Six biblical truths about money...

[expiated]

I have compiled a fair amount of material to serve as curriculum for when I open doors at TrinityTutors Virtual Academy, hopefully sometime in the year 2021.

(Though I have now completely fleshed out the Forex trading system I intend to use to generate the necessary funds, I am presently committed to completing a major curriculum development project for a mathematics center in Singapore, and will therefore be unable to take full advantage of my system [or even part-time] until September at the earliest—hence my delay in getting started.)

But given that I have a habit of forgetting about resources created a number of years ago, as I recall having written such material, I might opt to post it here to give me one more place I could potentially run across it again in the future—hence this “thread” of sorts.

A while back I wrote lessons for teaching biblical truths about money via the Tabernacle, which I am likely to use at the Academy. I forgot about this, and might forget about it again, so I will post the first “truth” today, and the remaining five over the next week or two:

The Tabernacle teaches us at least six biblical truths about money, the first being that…

God doesn’t just ask us to give out of our material wealth. He also asks us to give of our time, energy, and skill (talents), as illustrated by the thirty-first chapter of Exodus…

God spoke to Moses: “See what I’ve done; I’ve personally chosen Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur of the tribe of Judah. I’ve filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze; to cut and set gemstones; to carve wood—he’s an all-around craftsman.

“Not only that, but I’ve given him Oholiab, son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan, to work with him. And to all who have an aptitude for crafts I’ve given the skills to make all the things I’ve commanded you: the Tent of Meeting, the Chest of The Testimony and its Atonement-Cover, all the implements for the Tent, the Table and its implements, the pure Lampstand and all its implements, the Altar of Incense, the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering and all its implements, the Washbasin and its base, the official vestments, the holy vestments for Aaron the priest and his sons in their priestly duties, the anointing oil, and the aromatic incense for the Holy Place—they’ll make everything just the way I’ve commanded you.”

I should probably also include Colossians 3:22-25

Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.

 

[expiated]

The Israelites brought gold, silver, bronze, animal hides, Acacia wood, linen, precious stones, spices, incense, and olive oil. These former slaves gave a massive, staggering amount of riches! But, from where did they get it all?

Exodus 12:35 tells us that God gave the Israelites favor in the eyes of the Egyptians so that the Egyptians gave them whatever they ask for—and in this way, they plundered the Egyptians. But, why did God do that? This brings us to the second Biblical truth about money:

We are managers—not owners (i.e., it’s not our money). You see, the Israelites didn’t own all that stuff. We need to understand that just as with the Israelites, every cent we have has been transferred to us by God, entrusted to us by God, given to us by God to be used for his glory.

The Israelites were simply managers of the funds until such a time as God wanted them to give it to him or do something else with it that he told them to do. This is the “crux interpretum.” This is the “sine qua non.” This is the key issue when it comes to handling our money biblically. It’s what we need to understand if we're going to handle our money in a way that our money doesn't handle us—if we’re going to have our money in a way that it doesn’t have us.

It’s God’s money that He’s allowed us the privilege of managing during the short time that we’re here on this earth. It’s His money, so when you leave this earth, you’re not taking any of it with you. This is the lens through which we have to see everything that God gives us: We are managers—not owners.

God gives to us so that we will have it later on when He asks us to give it back to Him for kingdom business.

 

[stu]

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child and I had an imaginary friend, that would tell me what to think and what to do, 'He' would go everywhere with me, grant me wishes and so I reasoned like a child. When I grew up, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

 

[ElCubano]

We get it STU you are no longer a child. Does it bother you others want to remain believing or a child as you would say?

 

[stu]

We get it STU you are no longer a child. Does it bother you others want to remain believing or a child as you would say?

Nope, except the God concept does get very weird and creepy. Does it bother you to see comment against the sanctimonious preaching by this thread's OP?
It is at least ironic if not downright hypocritical that the Bible, Corinthians, in this case, recommends people grow up, right? Imaginary friend isn't that.
It's all I was pointing out.

 

[expiated]

1. God doesn’t just ask us to give out of our material wealth. He also asks us to give of our time, energy, and talents.
2. It's not our money. We are managers—not owners. God gives to us so that we will have it later, when He asks us to give it back to Him for kingdom business.

