Money - The Great Spiritual Health Evaluator

Posted by Bernard Rosario On 6:55 AM 2 comments



Last Friday, July 17, I was invited by the youth fellowship of San Carlos City - United Methodist Church (to which I used to belong before accepting to pastor Dorongan-Punta UMC) to give a short talk in one of their activities which they call Com-Com (Communicating to the Saints My Communion with God).Their theme was "My Need of Poverty" which aims to confront a materialistic lifestyle and promote a simplicity of living. It is based on Proverbs 30:7-9:
I ask you, God, to let me have two things before I die: keep me from lying, and let me be neither rich nor poor. So give me only as much food as I need.
If I have more, I might say that I do not need you. But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God.
Randy Alcorn, in his book The Treasure Principle, reveals that the number of Bible verses committed to money and possessions (2,350 verses) is larger than the verses on prayer and faith combined, larger than the number of verses about heaven and hell. Most probably, this is because there is an intimate connection between our attitude towards money and our true spiritual condition. Therefore, my message was "Money as a Great Spiritual Health Evaluator" and the following were my main points:

  1. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are wise or foolish (Luke 12:16-21).
  2. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are confident or uncertain of our message (Heb. 13:5-6).
  3. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are thankful or not (Ecc. 5:10)
  4. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are truly repentant or not (Luke 3:11-14).
  5. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are having lasting or shallow joy (Phil. 4:10-14).
  6. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are saved or not (Luke 19:8-10).
  7. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are obedient or disobedient (Matt. 19:16-23).
  8. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are serious or not on godliness (1 Tim. 6:6-10).
  9. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are maintaining GOD as our single passion or not (Matt. 6:19-21).

John Piper has also written an interesting chapter, Money: The Currency of Christian Hedonism, in his book Desiring God.

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2 Response for the "Money - The Great Spiritual Health Evaluator"

  1. Sam says:
    July 20, 2010 at 10:57 AM

    Our view of money indeed is an effective barometer of our spirituality.

  2. Anonymous says:
    July 29, 2010 at 4:39 AM

    Thanks for posting on this. It is an uncomfortable topic for so many, yet such an important topic for Christians in the West.

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