Is Money evil?

[enoob57]

enoob57: How can that which sinful man has designed be benign?

Again, because money is a "thing" not a "living thing."

​Jesus used money. The apostles used money. Money in and of itself is not evil or wrong. It's what you do with it. You can use it to fund an orphanage, or pay someone to kill somebody. Either way, it's the actions of the person using the money that is good or evil.

I agree money is benign and amoral. It's what is done with money that is either good or evil.

This reasoning in Scripture still awaits your evaluation though

Jude 23

23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

NKJV

certainly the garment is as money amoral yet here hatred is directed toward it....

Why does God burn up the first heaven and earth if it is amoral?

Why when The Christ finished this narrative

Mt 19:25

25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"

NKJV

did his disciples have this such question?

This clearly seems needful toward obedience

Mt 6:19-24

19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break

in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body

(Lk 11:34-36)

22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is

darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be

loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

NKJV

Certainly this warning would not be of amoral things...

1 Co 7:29-31

29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be

as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though

they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use this world as

not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.

NKJV

This is an attitude toward the temporal things that are not eternally kept...

If you have riches you also have with them by witness of God- deceitfulness in them....

Mt 13:22

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world

and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

NKJV

deceitfulness is not amoral....

Love, Steven

[Six-strings]

The ability to uses money for the betterment of your family is not evil. However, along with the attainment of the wealth comes a responsibility to help those who are in need. To use it selfishly is wrong. To help others to learn of our Lord in lets say the Bible Society, to reach those who have never read the Word of God or to help in a Mission to feed the hungry in near or far places or to help your family should they need it if you are able. I do not say to LEND. That is not good - it leads to frustration and grief. If God blesses you financially then be a blessing to others.

Was interested in this post because of the word 'LEND' and the fact that you say it is not good. I was considering lending my son money to help with buying his first home - the reason being that I didn't want him throwing away money on interest payments - but also teaching him responsibility about money management - i.e. that he needs to set aside part of his salary and be responsible rather than having money 'drop out of the sky'. I'm not disagreeing with you at all but I just wondered if you think there is anything wrong with my approach in treating it as a loan rather than a gift - he will eventually inherit whatever I leave and I have no plans on spending any payments that he makes - rather I would invest them for him so that he eventually benefits from them - as I said not disagreeing - just wanted your opinion.

First things first: Welcome to the forum Big-Al.

I know that you have asked this question to the other poster, however, my parents had a fair amount of cash on hand and where people that helped others. I was raised with the idea that I should never borrow anything unless I was prepared to buy it. The leading on money by my parents got paid back with interest. I however, never had to borrow money from my parents, yet, I knew I could if I needed to. I do not think you are wrong, however, with-in my own family I watched money turn some, into people I did not know. Money is not evil, the Love of money is.

If you didn't need money to survive you wouldn't have to help others with it. I think giving to charity is in a way enabling a monster called Greed. Money inspires greed so therefore money is as evil as the snake that tempted Eve and as bitter as the apple she ate.

If Jesus hadn't paid His taxes He would have been jailed and unable to fulfill His Destiny. Jesus was setting a good example. Jesus said, "it's easier to thread a camel through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven". There is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus was clearly not a fan of wealth. There is no way to be righteous and wealthy, IMO.

[GoldenEagle]

This reasoning in Scripture still awaits your evaluation though

Jude 23

23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

NKJV

certainly the garment is as money amoral yet here hatred is directed toward it....

Why does God burn up the first heaven and earth if it is amoral?

Money is a means to an end. The end is the issue and not the means. The end is where either good or evil intentions/actions are found. Would you agree with this?

Jude 1:20-23

Maintain Your Life with God

²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

²² And on some have compassion, making a distinction; ²³ but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

The focus of this passage is not hate but the love of God and God’s mercy through Jesus Christ. Wouldn’t you agree?

Yes I agree there will be a new heaven and new earth. That doesn’t make money moral IMO.

Possible to get your thoughts on my post (#84) brother?

[GoldenEagle]

Why when The Christ finished this narrative

Mt 19:25

25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"

NKJV

did his disciples have this such question?

Do you believe that rich people will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do you believe that?

If so how to reconcile this idea with the following… Our poor in America are some of the richest people in the world. Our poor have on average 1 computer, 2 TVs, a cell phone, often have 2-3 meals a day, and often have 2 cars per household.

A poor person in Oklahoma for example is richer than 90% of the world's population.

[GoldenEagle]

This clearly seems needful toward obedience

Mt 6:19-24

19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The Lamp of the Body

(Lk 11:34-36)

22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.

