Q1. Wealth and God's Blessing

[Ernie's Son]

A. Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him?  Yes.

 

If we were to ask Abraham, concerning his wealth, when he left Egypt, what would it have been?  Would he have credited it to his own cunning dealings with Pharaoh or to the blessings of God?  Or, did he give it all back when he left Egypt?  Probably not, for that would have been to snub Pharaoh.

 

In Abraham's wealth, the abduction of Sarah has to fit in somewhere; because of her, he accumulated this wealth, or part of it.

 

In the Old Testament, God blessed some people with riches: Solomon, David, and others.  In fact, David said: "Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things . . . . " (1 Chron. 29:12).

 

"The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it" (Pro. 10:22).

 

Scripture tells me that God's influence did, in turn, help some people in the Old Testament to amass large sums of money/wealth.  But the question remains, did God agree to the wealth that Abraham achieved through the abduction of Sarah?  To me it is no.

 

B. My answer is no to "Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing?"  In fact, many of the times that Christ uses riches/wealth in the Gospels, He attaches a warning.

 

" . . . the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word and he becometh unfruitful" (Mt. 13:22).

 

Mat. 19:23 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, VeriIy I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven."

 

I'm almost at the point of saying that riches/wealth comes as a risk/hindrance to the Kingdom.  No, material wealth does not always reflect God's blessings.

 

C. "Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse?"  No.  Sort of the way I look at poverty and wealth, is that, the beholder of poverty has more reason to call on the Lord, while the rich has less reason to call on the Lord.  There are just so many warnings attached to wealth.  The rich will have to figure which master he/she will serve: money or the Lord.

 

Christ didn't say that it would he hard for the poor to enter the Kingdom but for the rich.  I'm almost at the point of saying that poverty is not a curse, but a blessing if that's what it takes to take the Kingdom by force.

 

 

[lighthouse2014]

Q1. (13:2) Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him? Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing? Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse?

Abraham's material wealth seems to reflect God's blessings on him. The Lord had promised he would bless Abraham Genesis 13:2.

Having material wealth does not always reflect God's blessings on us. Many unbelievers are blessed with riches, Lot also ha d been blessed with wealth.

Physical poverty does not always reflect a curse on some people. God may bless them in other ways according to his will.  

[Rosesam]

Q1. (13:2) Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him? Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing? Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse?

Old Testament is a portrayal in picture form of the reality of the New Testament principles. When Old Testament portrays men as having enormous wealth, long life etc. it is a reflection of what heavenly blessing is all about in a way that could be understood by us. In other words, Old Testament represents spiritual blessings in a way that can be understood in a natural or physical sense. We follow the Lord we become spiritually wealthy is the New Testament reality, which is shown as physical wealth in the Old Testament. It’s not that our blessing is limited to a spiritual wealth when we follow the Lord, but it’s the Lord’s discretion whether physical wealth also has to be added to our lives while we live here on earth. So material wealth is not a reflection of God being pleased with us. But James says all good gifts come from above the Father of Lights in whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. So any blessing whether material or spiritual comes from God, whether we acknowledge it or not. Many rich people deny God, because they don’t understand it is God who gives the power to get wealth. But in Abraham’s case, material wealth was a reflection of God’s blessing on him, for God had promised him that he would be blessed.

Physical poverty does not reflect God’s curse. In the book of Revelation, we read epistles of Jesus to the seven churches in Asia Minor. To the church in Smyrna which was poverty stricken, Jesus says, “You are rich”. But to the rich church of Laodicea, Jesus says you are poor.  Jesus Himself was made poor that we might be rich in Him.

[Godswriter]

Q1. (13:2) Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him? Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing? Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse?

Abraham's wealth does reflect God's blessing upon him. However material blessing or wealth does not equate God's blessing sometimes the person is an evil person and that person is not living for the Lord and so you can not say God's blessing them. There has to be another answer for it than that. Usually evil people sometimes get their money in ways that are dishonest at times. Physical poverty doesn't equate to God's curse either. For sometimes the person is not living for the Lord either. So the answer can be as simple as they did not spend within their means or what they could afford. 

