Honoring God with Our Money: Chapel Reflection with Professors Marc Andreas and Dan Kroeze

That the Bible condemns money and wealth is a misconception, according to
Kuyper professors Marc Andreas and Dr. Dan Kroeze.

“Money is a pretty important topic in the business world. It’s like putting gasoline in your car; you have to have money to run your business,” Andreas, Associate Professor of Business Leadership and the program’s director, told members of the Kuyper community gathered in the Vos Chapel on April 16 for a twice-weekly service.

“It’s a matter of how we think about money, our attitude toward it, and how we use it,” added Kroeze, Professor of Biblical Studies. “It turns out that, biblically speaking, it’s a heart issue most of all.”

The duo then turned to a series of Bible verses that address this issue, starting with the often-misquoted Bible passage, 1 Timothy 6:10.

“We often think of this verse as saying that money is bad,” Andreas said. “But it’s actually saying that the love of money, that’s the problem.”

Especially in our American context, Kroeze emphasized, the love of money has reached the level of a secular religion. Though it is tempting to rely on our finances for safety and security, he added, God is the only One in whom we should be placing that kind of trust.

“If we worship God first, then our attitude toward money and everything to do with it falls into place,” he said.

If we seek to honor God above all else, we will naturally want to manage our money wisely, in a way that honors Him, as well, the pair remarked.

“The Bible talks more about working diligently and building your wealth slowly because, if you do it in haste, it opens you up to all kinds of temptations,” said Kroeze, smiling.

And, if we make relying on God and supporting those in need our first financial priority, the duo added, He will often surprise us with His provision.

“It’s not about giving God our leftovers, but about putting Him first,” said Andreas.