Scripture is clear that one of the most important ways that the lordship of Christ is reflected in our lives is how we handle our possessions. By this God is able to measure our faithfulness on earth and determine our level of responsibility in heaven. Our use of possessions reflects our commitment to winning the world to Christ. A mature Christian realizes that how he or she handles possessions is evidence of godly spiritual growth in his or her life.

The culture in which we live (and often the churches in which we worship) have convinced us that there is little, if any, relationship between our faith and our finances. Believers have come to think our possessions are ours to do with as we please, and so have taken personal finances into our own hands and left God out of our giving and asking.

Overlooking the vital link between our faith and our finances is at the core of the issue. As Scott Rodin writes, “Giving is primarily a spiritual matter…an act of obedient worship.” Similarly, Rich Haynie writes, “If God owns it all, spending or giving God’s money is a spiritual decision.” As former U.S. Senate chaplain, Richard Halverson, put it, “money is an exact index to a [person’s] true character. All through Scripture there is an intimate correlation between the development of a [person’s] character and…money.”

For more on this subject, check out the following resource: Revolution in Generosity by Wesley Willmer