Wealth is not morally evil but rather is a blessing from God.
Due to common errors of interpretation, the Scriptures are thought to malign the accrual of wealth as merely a sign of unfaithfulness. The biblical account does nothing of the sort.
Wealth is a gift of God from whom all blessings flow. The cultural mandate, found in Genesis 1:28 and reiterated after the Fall in Genesis 9:1, presupposes that humanity is expected to increase in number and dominion over all creation as image bearers of the Lord. Such an expectation cannot be accomplished without the accrual of property.
Abraham is described as a wealthy businessman whose success was not achieved in spite of his relationship with the Lord but as a result of it (Gen. 24:1).
The prophetic author of Samuel attributes David’s success as a warrior and king to the blessing of the Lord (2 Sam. 5:10, 7:13).
When Jesus meets the Roman centurion, he says nothing of the man’s military authority and success, opting instead to praise him for his faithfulness (Matt. 8:10).
Such accounts of wealth and success can be found throughout the Scriptures.
AMEN
