#15: New Testament Money Matters

Update: 2021-12-01

Description

Episode 15 (New Testament Money Matters) provides a careful examination of several well-known passages in the New Testament to ensure we are properly understanding them contextually and drawing the correct applications with respect to money.

How should a Christian who owns Bitcoin ensure that he is obedient to the warning of Jesus and the NT authors about loving and serving money in Luke 8:14 , Luke 16:13-15, I Timothy 3:2-3, 1 Timothy 6:10 , and Hebrews 13:5?

Is Jesus a friend of the poor who is opposed to the rich?

Does Jesus prohibit lending at interest in Luke 6:34-35?

What does Jesus’ expulsion of the money changers from the temple teach us about God’s attitude toward money?

Is the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 intended to communicate truths about savings/investment or not?

Does Jesus' admonition to His disciples in Luke 12:33-34 mean we should not store wealth?

Summary

Our attitude toward money reveals a great deal about our heart. As believers, we are to have a singular devotion to Christ that is not compromised by a love for money, even Bitcoin.

Our valuation of this life compared to the age to come is reflected in our money. We must not raise our time preference and devalue what God has in store for those who love him through an unholy pursuit of money, possessions, and security in this age.

The present world order elevates the self satisfied rich and powerful and oppresses or excludes the weak and lowly. Bitcoin does not fix this, Messiah’s kingdom does. But, we can glorify Messiah by using Bitcoin to defend the weak and lowly. Help them save in Bitcoin.

While some of Jesus’ well-known teachings that reference money are not intended to provide economic lessons, we can see how Jesus used money and commerce as a rich teaching tool reflecting that a man’s money morals often reflect his spiritual state.