Now the keyword that Moses used over and over again in chapter thirty-five was the word...willing. He used it in verses 4, 21, 22, and 26.

The resources for the construction of the tabernacle amounted to a totally voluntary, free will, “only do it if you want to” offering. Nobody was forced to do anything.

In fact, the people had to be restrained because they brought more than was needed for the job.

So, here we have a third biblical truth about money:

As recorded in 2 Corinthians 9:7 — God loves a cheerful giver.

And as followers of Yeshua, as children of Yahweh, we ought to aspire to be what God loves. Of course, it's easier to be a cheerful giver if one understands at least two additional biblical truths about money, which I will note in subsequent postings...

 

[Sig]

I seem to recall something about "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell 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." allegedly said directly by this Jesus fellow reported by now fewer than all 3 gospels. Right after he said something about "go, sell your possessions and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven."

and ironically this lands just 4 verses after that Jesus fellow also said "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." but of course it's the gays that are the real problem, right?

As Gandhi apocryphally said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." When I see you all selling all your possessions and giving them to the poor, and condemning anyone and anything that allows for divorce with the same vehemence and hate that you currently reserve for, say gay marriage, then maybe you'll be less of a joke. Until then, I think that Jesus fellow had some things to say about hypocrites round about that same section of Matthew.

 

[expiated]

Of course, it's easier to be a cheerful giver if one understands at least two additional biblical truths about money, which I will note in subsequent postings...

It's easier to be a cheerful giver if we understand that giving to God is an act of worship, especially if we define worship as anything we do which says to God that he has first place in our lives.

Someone once said that only when we give something that truly costs us are we genuinely communicating to God that He is worth more to us than mere "stuff," a quote I found to have the trust-inspiring tenor of being truthful.

It's also easier to be a cheerful giver if we recognize that giving is a form of spiritual investment. It is the only way to transfer wealth from Earth to heaven.

I don't remember from where I got the following, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to have been from Pastor John MacArthur:

Every time we use money here on this earth in a way that honors God, in a way that advances the kingdom of God, whether we put money in the offering bucket of a God honoring church, whether we send money to a missionary or some missionary organization, whether we use money to help homeless or disabled people, or refugees, or orphans, or people with AIDS in the name of Jesus – whenever we do that the Bible tells us we are making deposits, literally transferring money from Earth into our heavenly bank account. The Bible tells us to lay up or to store our treasure in heaven. So, when we arrived in heaven as followers of Christ, that heavenly bank account is going to be there waiting for us.

For some, that bank account will be pretty full. For others, it will be kind of empty.

When we get to heaven, God is going to dispense various levels of reward based, at least in part, on the balance that exists in our heavenly bank account.

 

[stu]

The currency of religion is obviously hypocrisy.

Matthew 6:24
You cannot serve both God and money.

"God loves you but he needs money. He always needs money. He's all powerful all perfect all knowing and all wise but somehow, he just can't handle money." George Carlin

 

[GRULSTMRNN]

Check out this thread in which Sig equally goes nuts on anything gay: https://www.elitetrader.com/et/threads/apple-remembers-ge-issues-credit-card.331158/

If this guy is not the biggest closet Homo on this site then I don't know.

Sig, how did you get to the gay issue again? Nobody before you ever mentioned anything about gays in this thread. Man you just outed yourself in multiple threads as ex military Homo. Nothing wrong with that at all, thank you for your service to the country. But don't pretend you don't have a thing for gays.

I seem to recall something about "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell 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." allegedly said directly by this Jesus fellow reported by now fewer than all 3 gospels. Right after he said something about "go, sell your possessions and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven."

and ironically this lands just 4 verses after that Jesus fellow also said "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." but of course it's the gays that are the real problem, right?

As Gandhi apocryphally said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." When I see you all selling all your possessions and giving them to the poor, and condemning anyone and anything that allows for divorce with the same vehemence and hate that you currently reserve for, say gay marriage, then maybe you'll be less of a joke. Until then, I think that Jesus fellow had some things to say about hypocrites round about that same section of Matthew.