Is making a lot of money legit?

Is it legitimate to pursue making a lot of money as an end in itself? No.

However, note the above says the love of money is the problem, not money itself.

If we diligently pursue doing things with excellence for the glory of God, it is not only totally legitimate to be as productive and fruitful as possible, but what we are called to do. 

From the beginning in Genesis and throughout the New Testament, God's mandate to humanity was to be fruitful and multiply i.e. bear much fruit. This honors God.

This may result in financial success (and sometimes does, particularly if God gave you the temperament and skills to be an effective business person). But it's not automatically a guarantee. 

Since making money is not the focus (though it can clearly be a legitimate measuring stick of success under the right conditions), but the pursuit of excellence for Christ's sake is i.e., doing everything - including "business" - for God's honor (glory) regardless of whether we see a significant financial reward or not. 

We should always strive for excellence and never back off from being as fruitful as possible, both spiritually and materially. Doing things with excellence has more to do with effort and intent than outcome. Backing off from doing all things for God's glory is not optional. Honoring God in all we say and do is the calling of every believer.
 

What about our skills?

What if our skills and abilities, energy, stamina, strength, and mental sharpness have considerably dropped off with age or for some other reason, such as overall health or injury? Is this a legitimate reason to slow down? 

Because money is not the final measuring stick of a legitimate endeavor but intent to honor God is, we are still to pursue things with excellence regardless of our skills i.e. being excellent for Christ's sake always remains the ¹same even though our abilities change over time (some for better - like increased wisdom through increased life experience - and some for worse, like declining physical and mental stamina). 

Doing everything with excellence for the glory of God should ²always be our goal and modus operandi, regardless of the resources or skills we may or may not have; whether those resources change, decline, or increase.

What about excellence vs doing just enough to "get by?"

Excellence in the marketplace, in contrast to the lack of excellence, provides a greater opportunity to put God on display; to demonstrate that living for God is a more excellent and productive way than not living for him and living only for self-advancement. 

This is exactly why Joseph excelled in every circumstance he found himself in and was entrusted to oversee things wherever he went. He was eventually promoted to second in command in Egypt, probably the greatest nation on earth at that time. This led to great prosperity, which in turn was used to save many lives, including his own family. 

Truly knowing and living for God makes us more productive, resourceful, and excellent, resulting in greater honor to God and service to humanity made up of fellow bearers of God's image.

Excellence in attitude.

We are not only to be excellent in our effort but excellent in attitude e.g., humble, diligent, caring, grateful etc., which usually, though not automatically, leads to an excellent outcome. In fact, the right attitude leads to the right outcome. Therefore, knowing God is more excellent in the work environment (or any area of endeavor) than not knowing Him.  It is the superior way of living life. 

But we must distinguish between truly knowing God versus knowing about God. They are not the same. 

Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Ecc 9:10  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. 

Col 3:23  Whatever you do G4160, work G2038b heartily G5590, as for the Lord and not for men, 

Do – G4160

ποιέω - poieō - poy-eh'-o

Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct): - abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do (-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield. Compare G4238.

Work – G2038b

ἐργάζομαι - ergazomai; from G2041; to work, labor: — accomplish (1), accomplished (1), accomplishing (1), achieve (1), committing (1), do (1), do...work (1), does (3), doing (1), doing...work (1), done (2), make...living (1), perform (4), performed (1), performing (1), practice (1), produces (1), traded (1), work (9), work be done (1), work do...perform (1), working (7), works (1), wrought (1).

Heartily – G5590

ψυχή - psuchē; of unc. or.; breath, the soul: — heart (2), heartily (1), life (36), lives (7), mind (1), minds (1), person (1), persons (3), soul (33), souls (14), suspense *(1), thing (1).

From G5594; breath, that is, (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew [H5315], [H7307] and [H2416]: - heart (+ -ily), life, mind, soul, + us, + you.

Thayer Definition:

1) breath

1a) the breath of life

1a1) the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing

1a1a) of animals

1a1b) of men

1b) life

1c) that in which there is life

1c1) a living being, a living soul

2) the soul

2a) the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)

2b) the (human) soul in so far as the right use of the aids constituted it that offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life

2c) the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body) i.e. put your heart into it. Do it with passion, spirit, and energy.

