The Love of Money Versus Love for God: What the New Testament Teaches

Summary

The New Testament contrasts fragile earthly wealth with secure heavenly treasure and warns that money and God cannot share our devotion. Loving money leads to pride, anxiety, and spiritual harm, while loving God produces contentment, generosity, and trust. True believers rely on God as their hidden resource, seek His Kingdom first, and use spiritual riches to bless others rather than trusting in financial success.

The Love of Money Versus Love for God

I studied what the New Testament says about the love of money and its relation to Christianity. I am sharing my conclusions about the love of money versus love for God.

1.     Earthly treasures are easily lost. Focus on storing secure treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).

2.     Slavery to money prevents us from serving God. Love of and devotion to money and God are impossible (Matthew 6:24).

3.     Don’t worry about food, drink, and clothing. That’s how unbelievers live. God provides for the birds and clothes the lilies. They don’t worry about their lives. How much more will He care for us? Seek God’s Kingdom first, live obediently, and He will take care of us (Matthew 6:24-33).

4.     We can’t be money’s slave and God’s servant. The Pharisees thought they could but were wrong (Luke 16:13-14).

5.     We have enough resources to accomplish God’s will when we trust Jesus to make up the difference between what we have and what we need to complete the job (John 6:7).

6.     Those who serve God’s people only for money don’t care about them (John 10:13).

7.     Spiritual riches bless others in ways money can’t. We must give those riches away (Acts 3:4-6).

8.     Church leaders must not love or be dishonest with money (1 Timothy 3:3, 8).

9.     The lust for money underlies a galaxy of evil behaviors. It leads to spiritual shipwreck and emotional agony (1 Timothy 6:10).

10.  Financial success doesn’t impress God. We shouldn’t be proud of or trust in it. It isn’t dependable. We trust a trustworthy God to meet our needs. Being rich in good works and helping the needy is far more important than financial success (1 Timothy 6:17-18).

11.  In the end times, people will love only themselves and their money. They will be proud braggarts who don’t respect God or their parents. They will think they deserve everything they have and live as “nones,” devoid of devotion to God (1 Timothy 3:2).

12.  False teachers only care about the money (Titus 1:11).

13.  Being content with what we have demonstrates that we don’t love money. We can be fearless because our ever-present God is our hidden resource to care for us and to make up for any lack.

Conclusions

Conclusions about those who love God:

1. Their treasures are secure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).

2. They can love and serve God (Matthew 6:24).

   
   

3. They are unworried about daily provisions (Matthew 6:32).

4. God promises them daily provisions (Matthew 6:33).

5. They are free from money's domination (Luke 16:13-14).

6. They have God's resources to complete their mission (John 6:7).

7. They lovingly serve people (John 10:13).

8. They have spiritual riches to share (Acts 3:4-6).

9. They are honest and don't love money (1 Timothy 3:3,8).

10. They are rich in good works (1 Timothy 6:17-18).

11. They are generous to the needy (1 Timothy 6:17-18).

12. They are not proud of their financial success (1 Timothy 6:17-18).

13 They trust God to supply their needs (1 Timothy 6:17-18).

14. They are content with what they have (Hebrews 13:5-6).

15. They are fearless because God is their hidden resource (Hebrews 13:5-6).

Photo: Image Creator (microsoft.com)