23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

NKJV

We’re not talking about greed here. We’re not talking about SERVING money. We’re talking about money on earth - a means to exchange goods and services. The LOVE of money is the roots of all forms of evil. Motivation is the issue. Are we talking about being motivated by God’s love or our own desires?

For perspective when was the last time a poor person single handedly paid for a library, hospital, orphanage, school, or church?

What if God gives certain people (Believers who CAN handle money well) resources to further His Kingdom?

Again we’re talking about motivation.

Since when does success = lack of spirituality?

Deuteronomy 30:9

The Lord your God will then make you successful in everything you do. He will give you many children and numerous livestock, and he will cause your fields to produce abundant harvests, for the Lord will again delight in being good to you as he was to your ancestors.

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Nehemiah 2:20

…”The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build…”

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Proverbs 22:29

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

Proverbs 22:4

The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life.

Isaiah 1:19

If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land;

Understand I'm not saying everything in life will be okay or you'll always be prosperous simply by seving God. However, I think there's good arguments Biblically that if you work hard you are more likely to be successful than those who don't work hard...

Proverbs 10:4

Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 12:24

The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labor.

Proverbs 14:23

In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 21:5

The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

Some questions some people ask… (And I've been guilty of this myself)

How could anyone in good conscious drive a car that expensive? (Perhaps anything more expensive than mine?)

How could she spend that kind of money on a coat?

I could do a lot of good a lot of good with {insert “luxurious” item here}. (TV, house, car, boat, vacation, coat, clothes, etc.)

What is really the motivation behind such questions? Aren’t these people who ask such questions really just jealous of someone else’s success and/or status in life?

Food for thought.

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

Certainly this warning would not be of amoral things...

1 Co 7:29-31

29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.

NKJV

This is an attitude toward the temporal things that are not eternally kept...

If you have riches you also have with them by witness of God deceitfulness....

Mt 13:22

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

NKJV

deceitfulness is not amoral....

Love, Steven

Okay let’s speak of deceitfulness. Zacchaeus was very rich. He gave half his money to the poor and paid back fourfold to anyone he’d cheated or was deceitful to... But he was a very rich man and didn’t give everything he had to the poor or his neighbors. Yet, Jesus clearly stated salvation came to Zacchaeus entire house!

Luke 19:9-10

⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; ¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Full passage see: Luke 19:1-10

Practical example…

Rick Warren manages his money as a steward of the Lord. Francis Chan signed away the money he made for his book to a non-profit charity.

Is one of these men more spiritual than the other?

Question: From a spiritual perspective is winning (being successful) with money wrong?

[Tinky]

Enoob57, all I can say is, if you believe it's the money itself that is evil, then stop using it. Don't own any.

[enoob57]

Enoob57, all I can say is, if you believe it's the money itself that is evil, then stop using it. Don't own any.

Tinky.... it is what God indicates is in His Own heart about riches that we should take note!

After all the whole purpose of this life is to prepare ones heart for joining His in eternity! I do not keep

surplus and give it away readily as God shows me need and - by - so doing He has freed my heart from

the deceitfulness that is in wealth and clearly I see His Truth about whats really important in the nasty

now and now! Emphatically-- it isn't hanging on to things of this place or to the body we began in!

Love, Steven

[enoob57]

Certainly this warning would not be of amoral things...

1 Co 7:29-31

29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.

NKJV

This is an attitude toward the temporal things that are not eternally kept...

If you have riches you also have with them by witness of God deceitfulness....

Mt 13:22

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

NKJV

deceitfulness is not amoral....

Love, Steven

Okay let’s speak of deceitfulness. Zacchaeus was very rich. He gave half his money to the poor and paid back fourfold to anyone he’d cheated or was deceitful to... But he was a very rich man and didn’t give everything he had to the poor or his neighbors. Yet, Jesus clearly stated salvation came to Zacchaeus entire house!

Luke 19:9-10

⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; ¹⁰ for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Full passage see: Luke 19:1-10

Practical example…

Rick Warren manages his money as a steward of the Lord. Francis Chan signed away the money he made for his book to a non-profit charity.

Is one of these men more spiritual than the other?

Question: From a spiritual perspective is winning (being successful) with money wrong?

as far as Zacchaeus I would definitely say at the rate He was going ... He would be without it soon

When you would rather give it than keep it you have come to the understanding of The Lord Jesus' teaching

Do not invest yourself in the temporary because all that Jesus 'IS' is permenant....

You know as well as I do that perfect sanctification is perfect obedience -a mark we all seek and all with

different degrees of success... as to your second question of Warren and Chan I would say the Chan was

more obedient to Scripture 'Lay not up where moth or rust corrupts' ....

Love, Steven

[Guest man]

Matthew 19

²³ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

²⁴ And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵ When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶ But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”