How the Resurrection Impacts Our Money Decisions

“Jesus is alive. And that changes everything about today.”

If you follow me on Twitter (@artrainer), you know I tweet out those exact words every morning. No, it’s not a scheduled tweet. I send out those words every morning, not just to remind my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, but to remind myself. I want to take a moment, every morning, and remind myself that Jesus rose from the grave and that historical moment should impact every aspect of the upcoming day.

Including my parenting.

Including my marriage.

Including my work.

Including my social media posts.

And including my finances. 

Throughout the Bible, God weaves over 2,000 verses on money, possessions, and stewardship. During Jesus’s ministry years, he spoke on money more than any other topic. Needless to say, God is not silent on money issues. But to be clear, the reason for such a focus has nothing to do with God needing more money in His heavenly bank account. He already owns everything (Psalm 24:1). As you read the Scripture, it becomes evident that the reason God speaks on the topic is because money issues are often heart issues. The decisions we make in our finances often reflect decisions we’ve made in our hearts.

As believers, Christ’s resurrection should stir our hearts and reorient the way we think about everything in our lives, including our finances. Here are a few ways the resurrection impacts our money decisions:

1. Because of the resurrection, money becomes a temporary tool to make an eternal impact.

Christ died, was buried, and rose from the grave so that God can reconciled to Himself all things, including His relationship with us. The fact that humans now can have their sins forgiven and a right relationship with God is something the whole world needs to hear. This is why Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (NIV).

Certainly, we are to personally go and make disciples. But we also have the opportunity to support local churches, ministries, and foreign missionaries who will also take the gospel to those in our communities and around the world. Like the women in Luke 8:1-3, our money can be a tool for God’s mission and help others experience the power of the resurrection.

2. Because of the resurrection, our hope is not found in money and materialism.

Throughout history, humans have consistently placed their hope in money and material things. This is why, in 1 Timothy 6:17, Paul writes,

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (NIV).

Christ’s resurrection shows us where to put our hope—in Him. He is the only One who can deliver on every promise. He is the only one who will not fail us. Money will fail us. Material things will fail us. But He will not.

3. Because of the resurrection, we make money decisions through an eternal lens.

Jesus’s resurrection sets our eyes on eternity. Those who are looking through the lens of eternity see the temporal nature of money and material things. So, we focus our money decisions on greater, lasting things. We use money in a way that allows us to store up treasure in heaven, where moth and rust will not destroy it, and where thieves cannot take it (Matthew 6:19-21). 

4. Because of the resurrection, our money decisions must be prayerful, thoughtful, and biblical.

The resurrection reminds us that, one day, we will enter eternity and be held responsible for what we did or didn’t do with the financial resources God entrusted to us. It will very much be a Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-28) moment for us. What will God say when we present how we stewarded His resources? Which servant will we be?

The money decisions we make on earth matter. Therefore, we should not be careless or thoughtless with our decision-making. As stewards, our decisions must be prayerful, thoughtful, and biblical so that we will hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Jesus is alive. And that changes everything.

Including our finances.