Eight years ago, I had a meeting with a group of young believers. We talked about money, how countries grow, and the mind of God about these things.
I asked them: “Does God choose who gets rich and who stays poor?”
Many people raised their hands to answer. What they said surprised me. I wondered where they learned these ideas.
Their answers made me think about how important it is to understand the Bible correctly.
Now, let’s embark on a journey together. We’ll carefully examine this age-old question: Is it truly God who determines our financial fate? Does He handpick the wealthy and the impoverished?
Buckle up, because what we’re about to explore might challenge your preconceptions and open your eyes to a new understanding. Are you ready to dive in?”
THE MISUNDERSTOOD GOD
One thing that stands in the way of many believers is wrong teaching.
It’s crucial to understand that when a Bible verse is misinterpreted, a truth is lost.
In the Old Testament, you’ll notice that both good and bad events were often attributed to God.
However, we must question: Does this truly align with God’s character?
To address this, we must first consider: Is God truly sovereign? Is He always in control of everything that happens on Earth? Is He responsible for both good and evil in the world?
To grasp these concepts, it’s essential to understand God’s character.
God’s true character is revealed not through men, preachers, prophets, or angels, but through Christ himself. Jesus came to correct this misconception about God’s nature or character.
Consider, for instance, when the disciples suggested calling down fire from heaven. Jesus rebuked them, saying, “You don’t know what kind of spirit you are made of.” – Luke 9 vs 54 – 56 (KJV).
This response contrasts sharply with Elijah’s actions in the Old Testament, illustrating Jesus’ intent to teach his disciples about God’s true character and His attitude towards humanity, emphasizing mercy and salvation over judgment and destruction.
The Bible isn’t inherently contradictory; apparent contradictions often stem from the readers’ minds or misunderstandings.
The Scripture is constant about God’s character. If we fail to interpret it correctly, our faith will be misguided and ineffective.
Remember, it is written that God is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” – Hebrews 13 vs 8 KJV).
WHY DOES GOD MAKE SOME RICH AND SOME POOR?
Based on our understanding of God’s character, we can assert that God does not choose who becomes rich or poor.
Such actions would be inconsistent with the nature of Christ, who embodies God’s character.
Think with me for a moment: Who truly controls the world’s economy? Is it God or humanity? The answer is evident: humanity.
Why are some people wealthy? Take a good look at the world, a Prince, for instance, doesn’t need to work for comfort due to inherited wealth and privilege.
Remarkably, such individuals might not even feel they need divine intervention to succeed, given their abundant resources.
The global economy, agriculture, healthcare, and other societal sectors are primarily human-controlled, not divinely managed.
This explains the prevalence of issues like hunger, racism, inequality, and injustice.
God has entrusted Earth’s stewardship to humanity. Consequently, we see underdeveloped countries where corrupt governments misuse resources while citizens struggle in poverty.
In these nations, many survive on less than $5 daily. Is this God’s doing? Did God choose these nations for poverty? Certainly not.
Jesus told his disciples, “The poor you will always have with you.” (Matthew 26 vs 11 KJV)
He said this knowing humanity’s tendency towards selfishness, which often results in poverty and hunger.
It’s crucial to understand that God isn’t cruel. He is good and remains so eternally. As Scripture states, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” – I John 1 vs 5 KJV.
IS IT BIBLICALLY WRONG TO BE RICH?
It is not biblically wrong to be rich. God doesn’t favour or oppose people based on their financial status, whether rich or poor.
God simply encourages the rich, to be rich in good works (which is true riches) not to put faith in uncertain riches but rather trust in the goodness and power of God to meet their needs always (I Timothy 6 vs 18 KJV).
Moreover, God suggests that the wealthy use their resources to help others and support the spread of Christ’s message throughout the world.
WHY DOES GOD BLESS THE RICH?
God’s love is universal, regardless of one’s nationality or background. He doesn’t discriminate in His affection, embracing the wealthy, the poor, the oppressed, and even the outcast equally.
The Earth has been endowed with ample resources to meet everyone’s needs.
However, human greed and corruption have led to uneven distribution of wealth, resulting in some individuals and nations experiencing poverty, whether by birth or through exploitation.
Despite this, God remains willing to assist both the poor and the rich in their daily lives. As Scripture states, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” – Matthew 5 vs 45(KJV).
Another biblical passage notes that God extends His blessings even to the unthankful and to the evil (Luke 6 vs 35 KJV), encompassing both believers and non-believers alike. This underscores the unconditional nature of God’s generosity.
God doesn’t force anyone into poverty, nor does He create people to be poor. His blessings extend to both the wealthy and the impoverished.
Poverty may often result from human selfish actions, wrong personal life choices, circumstances such as place and time of birth, and the inability to effectively use one’s skills in business or work.
God doesn’t desire for us to remain in poverty. Instead, He encourages us to work (Ephesians 4 vs 28 KJV and I Thessalonians 4 vs 11 KJV), not only to meet our own needs but also to help others in need.
With His guidance, we can find success even in challenging circumstances.
Consider the example of Apostle Paul, who at times worked with his own hands to support himself and his companions. He did this to meet his needs without burdening the Church.
See the various Bible passages below:
Acts 20:33-35 (NIV):
“I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 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.'”
Paul also mentions his manual labour in other letters:
1 Corinthians 4:12 (NIV): “We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it.”
1 Thessalonians 2:9 (NIV): “Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.”
These verses demonstrate Paul’s commitment to supporting himself and others through his work, setting an example of self-sufficiency and generosity.
IS POVERTY A SIN?
We can define Poverty as the inability to utilize one’s inner resources and surrounding opportunities to create value or conduct business to meet personal needs and those of others in one’s community.
It’s important to note that poverty isn’t a sin. The Bible mentions believers who, despite their financial struggles, supported apostles and fellow believers (2 Corinthians 8 vs 1 – 3 KJV).
In Acts 2 vs 42 – 47 (KJV), we see early Christian communities where believers shared their possessions to meet everyone’s needs. This practice implies the presence of both those who had and those who were in need within their group.
Jesus’ statement that “the poor will always be among you” (Mark 14 vs 7, Matthew 26 vs 11, and John 12 vs 8 KJV) wasn’t a condemnation of poverty as sinful, but rather an acknowledgment of ongoing socioeconomic realities.
Feel free to share these insights with your friends and family to promote a better understanding of poverty from a biblical perspective.
God bless you abundantly!
My passion lies in reaching out to young adults in communities and schools, witnessing the transformative power of faith in their lives.
This blog extends my ministry, sharing insights, encouraging believers, and exploring Christ's teachings in daily life.
Welcome, Brother James.
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