As a believer in business for over 45 years, I have wrestled with what is legitimate and what is questionable in "doing business." 

The following links are some conclusions I have come to so far, based on scripture first and my own experience, failures, struggles, and successes. 

For those who have wrestled with these same things, I trust you will find the below helpful. 

For a discussion on the fallacy of the health and wealth gospel, click here.

For a further discussion on excellence, click here. 

For a discussion on sowing and reaping, click here. 

For a discussion on legitimate vs illegitimate business, click here 

For a discussion on giving what you have, click here.

For a discussion on being diligence vs undisciplined, click here

For a discussion on resting in God, click here

For a discussion on whether competition is good or bad click here

For a further discussion on being diligent, click here

For a discussion on what is more important, great effort or great faith, click here

For a discussion on the fallacy of the health and wealth gospel, click here.

For a discussion of what exactly is money/currency click here.

For a discussion how faith is hard work click here.

_________________________________

¹And as we mature, our walk with God should strengthen, so this becomes a more consistent and common part of our life, not less common.

²Whatever you have, no matter how much or how little, use it with all the faith, strength, and energy God gives you for his glory.

legitimate vs illegitimate business

What distinguishes a legitimate enterprise or business from an illegitimate one? 

Being ¹service driven vs. solely profit-driven.

There is nothing wrong with profit in itself, but when profit becomes the ²sole motive, serving others becomes irrelevant or secondary at best and usually leads to ⁴harming others. This is a disservice and the opposite of serving others.

When an enterprise is focused on ²serving others we are loving our neighbors and helping them flourish. The result is that the "consumer" ²benefits. 

We are dependent on certain things to not only survive but to flourish to our maximum capacity. To provide those things to honor of God and for the benefit of our fellow man or woman is to serve both God and humankind.

If we are diligent in serving others, it often results in our economic benefit as well, i.e. profit. We "win" by helping others "win." But serving others is and should always be our focus, regardless. 

As believers, this is carrying out the commandment to love our neighbor as we love ourselves i.e. treating others the way we would like to be treated. If we gain (profit) in this exercise, this is a good thing, not bad i.e. it is not exploiting our fellow man or the planet, as ⁵some assert, but the possible (though not automatic) fruit of serving them.  

The most successful enterprises are those that find a ¹legitimate ³need of others and meet it better than anyone else. The greater the need, the greater the service provided. The greater the service, the greater the opportunity for profit if we are diligent. 

For a discussion on sowing and reaping click here. 

For a discussion on socialism vs capitalism click here. 

For a discussion on doing things with excellence click here. 

For a discussion on whether the pursuit of money is ever legit click here.

For a discussion on what exactly money is click here. 

For a discussion on cryptocurrency, click here. 

For a discussion on giving as we have received, click here

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Footnotes:

¹The nature of the need is also vital in determining the legitimacy of the enterprise or service e.g. providing healthy food vs junk food is a legitimate endeavor. Providing a want such as junk food (or pornography, or abortions etc) simply because there is a demand for it is not. There may be large profits in these kinds of offers, but if an offer is contrary to God's design it is ultimately destructive and a disservice to others and humanity at large regardless of how great the demand or profit.

²Even when profit becomes the primary motive, serving others becomes secondary, which also ultimately leads to people's ⁴harm and the opposite of serving others.

Serving others is good for both the provider and the consumer. This is a "win-win" scenario. 

³We must distinguish between needs and wants. Needs are vital to our existence and flourishing. Wants, no matter how great, are merely what we desire but will not result in our perishing if we can't acquire them i.e. they are not essential to our existence but may only be for greater convenience and comfort versus greater fruitfulness i.e. productivity. 

We are called to be productive (fruitful). Anything that enables us to do so is legitimate. Helping others be more efficient so they have more time to be more productive is a legitimate endeavor. 

This is our initial mandate in the Old Testament:

‭‭Genesis 1:28-30 

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 

This is repeated in the New Testament: 

‭‭John 15:5...

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing... 

 

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples...

 

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, - regarding advancing God's rule (kingdom) of love - he may give it to you. 

⁴Such as using corn syrup in foods as a sweetener because it is cheaper and adds more to the bottom line even though it's harmful to us.

⁵Ayn Rand asserted capitalism and altruism are opposites and do not mix i.e. in a true free market system we can not benefit (win) by helping others benefit (win). 

