Reference: Neither Poverty nor Riches by Craig Blomberg
Spiritual and Material matters are Inseparable – Spiritual health and material stewardship are intertwined
- Giving reveals the heart (Acts 5:1-11)
- Wealth operates as powerfully as a god in this world (Matt.6:24)
The Goodness of Wealth – The Bible affirms the God-ordained goodness of material possessions. A decent standard of living is something good.
- Created the material world good (Gen. 1-2)
- Fully sanctified garden of earthly delights (Rev. 21-22)
The Seduction of Wealth – For every scripture that points to the goodness of wealth, 4-5 highlight how it seduces us
- All human seduction to sin lies in the material world (1 John 2:16)
- Chokes out the word (Mark 4:18-19
Generous Giving – The best way to avoid the seductive powers of material possessions. The stress is not on equal giving, but instead equal sacrifice (2 Cor. 8:1-12). Giving to 3 groups stressed in the NT:
- The poor – (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-35; 6:1-7; 11:27-30). To give to this group is by far the most stressed in Scripture
- Support for Christian leaders – (1 Tim 5:18)
- Support for itinerant preachers (Rom. 15:24)
Limits on Riches and Poverty – There are certain levels of wealth and poverty that are inherently immoral
- There is such a thing as too much (2 Cor. 8:13-15)
- God wants each of us to have enough (Ex. 16:18)