[Paula Price]

Abrahams material wealth does reflect God's blessing on him because God promised to make him rich and he promise to bless him with wealth. That is why the kings he deceived showered him with material things.. They were the tool that God used to fulfill His promise of wealth to Abraham. Material wealth is not always a promise from God.. He provides the needs of His followers as He sees fit.  It is His will to bless us according to His will, not ours.  We need to be more concerned about our spiritual needs because to be blessed spiritual is more important then material wealth...When we are spiritually blessed we have a sit in the kingdom of God and that is the whole purpose of receiving God's blessing, for being with God in heaven is the ultimate promise and the ultimate blessing from God.   the earth and all there in shall pass away....but the spirit lives on .... so only the spirit who lives according to the will of God and not the material things that we have acquired shall see God... We will take nothing to heaven with us.... Let us not forget, that Satan has the power to give material wealth also....he lives to confuse the children of God, to cause chaos and to kill steal and destroy... so material wealth is not always a reflection of God's blessings  but that of Satan also so we need to be able to recognize the difference and to be aware of how we perceive our blessings.. Jesus walked the earth and had not a house or a home or any material wealth... What He did have was the joy and the promise from God his father that he would provide all needs, physical as well as spiritual...There was never a time that we read where He asked for anything for Himself but always for the benefit of others ....He was never concerned as to where He would sleep or eat or how He would get from one place to another.. We can all inherit eternal life whether we are rich or poor. God wants us to choose Him over anything and everything else we may see as important...He wants us to trust and obey Him, to walk with him and to do His will.  When and if we do this He will keep His promises to us...and the riches and the BLESSINGS He gives is ETERNAL LIFE with Him in heaven...  that is the PROMISE.... that is the BLESSING.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Paula Price
continue with same thought on subject

[Irmela]

Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him?

In a way I guess it does. What he had, multiplied. He had "money" and could acquire more animals and servants. I guess he bartered with his goods in the places where he lived and so increased. I do feel God blessed what he had and multiplied it. 

Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing?

No , not necessarily. Paul was blessed and he said that there were times he had plenty, and there were times when he knew want. 

Jesus was blessed, yet He said of Himself that He had nowhere to put His head. 

Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse?

No. It does not always reflect God's curse. 

[Krissi]

Does Abraham's material wealth reflect God's blessing on him? Does material wealth always reflect God's blessing? Does physical poverty always reflect God's curse?

This question brings to my mind Calvin, or more accurately Max Weber. Weber wrote that the early Protestants who followed Calvin were never certain of their salvation.  For this reason, Calvin's doctrine of election and predestination gave Protestants an internal drive or need to “prove” God’s favor to them by working hard, living thriftily and, yes, becoming wealthy. So, to these early Protestants, material wealth was a sign of God’s blessing which alleviated their fear of God’s curse/non-salvation.

In a larger sense, material wealth has to do with our relationship to the secular world.  We have to decide if God uses secular “goodies” to reward spiritual goodness, or not. I think it's obvious that God does reward with wealth,  in the Bible. The fact is that we are in, but not of, the world and so must exist within the structures and even values of civil society.

Money is something we created, not God. We shouldn’t serve it, that is prioritize it in our lives, but rather understand that money LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR LIVES should be used for His glory. It does not glorify God if we are greedy or covetous or use money to give ourselves a false sense of security.

Wealth is always comparative. Every person feels wealthy or poor in comparison to those around him. The last commandment, the tenth, has to do with coveting your neighbour’s goods. If you have more stuff than your neighbour, you won’t covet. But if you move to a new neighbourhood, and your neighbours are wealthier than you, you may be tempted to covet.

Ultimately, wealth, or the feeling of being wealthy or poor, then, reflects how you regard people … which brings me to Jesus’ summary of the law – love God and love others. It’s impossible to love someone and covet his goods.

In my opinion, few Christians handle wealth well. Christians should hide their wealth and choose to live near the mean of the neighbourhood or group with which they identify.  The goal should be to never conspicuously consume OR conspicuously donate. Money hidden doesn't tempt others to covet nor give its owner false sense of pride. And, hidden money can be given away anonymously, as God directs and so can further kingdom work. So, a Christian who is blessed with material wealth is blessed with this particular responsibility in His kingdom. 

 

[Bianca]

Yes in a way it does reflect God's blessing on his life. But material wealth does not necessary always mean God's blessing on a person's life. Sometimes people get wealth in the wrong way. Sometimes wealth can change people.

 

Physical poverty does not always reflect a curse on a person's life. I know how it feels in the past to have less and not be at the place I want to be. But I would much rather have more than enough so I can be a blessing to others. That's why God wants us to be blessed with not only enough to pay our tithes and bills but money left over to be lead to give to others as The Holy Spirit leads. It's ok to treat yourself sometimes but not over endulge in things which can happen sometimes to people, even children of God.