An interesting story from CNN: Christian CEOs bond for love and profit
God’s network: How Christian business owners help each other get rich and go to heaven
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February 2nd, 2006 at 9:44 am
“These wealthy, accomplished men don’t see any insurmountable conflict between being a good Christian and a good businessman.”
Actually…I don’t see an “insurmountable” conflict there either. The Bible never says it is a sin to be rich (Abraham was in his day; so was Solomon.) It does say not to trust in our riches or set our hearts on them; it says everything we have belongs to God and we are stewards of it, and He wants us to be generous and give to others. I Timothy 6: 8-10 warns against having being rich as a goal:
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1Co 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.
Deut. 8:
10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
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.
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
The above passage indicates that God is the one who allows one to get wealth. There are passages in Proverbs and other places about the rewards of diligence and good working principles.
The world sometimes seems to think it is wrong for a Christian to have a business and work for a profit. I Cor. 9:9-10 says, “For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.” Paul wrote that in a defense of his apostleship, saying he had a right to expect some compensation from the believers in Corinth, but he didn’t press that right and others he had, for reasons he mentions in that chapter. He expresses the same principle in I Timothy 5:17-18, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.”
So, no, I don’t have a problem with a Christian businessman making money. I do have a problem with the cheap marketing of Christian products, though, but that is another thing.