What is the purpose of money?  God has given us money as a result of our work.  Each day we labor, we receive money in exchange for that labor using our time and talents.  We can then use that money for a variety of purposes.  Do I use it for myself?  Do I use it for my family?  Do I use it for others?

What really defines finances for the Kingdom?  Kingdom is defined as the spiritual sovereignty of God or Christ.  Also, the domain over which the spiritual sovereignty of God or Christ extends, whether in heaven or on earth.  That is very interesting in light of the fact that Psalm 24:1 says “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;”

Serve God or Money?

Everything we do is about Kingdom work.  The real question comes down to our heart though.  Matthew 6:24 says “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Interesting how it is so often boiled down to which are we going to serve – God or money?  Money is the item that frequently competes for our attention towards God especially here in America.

Scripture tells us to love the Lord your God with all your mind and soul.  That love or lack of love is documented by our money and how we spend it.  What are your priorities?

Paul talks about our choice once again in 1 Timothy 6:9-10 “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”

Purpose of Money

Rather we are told in 2 Corinthians 9:11 what money is given to us for “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

Money is really a tool God uses to test our priorities.  He also gives it to us to enable the furtherance of His Kingdom which is summed up in what we so frequently call the Great Commission – Matthew 28:18-20 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Yeshua the Messiah).  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

And Luke 16:9 sums it up nicely “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends (new believers) for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

The purpose of the money that the Father entrusts to us of course is to provide for our family’s needs but primarily to advance the Kingdom.