Click here for a 2-minute video of her explaining worldview. 

However, as an atheist, she didn't understand the dynamic of being empowered to love others when we know we are fully loved. 

She interpreted altruism as a giving away of our dignity - or others taking it from us - and not an expression of the dignity we derive from God, the eternal overflowing fountain of love. She saw altruism only as others taking from us by force vs our freely, gladly, and willingly giving to others out of our fullness of receiving all things from our Creator. A subtle but vital distinction. 

This distinguishes God's Kingdom from communism. This also reveals how the progressive side of the church is unwittingly sympathetic to communism, which is vastly different from advancing God's kingdom by loving our neighbor. 

Givers vs takers

For a discussion on how we are designed to be givers and not takers click here.

When service is our primary focus - but profit is also desired

(though not primary) - this puts innovation front and center. It causes us to continually look for creative ways to meet the unmet needs of our fellow humans and how to also generate the necessary funding to continue to do so. 

Often, but not always, the copycats of legitimate and successful innovation are driven purely by profit, not necessarily how to better serve humanity. 

Give as you have received

From the very beginning, the Bible speaks of being blessed by God and blessing others.

Gen 1:22 Then God blessed them (animals) and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

28 And God blessed them (Adam and Eve). And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 

And God said, “Behold, I have given (a gift, a blessing) you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food (i.e. as nourishment so you can be more fruitful and also for your pleasure as a reminder of God's love and care).” And it was so. - Gen 1:28‭-‬30 

These instructions to be fruitful and multiply at the very outset tell us God wants life to expand and flourish - especially for us, the bearers of His image. He wants to expand (multiply) the blessings He gives. Hinted at in these blessings is our blessing others. This becomes even clearer as we continue further.

Each new day of creation was a new blessing from God being increasingly expanded. After each day, God pronounced all He did and made was good, i.e. a blessing.

Even after He cleansed the earth of rebellious humanity through the flood, God again pronounces His desire to bless us.

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. - Gen 9:1 ESV

He wanted to be sure that after this worldwide "house" cleaning, there was no confusion that his primary desire had not changed and it was still to bless us, not destroy us - even in our state of rebellion. 

God also confirmed and illustrated His desire to bless us when He called Abram and promised to bless him.

1 Then the LORD said to Abram, ²“Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land ³I will show you.

2 ³I will make you into a great nation, and ³I will bless you;

³I will make your name great so that you will be a blessing.

3 ³I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you;

and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

God's ultimate goal with Abram from the beginning of his call was to bless all nations through ¹him; not simply to bless Abram (or only His immediate progeny) so that only he or they could bask in the blessings and forget about everyone else.

The more we dig into scripture, the more we see that whenever God gives us anything - any blessing, i.e. ¹resource, etc - he always asks us to turn around and use it to bless others.

Why?

Because we are in His image - designed and called to be like God. 

Who is God? What is He like? 

God is an ⁴endless and perpetual overflowing fountain of love who calls us to be like Him, to be His children...a "chip off the old block," if you will. 

We are called to love as He loves us - and to give as we have received from Him. This, in large part, is what it means to be in his image.

This is also the very essence of the 1st and 2nd commandments on which all other commands are based.

This commandment involves us receiving from God life, love, and all things, and then sharing with our neighbor (others) what we receive.

How? It is only through our connection with God, being loved by Him (and recognizing how much he loves us in and through Christ but also through the many blessings of creation he has given us), and responding to His love by loving Him with all that we are and have, so that we can love our neighbors in the same way we desire to be loved (and are being loved through all the beauty and abundance given to us now in and through creation).

Contrary to the common approach to living, life isn't about getting to keep and only indulging ourselves in the blessings of life, but about getting to give. It isn't getting all you can and then sitting on and protecting our individual "can" but "getting" (receiving) all we can so we might give all we can. This is who God is and who He's designed and called us to be as bearers of His image. The more we receive, the more we are to give. To use Christ's words, "to whom much is given, much is required." And the servant who is faithful in little, will be given more.

In short, life is about being like God; living as He does, is, and designed us to be - to receive and give love as the Father and Son do between each other from all eternity past (Jn 17:25b). All this happens in, by, and through the Spirit - the Spirit of infinite and passionate love for another - God first and others that bear His image.

