Finances

If the Bible Says that “God Will Supply All Our Needs” Then Why Are So Many Christians in Bondage to Debt?

Looking back on my own childhood, I remember the many erroneous teachings by the church and by family members regarding finances. Here are a few that come to mind:

• Fallacy #1 - You don’t give to get.

Luke 6:38 KJV instructs us: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal (the amount you give) it shall be measured to you again.” This verse tells us to give and trust that God will keep His Word and provide for us. We give to Him first, and then He provides miraculously for us.

Whether you believe in the 10% mandate of the Old Testament or you give simply because you take pleasure in helping others advance God’s good news, you should give freely without fear or coercion.

For example, when my husband and I were pastoring, a couple approached me with their financial dilemma. They felt pressured to give but didn’t have enough means to comply with the 10% requirement. I explained Romans 8:1-2 (NIV): “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” We are to give freely with a joyful heart. I told them to just give pocket change, but to give something. Each week their offering increased until they contributed the largest amount monthly—more than any other church family member.

• Fallacy #2 - If you become rich, you won’t need God anymore.

A guilt trip was given to prosperous individuals who genuinely loved God and wanted to please Him, even in finances. This belief was further enforced when my husband and I attended a very well-known pastor’s church. The pastor asked us to join with four or five others seated around us in the church auditorium and pray over our needs. My husband and I were considering a business venture, so we asked the group to pray with us. One individual prayed, “Don’t allow this couple to get involved with finances that would deter them from relying on You for help.” Wow! Many believed that if you were wealthy, you wouldn’t rely on God anymore because you were self-sufficient. Even Catholic priests take an oath of poverty. But how can we pay for missionaries and pastors to preach the good news without financial support? How are we able to support them if our own families’ needs aren’t met? It would be cruel to think that living in lack made us more holy. This isn’t what the scriptures say at all.

Growing up, I met many church leaders who couldn’t afford to pay their bills. This isn’t a good testimony about God’s provision. This individual preaches the goodness of God while living in poverty—charging on a credit card for necessary provisions and then not paying his bills. God says in Romans 13:8 (NIV): “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” And in 1 Timothy 3:2 (NIV): “Now the overseer (church leader) is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, and able to teach.”

God has given us many promises that he will provide by giving us ideas and various ways of gaining wealth. Here are some verses regarding this:

1. Proverbs 10:4 (NIV)

• "Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth."

2. Proverbs 13:11 (NIV)

• "Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow."

3. Deuteronomy 8:18 (NIV)

• "But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today."

4. Proverbs 22:7 (NIV)

• "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."

5. Proverbs 3:9-10 (NIV)

• "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."

Verses on the Right Attitude Towards Wealth

1. Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

• "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

2. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NIV)

• "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

3. Proverbs 28:20 (NIV)

• "A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished."

Verses on Generosity and Sharing Wealth

1. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV)

• "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

2. Luke 6:38 (NIV)

• "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

3. Acts 20:35 (NIV)

• "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Verses on Trusting God Over Wealth

1. Proverbs 11:28 (NIV)

• "Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf."

2. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

• "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

3. Matthew 19:24 (NIV)

• "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

4. Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

• "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"

These scriptures provide a balanced view of wealth, emphasizing hard work, honesty, generosity, and a proper perspective on material riches. They encourage believers to trust in God rather than wealth and to use their resources to honor Him and help others.