to God. And for those who embrace poverty theology, the management of the money, possessions, and treasure that they have is absent of gratitude to God because money and possession are evil. Poverty theology actually flows from an ancient heresy called asceticism, which viewed the physical and material as evil and the spiritual as good.
There is a huge problem with prosperity theology, however. And that problem is that throughout the Bible we see individual after individual that were wealthy that were used by God in powerful ways to advance His Kingdom and enhance His reputation. In the Old Testament there was Abraham, there was Job, there was King David and King Solomon, all of whom were wealthy and used by God in powerful ways to reveal and reflect His nature and character to the world.
In addition, nowhere in the Bible is the money, possession, or treasure mentioned as being evil. You see, money is amoral. It is neither inherently evil nor intently good. It is what we do with money that determines whether it is leveraged in a way that is morally good or evil.
While both prosperity and poverty theology find no support in the Bible, there is a third theological view when it comes to our role and God’s role in money, possessions, and treasure that is clearly supported by the message and teachings of the Bible.
Tomorrow, we will look at that third view...
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