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Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by evangelist6589, Sep 19, 2016.

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  1. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Some are blessed financially and many are not but they are blessed in other ways. How does God bless people? Perhaps with intelligence, personality, good health, understanding Biblical evangelism while most do not, with discernment, good parents, a spouse, etc.. What are ways in which God chooses to bless his children besides financially? For me sometimes it gets discouraging realizing that I do not make much money and have not been blessed in this area.
     
    #1 evangelist6589, Sep 19, 2016
  2. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    God blesses us with good health, peace, forgiveness, salvation, long life, protection from enemies, etc.

    Can you show us where it says in the Bible that God blesses people with money?
     
    #2 InTheLight, Sep 19, 2016
  3. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    I tend not to think of those things as "blessings". Instead, I believe that God gifts his children to His glory. God blesses us in Himself. To borrow from Spurgeon, He is our portion.

    God has not gifted me with an abundance in terms of income. I have learned to be faithful with and live faithfully within my means. I strongly suspect that had God given me the abundance of financial resources that I had desired when I was younger, it would have proved far from the blessing I had thought it would have been.
     
    #3 JonC, Sep 19, 2016
  4. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    The world asks, "How much do you have?"

    God asks, "How do you use what you have."
     
    #4 TCassidy, Sep 19, 2016
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  5. Internet Theologian

    Internet Theologian Well-Known Member

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    I'm surprised (maybe not) that someone didn't know this, or needed proof:

    You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18

    Now the argument will be the wealth wasn't cash, or it was only for the Jews as if God doesn't also receive the glory for doing the same for all His people. :rolleyes:

    There is also this:

    1 Corinthians 4:7

    Now, who should I thank for the financial blessings I receive? Myself???????
     
    #5 Internet Theologian, Sep 19, 2016
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  6. InTheLight

    InTheLight Well-Known Member
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    I presume the "someone" you refer to is me. Indeed, the passage in Deuteronomy is directed at the Israelites.

    Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
    Deuteronomy 8:2

    For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;
    Deuteronomy 8:7

    Your verse from 1 Cor. 4 does not address money or blessings.

    Sent from my Motorola Droid Turbo
     
    #6 InTheLight, Sep 19, 2016
  7. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Honestly - God's greatest blessing is eternal life with Him. Beyond that, it's all gravy. Yes, some have wealth but others don't. Not having it doesn't mean that person is not any more than the person with only one child is any less blessed than the person with 10. God blesses each of us differently but He doesn't withhold blessing from any one of us. But it's perspective that makes the difference for us.
     
    #7 annsni, Sep 19, 2016
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  8. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    Yes. The passage in Deuteronomy is dealing with the building up of Israel as a nation (as a people of God) and an admonishment to remember that it is God and not they who provides, that he may confirm his covenant that was sworn to their fathers. It is not about God blessing Christians with wealth (neither Jesus nor His Disciples were so "blessed"). And 1 Corinthians 4:7, in context of the entire passage, certainly does not view personal wealth as blessings bestowed upon the believer for their sake. I'm not sure, either, that IT meant it that way.

    When we desire wealth it is not a blessing but a curse. When we desire God, He will gift us the means to fulfill whatever purpose to which He has called us. We should be content whether this gift is one of financial means or one of poverty.
     
    #8 JonC, Sep 19, 2016
  9. Internet Theologian

    Internet Theologian Well-Known Member

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    Right. Regardless of the purpose of the wealth, it is God who gets the glory, not man. All of our blessings are from Him. I don't use the phrase 'personal wealth' as you have, as we own nothing. I'm sure you would agree with that.

    Then there is the 'personal wealth' not being seen (or being rejected?) (above) as being 'blessings bestowed upon the believer for their sake'. I have to disagree here as well, as it is apparent that God gives us blessings for our sake (our good, interests, preservation) but not just for our sake, as it is also for His glory. I do agree however that we should not desire wealth, or wants, but only needs.

    On a personal note I have been blessed to be very busy this year, and recently, after taking a couple weeks to finish personal tasks, prayed to God to bless us with more work, and just got a few more granted tasks.
     
