This.  Having money or being wealthy is fine.  Many wealthy and powerful God fearing and believing people are in the Bible, i.e. Solomon, David, Abraham etc.  The problem comes when we place money or the pursuit of money above all else including following Christ.  One example I will give is when the rich young ruler came to Christ and asked how to be saved.  Jesus told him to sell all of his possessions and give everything to the poor and follow him. The rich ruler walked away sad and distraught, read Matthew 19:16-29.  Jesus did not tell the ruler to do that because having money and possessions is bad or that is the only way to heaven, though following Christ is but Jesus knew his heart and he knew that the ruler valued things more than following him and he valued having things and possessions more than helping his fellow man which is why the ruler went away distraught and did not do what Jesus said.  

As believers, we need to have faith that God will supply all our needs and I know this is true because God has demonstrated this to me in my own life time and time again.  

A bold statement. Demonstrably false at times but bold. Illogical even but still bold.

Teach a mass who can’t read but the book is written by someone with an eighth grade education. Something doesn’t calculate.

As to the controlling statement I can’t fathom anyone who could read the New Testament and come away with that viewpoint.

Are you certain that your not the athiest. Are you really giving the tithe or just buying the Christian label. The ten percent in the bible is like paying taxes when the religious leaders were also part of the gov. In the modern day giving the 10% to support Gods work is a noble act. If that is what the money is used for. If you contributed to a good act you share in the good deed. If you contribute to a sin you share in the sin. There is no trusting the system on this.  If all the money tithed across the nation was actually used for the Lord's work then the nation would look totally  different. With so many not paying attention to where the money goes the tithe has been effectively canceled out.  It's like giving money to the Pharisees when Rome ruled Israel.  The Pharisees of that time had been largely replaced with many imposter religious leaders imposed upon the people of Israel by the force of the Roman swords. The Pharisees talked and acted very devout then would take the tithe that had been given and blow it on the Roman pagan  Bachus festival orgys.

Exactly.  I don't get why people get so crazy about credit cards or "electronic tithing".  It's much easier to do and track than digging out a checkbook or physically shoving a wad of cash into the slot in an offering box.  I don't go into debt to give to the church, and I've never heard a church encourage that.  But I don't pay attention to televangelists or prosperity gospel "churches" so maybe that happens and I miss it.

Lol.  Sometimes you have to read between the lines to divine the intent of some of the lessons/parables/stories.

The tithe was a prescription from the OT. The NT describes a different concept of the left  hand not knowing what the right is doing and the old woman giving proportionately much more than anyone else. Jesus makes it clear to not whip out a Willard calculator every time you give money as worship.

Odds he has actually read those "grade eight" books? Close to zero.  Both books basically conclude with a simple natural law, man has no authority over man. How that translates to "OMG men made up a book to gain control over you by telling you man has no authority!" is beyond reason.

Yet these athiest scholars fancy themselves wiser than our founding fathers, LOL.

the Bible is full of scriptures on money, stewardship, work ethic, generosity, priority.  Money is easy when the rest is in order.  It truly is a refection of out hearts lol.  Look at your banking activity.....are you seeking first the Kingdom.  Just sober and real

Since there are already plenty of fine Bible references shared, I'll just share my own personal experience.

And as long as you do what's morally right, you will never have be worried about money,
because it's doing God's Will to be productive and useful to others by serving them.
And as long as you are productive and useful and helpful to others,
they will bless you and will happily give you all the money you need.

It's also morally right not to live in debt and to own your possessions. Debt is self imposed slavery.
As long as you are in debt, you will always worry about money.

It's also morally right not to waste... and that includes money.
So as long as you don't waste money, you will always have enough,
and you will never have to worry about it.

Solomon was the wisest and most favored Man by the LORD GOD. So much so that HE chose him to build the temple. GOD gave Solomon riches and so much pussy that he couldn't serve them all in a year. Solomon even with all this wealth still served the LORD. Contrast that with the story of Jesus and the young rich noble. Jesus told him to give away all he had and follow him. The young rich noble couldn't see passed the perceived hardships that giving away all his riches would cause him. Therefore he couldn't see the blessings that come from following the Lord.

(oooh, atheists are so much fun )

For you there is no God, so you are only speaking from your own experience.

As an atheist, by default your religion is liberalism. Liberalism is a feminized secular political religion whose god is government, and whose Holy Sacraments are Dope, Sexual Perversion, and Fetus Snuffing. Your religion fits your corrupted nature as a feminized liberal male who failed to become a decent man.

