6 Biblical Financial Principles For Wealth and Peace of Mind

Timeless biblical principles of finance every Christian should follow

There are lots of financial principles out there, and many of them can be found in the Bible if you look closely. But as a Christian, when you make financial decisions, it should be based on biblical principles and nothing else. That’s why it’s so important to have a set of rules that guide your decisions.

Financial problem is one of the biggest problems many people are facing right now. Unfortunately, Christians aren’t exempt from financial problems, so this is a topic that needs to be addressed.

A lot of financial problems are the result of making bad financial decisions due to ignorance or disobedience. In this post, I want to share some biblical financial principles that can help you to prosper financially, so you can have peace of mind and serve the Lord without any distraction.

So if you need some tips to get your finances in order, here are six principles for you.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. OUR FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY CAN BE FOUND HERE

6 Biblical Principles of Finance For Wealth and Peace of Mind

1. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)

It’s undeniable that peer pressure is real. The desire to feel accepted and to belong is inherent in all of us. Alas! This desire can also lead us to make reckless financial decisions.

Whether you admit it or not, you can be influenced by things people close to you are doing. For example, when a close friend asks you to go shopping or invite you for a trip you can’t afford, instead of saying no, you go ahead because you don’t want to be the odd man out.

Unfortunately, many of you are surrounded by fiscally irresponsible people so you tend to take your cues from them. This is a bad idea and it can cause some serious financial hardship.

Surrounding yourself with people who have bad money habits can cause you to ignore sound financial principles, and that road is paved with pain and loss of peace of mind.

So the first biblical financial principle is to keep company with people who are knowledgeable about personal finance and have good money habits. When you hang with like-minded people, it helps you to stay on track financially. It also keeps you from making some costly mistakes.

When I was younger, I had some friends who spent money without a care in the world. Since my folks weren’t as affluent as theirs, I found myself in a tough spot financially because I tried to live like them. It was a big mistake and a learning experience for me.

Life became much better when I learned to live within my means and walked with people who knew how to manage their finances. It’s just like the Bible said in Proverbs 27:17. “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

Cutting ties with people is very hard but if you’re struggling financially, it may be time for you to distance yourself from financially irresponsible people so you can get your financial life back on track.

2. GAIN FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE

“Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst.” (Isaiah 5:13)

Many Christians are living in financial bondage because of a lack of financial knowledge. It’s just like the Bible said in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

There’s absolutely no reason why anyone should be ignorant of basic financial principles in this day and age. Financial literacy is an essential life skill everyone should have especially if you’re a business owner or the manager of your family’s finances.

The Bible has a lot to say about money and there are lots of personal finance resources available for anyone who wants to become money savvy.

Lack of financial knowledge can hinder your prospects and stop you from receiving all the financial blessings you desire. So make it a priority to become financially literate. Learn about basic financial topics like saving money, debt, budgeting, and how credit cards work.

Don’t make financial decisions unless you understand what you’re getting yourself into.

There are many Christians who wear their financial ignorance like a badge of honor. They believe God will take care of them financially so they don’t need to worry themselves. While it’s true that God does provide for his children, it shouldn’t stop you from gaining financial knowledge so you can maximize God’s provision and resources that are entrusted to you.

So becoming knowledgeable about personal finance is one of the most important biblical financial principles for any Christian who wants to be financially stable or free.

Below are some of my favorite personal finances books.

Debt-Proof Living: How to Get Out of Debt & Stay That Way

The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

3. SELF-CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE

“Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” (Proverbs 21:20)

Lack of self-control and self-discipline is the root of many financial problems. When you lack self-control, you are in danger of making impulsive decisions that could hurt you financially.

Many Christians don’t know how to say no to things they don’t need so they spend their money impulsively. These Christians engage in wasteful practices and have bad spending habits. This is not the way you should live as a child of God.

The Bible says that “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” Don’t be a foolish man, instead, be a good financial steward because that pleases God.

When you have financial discipline, you always have enough to give to the Lord’s work and other causes that you care about. But if you’re always broke or struggling to make ends meet, you can’t support the kingdom of God.

So the way to ensure you always have precious treasure and oil in your house is to be disciplined. Embrace self-control. Be willing to say no and take control of your spending.

