For many of us, if we were asked, hey, do you have a problem with money we’d say, “Sure, I need more of it,” but is money really the answer to all our problems?
Hi, I’m Rex Rogers and this is episode #206 of Discerning What Is Best, a podcast applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world, and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life.
Money is one of those things we seem to associate with the word “more.” It’s like the Country and Western song, “Too Much Fun,” sung by Daryle Singletary. The refrain says,
“Too much fun? What's that mean?
It's like too much money, there's no such thing.
It's like a girl too pretty, with too much class.
Being too lucky, a car too fast.
No matter what they say I've done,
I ain't never had too much fun.”
Yeah, right, no such thing as too much money.
Americans generally wish for, and work for, and too often connive for, more money. Meanwhile, we tend to spend more too. The “majority of Americans say that they spend beyond their means and 66% say that they live paycheck to paycheck.” This is not a formula for long-term well-being. The formula equals not gold at the end of the rainbow but debt. “Dave Ramsey said in his book Complete Guide to Money - Debt is a product—the best-marketed product in history.”
“Almost 80% of the people in the world have some…kind of debt. Personal debt takes the biggest chunk in the cake. Earlier, at least, personal debt used to be for some big expenses only. But now, people have started taking loans for holidays, for partying, for buying flight tickets, for buying regular stuff, for things which can be avoided.”
“Credit cards have also made it easier to get into this debt trap with buy-now-pay-later concept as people think that they can pay later, while in reality, they can’t. But the instant satisfaction of owning a thing is more important than worrying about the future payment. This habit of living beyond their means is the biggest financial mess most of the people are in.”
“Rich people are rich because they save more, invest more. Most people only see how rich people are spending their money on fancy cars, fancy holidays and other stuff. What they don’t see is that this is only a fraction of their income. If they are studied closely, we will find out that most of their income is either saved or invested.”
We live beyond our means in an effort to keep up with the Jones’s, or to pursue a never-attainable happiness, a Shangri-la that does not exist, or to just feel good temporarily—like a short-term buzz from alcohol or some other substance.
Most Americans aren’t typically familiar with the Buddhist concept of Duḥkha, i.e., suffering, pain, unease, or unsatisfactoriness, but we spend money to fill these holes in our heart in a terrible search for solace and fulfillment, in a fruitless effort to live our best life now. But instead of personal utopia, we engage in an obsessive and futile quest for our own El Dorado, only to end up not with gold but a lot of debt.
We marked a “grim milestone, as 2023 was the first time outstanding credit card balances surpassed the $1 trillion mark.” And just over the debt horizon is bankruptcy. “One thinks of the famous quote from (Ernest) Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (sometimes attributed to Mark Twain or F. Scott Fitzgerald)—How did you go bankrupt?—Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”
This quote certainly fits our national government wherein the national debt stands at this moment at $36.8 trillion and climbing. National debt used to be associated with events like wars or economic depressions. “Today, deficits are caused mainly by predictable structural factors: our aging baby-boom generation, rising healthcare costs, higher interest rates, and a tax system that does not bring in enough money to pay for what the government has promised its citizens.” Did you catch that last part – what the government, meaning politicians, has promised citizens?
The United States enjoys the highest productivity and the most prosperity of any nation in history. But still, Americans are less happy than the citizens in other less prosperous countries, and we struggle with the difference between “need” and “want.” Sure, we are generous, perhaps more so than any people in history, but since World War II Americans have donated to nonprofit causes just a consistent (minimal) 2% of their wherewithal. This percentage is a long way from the usual biblical definition of a tithe at 10%, which from a Christian perspective is also minimal.
Scripture includes several principles, propositions, and parables to guide our thinking about money.
- The doctrine of stewardship comes first to mind, the idea God gave us time, talent, and treasure and then vested in us the responsibility for using them for his glory and our family’s well-being (Matt. 25:14-30).
- God told us to depend upon him for all things, not money, possessions, or status.
- We are told that what God gives us is “enough,” and we are warned away from a profligate lifestyle based upon selfish ambition and lust for more. Eccl. 5:10 says, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.”
- We’re told we should enjoy the fruits of our labor but not seek to eat, drink, and be merry at the expense of acknowledging every good and perfect gift comes from the Father above.
- The Bible contains 500 verses on prayer and faith, but 2,350 verses about money. 15% of the Bible is about money/possessions, that is more than any other single topic including Heaven, Hell, faith, or prayer.
- The Bible does not say poverty is a virtue or that we should take vows of poverty.
- The Scripture does not claim that the poor are automatically morally superior or closer to God, nor does it condemn wealth, even as the Word warns of certain dangers when wealth becomes an idol. In other words, the Bible is not simplistically pro-poor and anti-wealthy.
“What we do with money, individually and as a society, is a profound moral issue. Jesus made it clear that whatever our station, we are merely stewards, since God owns everything. Thus, we have a responsibility to God to manage our assets well.” In a world driven by consumerism, debt and the pursuit of wealth have become normal—even expected. Yet as believers, we’re called to live differently. True freedom is found in trusting God, not credit or accumulation.
From a Christian perspective, excess debt and the love of money are spiritually damaging and dangerous because they distort priorities, enslave individuals, and erode trust in God.
1. Debt as a Form of Bondage
Proverbs 22:7 says: "The borrower is slave to the lender." This reflects the idea that owing money can compromise a person’s freedom—financially, emotionally, and even spiritually. When Christians are burdened with debt, they may become anxious, less generous, or driven by financial survival instead of God’s calling.
2. Love of Money as Idolatry
1 Timothy 6:10 warns: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil..." The problem isn’t money itself, but the love of it. When wealth becomes a central pursuit, it can replace God as the object of trust and devotion. This is considered idolatry in biblical terms—putting something else in the place of God.
3. Trust in Riches Undermines Faith
Matthew 6:24 says: “You cannot serve both God and money.” If someone is consumed by financial gain or driven to maintain a wealthy lifestyle (often fueled by debt), their allegiance is divided. This weakens their dependence on God’s provision and distorts spiritual priorities.
4. Hindrance to Generosity and Stewardship
Excessive debt restricts the ability to give freely, a key Christian value. Debt can impair a person’s ability to use resources for God’s purposes.
5. Emotional and Spiritual Consequences
Debt and greed often lead to anxiety and worry (Phil. 4:6–7), strained relationships, ethical compromises (dishonesty, manipulation), or loss of joy and peace—hallmarks of a Christ-centered life.
Christ taught contentment with what we have. “Watch out!” Luke 12:15 says, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
DOGE may or may not do everything exactly as we’d wish, but its mandate to reduce government spending beyond our means and cut out waste, fraud, and abuse is good stewardship and moving in the right direction.
In our own lives, are we trusting in God or in money for security? Is debt affecting our peace, generosity, or obedience to God? What steps can we take to realign our heart with God’s priorities?
Well, we’ll see you again soon. This podcast is about Discerning What Is Best. If you find this thought-provoking and helpful, follow us on your favorite podcast platform. Download an episode for your friends. For more Christian commentary, check my website, r-e-x-m as in Martin, that’s rexmrogers.com. Or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers for more podcasts and video.
And remember, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.
© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2025
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