Christians hear a lot about focusing on building treasures in heaven, not on earth. How do we survive on this life then?
Oh Lord, by your hand save me from such men,
from men of this world whose reward is in this life.
You still the hunger of those you cherish;
their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
And I – in righteousness I will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
Psalm 17:14-15 NIV 1984
Unbelievers focus on earthly pleasures
The Bible often says that unbelievers focus on earthly gains and earthly pleasures. God laughs at them for making grand plans to build wealth on earth and live in luxury for the rest of their lives. Then things happen like a major flood or the Depression of the 1930s. Humans can make whatever plans we want to, but there are so many things we can’t prepare for. How many businesses had to close in 2020 because of the extreme cultural change during quarantine? We can’t plan for things like that.
God provides for believers
But Psalm 17:14 reminds us that God takes care of His believers. The Bible repeatedly says that His children will be fed and protected. No matter what happens, they will be fed and clothed, kept safe in His care. It rarely promises that Christians will be rich, but it does say we’ll be provided for.
Is a wealthy believer a sinner?
Psalm 17:14 is one of the few places in the Bible that says Christians will be wealthy. Jesus says that it’s nearly impossible for a rich man to get into heaven, yet Psalm 17 says that Christians will be rich enough to leave an inheritance for their kids. It’s not saying we’ll all live in mansions on earth, but clearly being well off in this life isn’t a sin. Is this a contradiction in the Bible or a double standard of some sort?
God wants us to focus on heaven and earthly security will come on the journey.
The point isn’t about how much money we have, but where our focus is. If our focus is on gaining money to live in luxury or have things like our neighbors, that’s a sin. Jesus says we can’t have two masters, we can’t focus as much on God when we’re focused on money. However, God says He’ll provide for us. If we focus on God and are a good steward of the money and assets He gives us, it is likely that we will get enough money in our lives to be considered wealthy. Careful stewardship of His gifts, including money, is not a sin. If we focus more on gaining and keeping money than we do on glorifying God and spreading His love, that is when it becomes a sin.