This doesn’t mean you should become a hoarder or have a poverty mindset, it just means you should be more intentional with your spending. Also, your overarching goal should be to honor God with your finances.

4. SACRIFICE

If you’re wondering what sacrifice has to do with biblical financial principles, don’t worry, I will show you in a moment. Making sacrifices is one of the most important biblical principles of finance.

Wealth and peace of mind come from following biblical financial principles. And following biblical financial principles often requires obedience and sacrifice. Sadly, lots of Christians want quick results with no action. They want quick riches with little effort. But we know that the Bible doesn’t work that way.

While it’s God who gives us the power to get wealth, we must take that power and put it to good use. This is where sacrifice comes into the equation. Here is what I mean. Are you willing to do what it takes to earn more money? Can you give up instant gratification so you can build up your storehouse?

Many times I see people praying for financial miracles when taking some practical steps would improve their finances. This isn’t always true, but I see it a lot. Does this mean you should never pray for financial blessings? No, not at all.

However, oftentimes, we get ourselves into financial problems because we refuse to make sacrifices or take action. Whether it’s sacrificing little pleasures to save more money or work a few more hours, a willingness to make sacrifices is an essential component to building wealth and enjoying peace of mind.

Like the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:2, there’s a time to plant and a time to harvest. It’s the same thing with your finances. There’s a time for taking action and a time to sit back and enjoy the labor of your hands.

So take a good look at how you handle your finances. Does it involve sacrifice? Are you willing to give up a few things for a better financial life?

5. HONESTY

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

I know there’s still a little bit of controversy about whether it’s good for Christians to be rich. Personally, I haven’t seen anything in the Bible that forbids Christians from being rich. What is important is how you acquire your wealth.

Can you become rich by working hard and making good financial investment decisions? Yes, you can and you should, if you’re blessed that way.

What the Bible frowns upon is acquiring riches through dishonest means, so you should avoid it no matter how tempting it is. Honesty is one of the most common topics in the Bible and it’s an important biblical financial principle for Christians.

Don’t be greedy for gain because “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” (Proverbs 13:11)

I have been in situations where I could have earned more money by being dishonest, but by his grace, I was able to resist. Because what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world if he ends up losing his soul?

Dishonesty often happens due to impatience and discontentment, so you must learn to be content and patient. Remain faithful, trusting that God in his time and mercy will reward your faithfulness.

Always remember to“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) This isn’t an easy thing to do especially when your finances are in a mess or you need some more money to take care of some things. I have been there so many times and it’s tough.

But at the end of the day, honesty always wins. You must remember that. So if you’re a business owner, always try to deal with your customers and vendors honestly and never ever compromise your integrity.

6. FINANCIAL PLANNING

“Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds.” (Proverbs 27:23)

You can’t have a solid financial foundation without planning. Planning takes the guesswork out of your finances. It helps you to stay on track financially and keeps you from making life-changing mistakes.

I used to think that financial planning was something only the very rich did, then I discovered that financial planning can actually help you to become rich, or at least financially stable.

Far too many people have no idea what the state of their finances is. They can’t tell you how much they earn, spend, or save every month. The reason this happens is that they have no plan for their finances. So they have no way to keep track of their finances.

If you’re a Christian who desires financial freedom as I do, you have to start by making a financial plan. Without a plan, you won’t make much progress in your financial life. It’s not God’s will for you to be under financial pressure, so you must take steps to put your financial house in order.

You don’t need a financial planner to make a plan, though it’s a good investment if you can find one. You can start with a simple financial plan, then go from there.

Start by taking stock of where you’re right now. Just like the Bible said in Proverbs 27:23. Know the condition of your finances, set financial goals, then make a plan to improve your financial life.

Final Thoughts on 6 Biblical Financial Principles For Wealth and Peace of Mind

Talking about money can be difficult for a lot of Christians, but it’s important to know the financial principles in the Bible and how to manage your finances biblically.

The six biblical principles of finance in this post is a good starting point for any Christian who has been struggling with their finances, or if you want to do a better job at managing your financial life, or achieve financial success.

So just start from where you are, pick a principle that applies to you, and take action. Remember faith without works is dead and knowledge that isn’t applied is useless.

Do you follow biblical principles of finance?