    #9 Internet Theologian, Sep 19, 2016
  10. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    Brother, reading your comments and giving it a bit more thought, I believe that there is an element missing in the topic as presented here. I have arrogantly dismissed what God has provided for me in terms of financial means as falling short of "wealth", and unfortunately this can be viewed as lacking gratitude. I am grateful that God has provided me an excellent retirement along with a second career. This freedom from financial concern is certainly a "wealth" for which I am thankful.

    When I place the purpose of God's giftings to be for his own glory I do not mean despite our needs and desires. When we are saved we are given new hearts, new spirits...our desires are changed. We are still caught between the spirit and the flesh, but we desire the things of God as we wrestle with our own fleshly desires. When I say that financial resources are "gifts" for which we are called to be faithful stewards and not "blessings", what I mean is that our happiness and fulfillment are not tied up in these "gifts" but in God's glory.
     
    #10 JonC, Sep 19, 2016
  11. Internet Theologian

    Internet Theologian Well-Known Member

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    Thanks. It is good to be reminded of His blessings, and also, of our lack of gratitude. We all fall short in this, and that is most certainly true.

     
    #11 Internet Theologian, Sep 19, 2016
  12. Tendor

    Tendor Member

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    The greatest blessing any believer will ever have is salvation. That is the one thing no one can take away. Money can be taken or squandered, good health can deteriorate, intelligence can diminish, good parents can die, a good spouse as well. But salvation can never be taken away. Salvation from the wrath of God is without compare.
     
    #12 Tendor, Sep 19, 2016
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  13. Martin Marprelate

    Martin Marprelate Well-Known Member
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    Luke 6:20. 'Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said, "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."'
    The blessing is not to the poor indiscriminately, but to the Christian poor. I know from my own experience that wealth, or the pursuit of it, can lead one away from God. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 applies.
     
    #13 Martin Marprelate, Sep 20, 2016
  14. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    Romans 12:4–6 (LEB)

    For just as in one body we have many members, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another, 6 but having different gifts according to the grace given to us: ...​

    God has blessed each of us differently according to his desires and to meet the needs of the church.
    Unity in diversity; thankfulness for every one of his ways.

    Rob
     
    #14 Deacon, Sep 20, 2016
  15. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    What if you are not able to pay off your debts because you are poor?
     
    #15 evangelist6589, Sep 20, 2016
  16. Don

    Don Well-Known Member
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    Keep praying, obeying, and paying.
     
    #16 Don, Sep 20, 2016
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  17. Martin Marprelate

    Martin Marprelate Well-Known Member
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    Brother, I don't know your personal circumstances and I'm sorry to hear it if you are in this situation. I went through a long period of debt and financial insecurity (now, praise God, behind me) due to a business failure, and I found great comfort in the closing verses of Habakkuk 3.

    It is also necessary to heed the warnings of Proverbs 5:6-11, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 and similar verses. We are to work hard to keep ourselves and our families- I'm sure you are doing that- and in my experience, God will give us what we need (though not always what we think we need).
     
    #17 Martin Marprelate, Sep 20, 2016
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  18. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    In that passage, "poor in spirit" could be interpreted humble in spirit. It is not, I believe, a reference to monetary wealth but the ground upon which the seed of salvation is sown. I'd also reference Psalm 34:18 and the godly sorrow leading to repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:10.
     
    #18 JonC, Sep 20, 2016
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  19. Martin Marprelate

    Martin Marprelate Well-Known Member
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    I think you are confusing Luke 6 with Matthew 5. The text in Luke does not say 'Poor in Spirit.'
     
    #19 Martin Marprelate, Sep 20, 2016
  20. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    I was referencing Matthew 5, but this is the same preaching of Christ. Matthew may be more specific, but I don't think that Luke is saying anything different when he simply says "poor". That is, I believe, a benefit of multiple accounts. "Poor" does not necessarily mean depraved of financial means. Matthew's account clarifies that Christ was speaking of the spiritual and not the material.
     
    #20 JonC, Sep 20, 2016
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