What is the nature and greatness of God's giving, and how did he demonstrate it? He gave until it hurt i.e. Sacrificially. He gave the very Son of His infinite and eternal affection so we might enter into that very same community of affection between the Father and Son and partake of God, who is love and life Himself (Jn 17:3); the Creator and giver of all we have and are. 

We are to be holy for He is holy i.e., like God. Holiness isn't about being perfect in conduct, but perfect in our focus and passion for God, in the same way He is for Himself. 

He is most worthy of all our affections, worship, honor, and glory. God ²is glorious and designed and calls us to partake in His glory and be glorious like Him. In so doing we bring Him the greatest honor and experience our greatest joy.

We will never experience true life as God intends until we live as he lives i.e., by receiving His overflowing blessings and sharing them with others.

And we will never be able to live this way until we partake of His life as He experiences it in the giving and receiving of glory between the Father and Son in, by, and through the Spirit.

For a discussion on sowing and reaping click here. 

For a discussion on legitimate vs illegitimate business click here 

For a discussion on giving what you have click here.

Use it or lose it, click here. 

Is making a lot of money ever legit, click here. 

For a discussion on excellence, click here. 

For a discussion on being diligent, click here

For a discussion on diligence vs being undisciplined click here

For a discussion on the fallacy of the health and wealth gospel, click here.

For a discussion on how faith is hard work, click here.

For a discussion on socialism versus capitalism, click here 

_______________________________

Footnotes:

¹What comprises our resources? Any and all blessings we receive or possess, be it time, good health, money, things, talents, abilities, skills, experiences unique to us, etc.

²“Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you..."

All the things we normally look to and depend on for our sense of identity and meaning - e.g. our national origin and heritage, wealth (our own land) our extended family (kindred), and even our immediate family, Abraham was called upon by God to walk *away from and look to Him alone as the source of all he is and has...i.e. go to the land I will show you..."

*He also called him to walk towards all he previously sought and had by promising to make him a great family and nation of his own... again, so he might know that God alone is the source of all blessings and in turn us them to bless others.

GOD was calling Abraham to shift his dependence away from those things that we all naturally seek and instead place his dependence solely on God for those things.  This tells us that these things are good and right to desire 

This tells us that these things are good and right to desire but not outside of God but in and through him. God is not opposed to us having these things but He's opposed to our trying to obtain them on our own without looking to and acknowledging Him as the Giver.

³Which also involves recognizing everything we are and already have comes from him.

⁴God was rebuilding Abrams ⁶identity from the ground up. He was telling him every good thing you desire - your own land, your very own nation through your children, a great reputation - I will provide for you and that so you might honor me by being a blessing to others.

Our receiving what we need and value most is not by pursuing these directly but by being like God and blessing others, i.e. seeking first the kingdom of God. God loves to give us all these things (Rom 8:31-32; Matt 7:9-11) as long as we don't forget it is He who gives them. And He does so that we might bless others, becoming the means by which others find, see, and experience God through us.

⁵A God of overflowing abundance, beauty, love, majesty, glory, blessing, and joy.

⁶Abram eventually became Abraham (Gen 17:5). He went from being not just a father of Issac (and ultimately Israel) - as Abram - but a father of many nations - as Abraham.  

God is a God of overflowing abundance and desires we partake of that abundance and in turn, share it with others. This is a primary part of what it means to be like God - in His image.

Both love and discipline essential

We bristle at discipline when there is no love.

But

We do not operate at our maximum potential when there is no discipline.

Both are essential if we are to be all God desires and designed us to be (not to mention our bringing God greatest glory and experiencing our greatest joy).

But love must come first. We were created for love. Without it we do not function as we were designed to no more than a car without gas or a sailboat without a sail, wind or water. 

Without love we do not trust...without trust we do not submit to the directions and discipline of the one who loves and seeks to direct us - mainly God but also special loved ones God has brought into our lives.

The more we realize how greatly God loves us, the easier it is to accept and embrace discipline - whether that comes in the form of obedience to a specific command from God, self denial, or enduring well any painful or hard circumstances we may encounter.

Love and discipline are two sides of the same coin of faithfully living for God's highest honor and our greatest joy.

A closer look at love.

How do we know God loves us? What proof do we have? Especially when we go though difficult times! Christ! 