The bible talks alot about money and debt i i think it is to illustrate an eternal principle. In reguard to whats valuable, Jesus said in Matthew 13:44 ULB The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. A man found it and hid it. In his joy he goes, sells everything he possesses, and buys that field.

A preacher named Jim Elliot put it this way, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

Time flies and life ends for all.

In Matthew 16:26 it says "For what does it profit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? What can a person give in exchange for his soul?"

What can you give to keep your soul? Trust in and thankfulness to God for what he has done. Incredible and wise simplicity.

In reguard to debt the Bible says we all owe a debt for the wrong and sins we have done. The debt is due upon death and that no one is sinless.  The payment is death and eternal separation from God, he source of all good and happiness for all eternity, aka hell.

But there is forgiveness. God himself came and died in our place and took God's wrath upon himself.  HE faced hell, overcame, and rose from the dead and said that our sins are forgiven by what he has done and our trust in his deity and what hes done for us.

What about you who are reading this, do you know and trust Jesus? Is your sin debt paid? God is allowing the world around you fall apart to get your attention while there is still time. The prophecies are shaping up before our eyes and the satanic one world leader and his mark will be here soon.  Around the time this satanic one world leader makes his appearace it will be a terrible time on earth-many will be swept in to hell without their sins forgiven from starvation, disease, war, and murder.  1 in 4 people on earth.  Those are terrible odds of survival and it just gets worse from there.  

Its time to get your house in order and trust in Jesus our Annointed Savior while there is still time.

Be thankful. Be a good steward. Don't be consumed.

Nope. God doesn't want you to be consumed with money or anything else. If you are it basically comes down to fear in which you are to rely on him and not fear. You can have an enormous amount of money or none and still be the same. It is the love or persuit of money that is leads to wrong. The poster before talking about churches only wanting money is either a hater with no clue or in the wrong church. God doesn't need your money or anyone else's to do what needs to be done. It is a lesson of faith and trust and where you put it plain and simple

I think this is the first post I actually agree with you on.

Exactly. Great exposition.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 19:25

Scripture is pretty clear that the love of money, hoarding it, and an ungenerous spirit is not what Jesus calls people to.

in for train wreck

This is what I find fascinating…wealthy and rich Christian’s.

If your reward is truly after your die….why live in such extravagance on earth?

Shouldn’t you be using that money to help others, or if you already are, helping more people?

Not saying you have to live like a pauper…but….

I still say many Christian’s are hedging their bets by living as high on the hog as they can to allay their concerns it all may not be true.

Small, but important, correction. It actually changes the meaning substantially.

the entire passage in context.....

The Rich Young Man
…24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”…

Do well so you can do good.

Something about no other gods before Him, and golden calves...

10% to the big guy !!!

Money is a unique thing spiritually speaking.  The more someone has, the easier it is to substitute love of God for love of money (which technically is his anyway).

I'm too lazy to cite passages but they're all clear and consistent.  Nothing wrong with having money. Lots wrong with worshipping it.

/headshot

Word to the wise; the love of money is far from being just a rich mans problem.

It’s a problem that stalks every socio economic strata.

Mark 12:17

New International Version
Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.

———

Money is a construction of man.  It’s worth is completely driven by faith in it.  

What should be a simple ledger system for fair and equitable trade, has become the obsession of men who will do most anything to get more.  

If we were living as Christ did, then money would be nothing more than a way to meet the day’s needs, and the excess above that used to to build a peaceful and sheltering community together.

One man has as much natural right over another man, as one squirrel has over another.

That is literally impossible.  CHRISTians believe that Jesus CHRIST is real, and that he is alive and well somewhere other than here.  Can't be a true Christian and have any fundamental doubt.

And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Jesus had nothing but the clothes he wore, he had no earthly possessions , yet He was (is) God Almighty
He got hot and cold , thirsty, hungry and tired just like we do, yet He never complained or wanted anything the world had to offer. He told us , His kingdom is not of this world -
Bless His righteous name

Money is morally neutral... neither good nor bad.
Only people's actions can be good or bad.



While it's ironic to quote an atheist,
what she said is ABSOLUTELY correct.  

Who pays to keep the lights on?
Who's paying the mortgage on the building?

I realize you're merely an entertaining Troll, so view the preceding as rhetorical.

I remember Reverend Ike from when I was a kid.



