[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":149},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-article-wealth-and-religion":3},{"path":4,"stem":5,"title":6,"description":7,"meta":8,"body":15},"/blog/wealth-and-religion","blog/wealth-and-religion","Wealth and Religion","For many seasons of my life, I supported a conservative agenda. While proclaiming to be a man of faith and conservative values, my actions were everything but those of a true conservative. I let others explain the contents of the bible instead of guiding myself through the good book. Instead of saving money, it was spent foolishly on pleasures. I failed to give my family the time and support they needed.",{"last_updated_at":9,"categories":10,"changeFreq":13,"backgroundImage":14},"2021-01-01T00:23:00",[11,12],"faith","reflection","never","/wealth-and-religion.jpg",{"type":16,"value":17,"toc":141},"minimark",[18,22,25,28,38,41,44,52,59,63,66,77,80,83,86,91,94,100,106,112,116,122,125,128,131,135],[19,20,21],"p",{},"For many seasons of my life, I supported a conservative agenda. While proclaiming to be a man of faith and conservative\nvalues, my actions were everything but those of a true conservative. I let others explain the contents of the bible\ninstead of guiding myself through the good book. Instead of saving money, it was spent foolishly on pleasures. I failed\nto give my family the time and support they needed.",[19,23,24],{},"I believed in hard work and \"trickle-down economics\". The myth that if you work hard, you would succeed. Growing up\nwith a low-income, marrying, and having a family with a low-income, my wife and I took pride in our success.",[19,26,27],{},"A decade ago, I began to question my belief about financial wealth. My financial situation had improved dramatically\nwithin a short period. I realized that financial wealth can provide amenities, pleasures, and a sense of security. Does\nfinancial wealth provide happiness though?",[19,29,30,35],{},[31,32],"img",{"alt":33,"src":34},"Manhattan Beach, California Fall 2019","https://res.cloudinary.com/dldbk7mef/image/upload/v1778121075/wealth-and-religion-manhatten-beach.jpg",[36,37,33],"em",{},[19,39,40],{},"Fast-forward to four years ago when this country decides to elect a man who dubiously claims to be financially\nsuccessful. Many right-leaning and Christian family and friends are endorsing this man and his agenda. A nationalistic\nagenda, policies that are unabashedly in favor of the wealthy, and rhetoric that is contrary to the Christian character.",[19,42,43],{},"Revisiting the same questions about financial wealth and happiness from a decade ago, new questions began to emerge.\nArticle after article began detailing how the pandemic of 2020 has deepened the financial abyss between the wealthy and\nthe poor. We are approaching one year of fear and uncertainty for so many, yet many Christians are still supporting\npolicies that protect the fortunes of the wealthy. Fortunes magnified by a pandemic that is eating away at the savings\nand income of so many average Americans.",[19,45,46,49],{},[31,47],{"alt":33,"src":48},"https://res.cloudinary.com/dldbk7mef/image/upload/v1778121075/wealth-and-religion-san-gabriel-valley.jpg",[36,50,51],{},"San Gabriel Valley, North of Azusa, California Fall 2019",[19,53,54,55,58],{},"So why as Christians should we be willing to give favor to ",[36,56,57],{},"the rich","? Better question... what does the bible tell us\nin regard to those who are wealthy?",[60,61],"quote",{":quote":62},"{\"body\":\"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.\",\"source\":\"Matthew 6:24\"}",[60,64],{":quote":65},"{\"body\":\"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'\",\"source\":\"Hebrews 13:5\"}",[19,67,68,69,76],{},"This is one of my favorites. I mentally picture a silly cartoon depicting ",[70,71,75],"a",{"href":72,"rel":73},"http://www.reverendfun.com/toon/20070110/",[74],"nofollow","this act",".",[60,78],{":quote":79},"{\"body\":\"Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.\",\"source\":\"Luke 18:25\"}",[60,81],{":quote":82},"{\"body\":\"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.\",\"source\":\"1 Timothy 6:17-18\"}",[60,84],{":quote":85},"{\"body\":\"For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.\",\"source\":\"James 1:11\"}",[87,88,90],"h3",{"id":89},"dont-be-hatin","Don't Be Hatin'",[19,92,93],{},"Reading the above, you might believe being rich is evil. That is not my understanding reading the many Bible verses\nregarding the wealthy. What I take from these verses is the struggle. The struggle to prioritize faith above wealth. The\nstruggle to not covet money and be able to part with excess wealth.",[19,95,96,97],{},"Luke 18:25 is one of my favorites. Before that verse, Jesus is talking to a ruler who wants to know how he can inherit\neternal life. The ruler claims that he has kept all the commandments since he was a young boy. Jesus hears this and says\nto him ",[36,98,99],{},"\"You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.\nThen come, follow me.\"",[19,101,102,103,76],{},"I always imagine the silence and cycle of expressions on this ruler's face. Shock. Fear. Sadness. The bible says ",[36,104,105],{},"\"he\nbecame very sad because he was very wealthy\"",[19,107,108,109],{},"After this, Jesus looked at him and said, ",[36,110,111],{},"\"How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is\neasier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.\"",[87,113,115],{"id":114},"christians-and-taxes","Christians and Taxes",[19,117,118,119,76],{},"The Gospel of Mark shares the words of Jesus as he was being tested by the Pharisees. They were questioning him about\npaying the imperial tax to Caesar. Jesus said to them, ",[36,120,121],{},"\"Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's\"",[19,123,124],{},"You will find several examples of how protestant reformers would argue that a virtuous government helps the poor drawing\non Psalm 72.",[19,126,127],{},"Paul the Apostle wrote to the Romans how to handle their relationship between God and the civil government.",[60,129],{":quote":130},"{\"body\":\"This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.\\n\",\"source\":\"Romans 13:6-7\"}",[87,132,134],{"id":133},"conclusion","Conclusion",[19,136,137,138,76],{},"Giving favor to the rich is not something the Bible teaches us. Policies that favor the wealthy and privileged provide\nno benefits to others. Government has to tax fairly, and Christians must ",[36,139,140],{},"\"Give back to government what is the\ngovernment's and to God what is God's\"",{"title":142,"searchDepth":143,"depth":143,"links":144},"",2,[145,147,148],{"id":89,"depth":146,"text":90},3,{"id":114,"depth":146,"text":115},{"id":133,"depth":146,"text":134},1792073899302]