God revealed his love to and for us in and through Christ by him taking on our pain so we might eventually and permanently be freed from it.

If we have no other evidence of God's love, this alone is more than sufficient. We only need to accurately and fully grasp it to appreciate the vastness of His love poured out on us in and through Christ. If we do not see who Christ is and what He did as sufficient we must ask God to help us see more fully and clearly Christ and all that He did to restore us back to the Father.

For a closer look at Christ and what He did check the following:

The incarnation - God became one of us.

Using evil for good

God binds himself to time

The humility of God

For additional posts on discipline see the following...

Diligent vs undiciplined

What is excellence?  

Sowing and reaping

In the parable of the sower, Christ addresses the different results of those hearing the good news of God's kingdom. The question this article seeks to address is whether advancing the kingdom occurs only by ¹sharing  the good news verbally? Can the kingdom of God be advanced by other means such as our deeds (work/job/money/ business) as well as our words? If so how?

2 Cor 9:6-11 talks about a financial gift the church in Corinth had promised to the church in Jerusalem. Paul is encouraging the Corinthian believers to follow through with this gift in a way that honors God and why they should give it. The sowing and reaping Paul is addressing here is clearly about money, how we obtain it, use it, and increase it.

So what does money have to do with advancing the gospel of the kingdom? We usually don't think of advancing the gospel financially. After all the gospel is spiritual in nature, not material... or is it? We usually think the pursuit of money is in conflict with and contrary to advancing God's kingdom; that the kingdom advances through our poverty, (e.g. blessed are the poor...Lk 6:20) not through wealth. 

Can we make money, use money, do business, and advance the gospel of the kingdom for the glory of God with money? If so, how?

2 Cor 9:6-11 captures the essence of how to use material resources to love others and advance God's purposes, kingdom, and glory.

In general terms, it always takes resources to advance any endeavor. Be that our time, talents, skills, money, or other resources. God's kingdom is no exception. His kingdom may be spiritual in nature but it still involves advancement in this physical or material world. Simply because God's kingdom, in essence, is spiritual does not make money somehow unnecessary (as if God will sustain His purposes in this material/physical world without physical resources or that the fruit of financial profit or material gain from our efforts are somehow not dignified enough to advance God's purposes). 

In short, God's kingdom may not be of this world but it certainly must advance in and on it. Therefore we must utilize the resources of creation - whether this involves the use of our personal or internal gifts (i.e. skills, talents, experience etc.), or external gifts such as money, time, and material resources - to obtain what is necessary to advance God's purposes in this world as well as the next. Laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven still requires obtaining and having treasures in this world that we can lay up.

And of course, it takes a job or a business or investments to make money. It always has and always will. As the saying goes money does not grow on trees. 

If you are following the series "The Chosen" note how it illustrates the necessity of making money to support Jesus and His disciples. Zebedee, the father of the disciples James and John started an olive oil business just for this reason.

Money in itself is also neither good nor bad no more than any resource or gift God gives us. How and why we make it and use it determines this.

So what are the key principles to advancing God's kingdom through business/work and money?

We find 3 in 2 Cor 9:6-11

"The point is this: 

(principle ¹) - whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." 

(principle ²) - "Each one must give (not only our money but our time, energy, talents, and the necessary resources to generate more money) as he has decided in his heart" (he must decide beforehand how much he's willing to give/give up/sacrifice before he starts sowing and watering), 

(principle ³) - "not reluctantly (unwillingly) or under compulsion (forced), for God loves a cheerful giver..." (whatever you do, do it out of love - cheerfully - for God and your fellow man...Not to win the acceptance or praise of others).

These 3 principles above can be summarized as follows:

1. Great results ⁴require great effort and great effort for God's honor always produces great results now and in eternity. This is foundational to the overall principle of sowing and reaping.

2. Decide beforehand that you are willing to do ²whatever it takes to accomplish the task/mission God has given you. Be deliberate, not haphazard, in your effort and approach. We must approach every worthwhile, God given endeavor with a  "do-or-die" attitude if we are to obtain whatever God calls us to. Just because God calls you to a task does not mean it will be easy or not require great effort. 

