Ask Your Preacher - Archives

Ask Your Preacher - Archives

“Broker Or Broke?”

Categories: GRAB BAG, NEW TESTAMENT
Is saving money in a 401K retirement account considered "storing up for yourselves treasures on earth"? (Matthew 6:19)

Sincerely,
Investor

Dear Investor,

Saving money is not a bad thing, but falling in love with money and hoarding it is.  God tells us that christians should be good stewards of whatever He gives us… and that includes money (1 Pet 4:10).  Jesus gives the parable of the talents and uses the example of men saving and investing as a positive example (Matt 25:14-30).  The Proverbs mention the industrious ant as an example of preparing and saving (Pr 6:6-8).  If we are careful and smart with money, that makes God happy… unless we begin to worship that money.

Greed (Pr 1:19), covetousness (Col 3:5), and the love of money (1 Tim 6:10) are always sins.  It is a good thing to save for the future as long as we are content with whatever the Lord has given us (Heb 13:5).