No one would remember the good Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions. He had money as well.
Wealth and business building are about giving, not getting. When I say give, I’m not talking about church offerings or charity donations (though I am including those). I’m talking about really making a difference. Because everyone has a purpose and can make a difference.
Understanding how we partner with God to make a difference is the biblical foundation of business. Before crossing into the Promised Land, Moses warned Israel not to take credit for their prosperity:
Then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
As I say in my book Money Mastery, an important thing to remember is that we’re “making sense of making money, for making a difference.”
The following five biblical principles—forming a biblical foundation for business—are from the first five books of the Old Testament (known as the Pentateuch), and they give us insight into the financial mindset of the Jewish people:
- Participation in the Creative Process—Working together with God to do what He wants to do in the earth, the way Adam tended to the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:15).
- Protection of Private Property—Giving people the opportunity to own property, resources, or assets (Gen 13:15, Ex. 6:8, Deut. 1:8, Is. 61:4).
- The Accumulation of Wealth (a Virtue)—Honoring and finding virtue in partnering with God to accumulate wealth, not mistaking poverty as noble (Deut. 8:18, Ps. 90:17).
- Caring for the Needy—Helping those in need, including both charitable giving and empowering the poor to come out of poverty on their own (Deut. 15:11, Matt. 26:11).
- Limited Government—Allowing everyone to have the opportunity to prosper through limited government involvement and protection of private property.
I also like to connect the Hebrew concept known as tikkun olam, which means “repairing or perfecting the world,” with the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). In the end, it all comes down to building wealth with God so you can be an even greater blessing to others, not so you can use it for selfish purposes.
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Billy Epperhart is passionate about teaching people how to achieve financial freedom. He’s the CEO of Andrew Wommack Ministries and Charis Bible College. His nonprofits, WealthBuilders, and Tricord Global help people financially impact God’s kingdom. Author of seven books, his newest title is Run Your Race: How to Pursue God’s Will for Your Life with Peace, Patience, and Productivity. Billy is from Texas, but currently resides in Colorado with his wife, Becky.