He used to say:

"Why have pie in the sky by and by when you die?
When you can have it right now with whipped cream on it."


Ike was a hilarious charicature of TV ministers.

I always find the Parable of the Unjust Steward (also called the Parable of the Shrewd Manager, Luke 16:1-13) interesting.

https://www.gotquestions.org/parable-unjust-steward.html

Do you believe that all churches are like this?   what are your qualification to speak of church finances?

Matthew 22:21

The New Testamint does not demand you give 10%. It does not even command you give 1%.

There is nothing wrong with being wealthy but there are not many that are able to handle it in God's view. It all depends on what is in your heart. If it is fixated on making money and material things then you have fallen into one of the three temptations "Lust of they eye" or "Covetousness" which is a sin and will keep you out of the Kingdom of heaven. But if God has blessed you with wealth and you are generous and don't dwell on it and take pride in it then it is possible to have it but there are not too many people who have wealth and don't like to fixate on buying things and more things on top of more things. Ultimately, it is a heart matter, where is your affection, money or Jesus? The devil uses this to capture many because the allure of wealth is strong but life is short and you can't take any of it with you. The other temptations that are equally strong are the "The lust of the flesh" and the "pride of life". (1 John 2:15-17) EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD UNDERSTAND THESE TEMPTATIONS! Jesus faced them in the wilderness before He started His ministry and they come in all flavors. The devil knows this and uses them to bring down many believers who aren't grounded in the Word.

Now here's the Scriptures you asked for to back that up.

Luke 18:24 King James

24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

Matthew 6:19-21 King James

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 King James Version (KJV)

18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Deuteronomy 8:18 King James Version (KJV)

18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

OP used the statement "consumed by money".  Like nearly everything in life, God didn't intend for us to be "consumed" by anything other than believing, trusting, and having faith in him.

In the post Christ time frame in Thessalonica when Paul was traveling and doing missionary work spreading the gospel, some in the churches founded there were just sitting around waiting for Christ's return...thought it would be a short term deal like maybe weeks or months.  

They were literally just sucking off of the believers there who were working, not just in spreading the gospel, but doing the needful like farming, building, and whatever other daily living tasks that were required to exist.

Paul condemned those lazy people and summed it up in this verse...2nd Thessalonians 3:10..."For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule.  The one who is unwilling to work will not eat."

Before and after that he was condemning idleness and other slothful behavior.  The old and new testament is full of the acknowledgement of the necessity of work to make money, feed yourself, clothe yourself. etc.  There are parables spoken by Christ about responsible use and value of money.

The only problem with money or anything of physical value is not putting it in perspective as one's desire of those things becomes inappropriate.  A person's state of "lust" or "worry" for wealth, power, or control is where people get into trouble...with themselves, others, and God.

Everything belongs to God.   If he has blessed you with money, land, etc…, you will be held accountable for how you manage it.   Be a good steward and bless others if you have been blessed.   The more you’ve been entrusted with, the more you will be held responsible for what you do with it.

(wow, struck a nerve...)

Where did I even imply that?

It's a liberal trait to invoke an absolute in an attempt to invalidate a generality.

"Generalities have exceptions.
And when there are enough exceptions
they form their own generality
with it's own exceptions."

--tooter

Religious organizations have become corrupted by liberalism.

The Great Falling Away signals the end of the 2,000 year Church Age.

Something New is coming...

How do I tell you I was southern Baptist without telling you I was southern Baptist? Lol

This was always the standard. Granted it was never a requirement nor were you looked at any differently whether you tithed $5 , $5000 or nothing at all.

I will say, for a time in my thirties I did tithe 10% of my income. It was very difficult. However, I was never more blessed than that time. My needs were taken care of and then some.

That’s not the reason to do it at all but it was just something I noticed. I let go and trusted that while things would be tight our needs would be met and they were.

ETA:

If I remember right the basis for tithing from the NT comes from the “render unto” verse in Matthew when the Priests were trying to get Christ on a technicality. Some take it to mean that you should keep the tithe but instead of the temple, to the church.

/thread. I am not very religious but this is VERY much pointed out in the bible.

Interesting. My church doesn't ask anything of me, money or otherwise.

This the key here and correctly shared.  It is the love of money that is not condoned.
Money is a gift like any other from God.
It is to be used wisely and a portion should be returned to God.
First fruits, not after taxes

What does the bible say about dinosaurs?

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's Brontasaurus.