
Last week, a blogger friend of mine, Rob Kuban, over on his blog Dollars and Doctrine, began a new network of Christian Finance websites, the Christian Financial Alliance. The concept is simple: Define a set of core beliefs regarding biblical finance and hold ourselves accountable to it. After much thought, study, prayer, and help from other great blogs, Rob has put together a list of 20 Core Beliefs of what the Bible teaches regarding money. Rob, and anything he posts regarding biblical finance on dollarsanddoctrine.com, holds himself accountable to teach and adhere to these fundamental teachings of scripture. To read Rob's complete post on his blog, follow this link.
And now, here is a listing of Rob's 20 core beliefs:
Christian Financial Alliance Core Beliefs:
- I believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). My heart, soul, mind, and strength seek to glorify God through the pursuit of Christ, and it is my hope that my life and financial management will reflect this fundamental purpose (Luke 10:27).
- I believe the Bible is the supreme authority and source of truth and instruction for Christians; therefore, I seek to root my financial teaching in the truth of God’s word (2 Tim. 3:14-17).
- I believe stewardship does not equal salvation (Acts 8:20). We are saved by grace alone through faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9). No financial action can save a soul (Matt 16:24-26).
- I believe God owns everything (Ps. 89:11) and I am merely a steward of His resources for His purposes (Luke 12:42).
- I believe the heart is the focus of the New Testament’s instruction regarding money (2 Cor. 9:7). This does not make obedience contingent upon our feelings, but calls our attention to focus on the intentions of our heart (Prov. 21:2).
- I strive to be rich towards God (Luke 12:21) and not place my hope or trust in riches (Rev. 3:17-19).
- I seek to serve God as my master, not money (Matt. 6:24).
- I believe how we spend our money reveals what our heart treasures; therefore, if God’s kingdom has its rightful place in our hearts, it should show up in our budget (Matt. 6:21).
- I believe prosperity is not the purpose of Christianity (John 6:29). It is a gift that God may or may not choose to give (1 Sam. 2:7), and should be handled with generosity and humility recognizing that to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48).
- I believe Christians are called to be content in all circumstances (Phil. 4:11) because God has given us everything we need in Christ (2 Pet. 1:3).
- I believe we are called to be wise stewards of resources (Luke 12:42) but not consumed with a love of money (1 Tim. 6:10).
- I believe stewardship, generosity, and contentment are fruits of a deeper walk with Christ, not ends in themselves (1 John 5:21). I seek first His kingdom and wait for the rest to be added. (Matt. 6:33)
- I believe the Bible does not speak highly of the bondage caused by debt (Prov. 22:7); therefore, it should-if nothing else-be approached with extreme caution (Prov. 22:26-27).
- I believe Christians are called to be generous (Acts 20:35) to their family (1 Tim. 5:8), God’s kingdom (1 Cor. 9:14), and those in need (1 John 3:17). After these things, we are free to spend money on ourselves (Prov. 10:22).
- I believe heavenly reward awaits those who choose to invest in God’s kingdom (Luke 12:33), and whether or not God chooses to bestow earthly reward is up to Him (Job 1:21).
- I believe integrity is more important than financial gain (Prov. 10:2).
- I believe money can be a blessing and a curse depending on the heart of its holder (Luke 6:44-45).
- I believe that the way we handle our money should be a testimony of our devotion to God not a distraction from Him. (Col. 3:17)
- I believe there are many things in life that are more important than money. (Prov. 23:4-5)
- I believe true riches are found in Christ alone. (Eph. 3:8)
Rich Christian Blog and the Alliance
The Rich Christian, Poor Christian blog stands in agreement with these 20 core principles as outlined by Rob Kuban at Dollars and Doctrine. From the humble beginnings of this blog, I have always had the desire to take a Biblical approach to life and finances in all of my writing. I am proud to stand with Rob, Dollars and Doctrine, and a number of other great Christian financial blogs that are attempting to do the same.
Other Websites Currently in the Alliance
According to Rob, here is a listing of the other blogs that are currently part of our alliance:
Also check out these related posts:
Congrats man! I just became a book reviewer on my blog for Multnomah books last month. Have fun with it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jay, and congrats to you as well!
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