Work and Wealth (Part 2)

Understanding Ephesians 4:25–32

This section of Ephesians tells us about the importance of work, money, and helping those who are less fortunate. It teaches us how the church should support the poor and how we should think about money in relation to God’s blessings. The Bible tells us about how to use money correctly and the relationship between money, power, and responsibility. It shows us why we need a balanced view about money and what we own.

1. God owns everything

When we think about money, we should realize that we’re like money managers for God’s wealth. We should follow God’s desires, even if they’re different from our own, and be generous, especially to those we share a spiritual bond with. Stealing in any form is an insult to God because it disrespects people’s dignity, reminding us that people are more important than money.

2. You have to continually remember the eternal perspective

True freedom comes from having an eternal view of money. Instead of spending money only on things that will eventually pass away, we should invest in people and in spreading God’s Word. When we use our money to help others, we make a lasting difference because only people and God’s Word will last forever. This perspective helps us avoid greed and jealousy and find real satisfaction and purpose in how we use our money.

3. Jesus Christ, because of his radical giving to you, frees you for radical giving

In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul encourages the Macedonians to give generously, no matter how much or how little they have. This shows us that true wealth isn’t about how much we own, but how much we’re willing to give. Paul’s message ends with a challenge for us to think about the amazing grace of Jesus and respond by being generous and open to others.