Nothing worth pursuing will be easy. We are told we will encounter thorns and thistles in our labor. Don't be surprised by roadblocks or setbacks, expect them. Resistance is not necessarily an indication God is not in a certain endeavor i.e. that He disapproves of it because of set backs or challenges. It may simply be that in this world we will have tribulation. All endeavors worth pursuing require great effort. 

3. To go about any endeavor willingly and cheerfully we must be moved by love for God and others vs. the approval of others or merely personal gain.

Verse 8 goes on to say,

"And God is able to make ³all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

This verse is not necessarily talking about the outcome but the strength necessary to pursue the task God has put before us i.e. strength needed to complete the task comes from God, not us.  

It is also worth noting that the sufficiency of grace is also mentioned when Paul asked God to remove a thorn in his flesh i.e. grace is how God empowers us whether that involves enduring a thorn in the flesh or accomplishing the work He has given us to do. Grace is required for both.

Work or good deeds can take many forms. One of those is generating extra resources i.e. money (profits) to put towards another endeavor that honors God. But we must also never forget it is God who works in us both the will and desire to do so.

"...it is God who works in you both the will and do of his good pleasure..." Phil 2:12

10 "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."
2 Cor 9:6‭-‬8‭, ‬10‭-‬11 ESV

"... He who supplies seed ..."  He not only empowers us to sow and water but provides the seed to sow.

"...You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way..."

I once heard a Christian entrepreneur and millionaire say it this way. The world looks at money and says, "get all you can so you can keep all you can, then sit on the can, and protect your can. Don't let anyone get into your can." God however says, "get all you can so you can give all you can." Both focus on acquiring and achieving as much as possible but for totally different ends.  

God blesses us not so we can indulge in those blessings for our personal consumption only but primarily so we'll have more to bless others with. This gives us additional resources to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, thereby advancing God's Kingdom and purposes on earth i.e. "your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." The more we can obtain in this life the more resources and opportunity we have to love others in ways we would not have without them. Loving our neighbors is no less than living out the second-greatest commandment. It is what God calls us to do.

"...will produce thanksgiving to God..." 

Our diligent faithfulness to the ventures or tasks God has given and entrusted to us (i.e. our job, work, investments, or business and the gifts and abilities to perform them) will point others to God either by doing things cheerfully with excellence but also by acquiring extra resources to support the advancement of His kingdom through blessing others physically i.e. materially or financially. This ultimately leads to God's honor and praise.

This passage suggests our work is a primary means by which we advance the gospel of God's kingdom, thereby bringing glory to God and joy in God by others, resulting in our own joy.

Conclusions and application

Clearly, 2 Cor 9:6-11 indicates there is a direct correlation between sowing and reaping. The more we sow the more we reap...the less we sow the less we reap. It's not just common sense but ⁴a principle of life and nature. 

Sowing and repeating isn't just about negative consequences for sowing bad seed but also a great harvest for sowing good seed. The more the better.

To say it a different way, to see more results you must do more, pray more, give more effort, time, resources, etc. Though God in his grace and mercy may and sometimes does intervene directly to address needs despite our efforts, normally he works with, in, through, and by them. He engages us, His kids, to carry out His purposes on earth as He does in heaven. Paul himself continued utilizing his tent-making skills even when planting churches.

Related passages:

2 Corinthians 3:5

5  "What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? 

They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. 6  I planted the seed (of truth) and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." - 1 Cor 3:5-6

Even though God must grow or "give the increase" to our efforts - he does so according to our sowing and watering. Something (seed) must be planted and watered by ²us for it to be multiplied by God. (We will look at what "it" is further into the passage).

Sowing and reaping applies to not only the amount we sow but also the kind of seed (gifts) we are given to contribute to the harvest. Paul's planting was different than Apollos watering. Both were needed and used to bring about a harvest. Whatever gift and task God has given, each is unique to us. It is that gift we should use, not something we don't have. To say it another way, don't try to be someone or something you aren't created or called to be i.e. someone God has not gifted you to be.

A story goes that one day a farmer who had recently become a believer was out plowing in the field when he saw the letters "PC" in the clouds. He thought this must surely mean God was calling him to preach Christ (PC). After a year in seminary, he found himself struggling financially, with grades and generally struggling to keep up with the class load. He went to the dean of students to discuss this and after a few minutes the dean said, "I think God was telling you to plant corn (PC)." The moral of the story? If God has called you to be a significant financial means of supporting the church, He will also gift you in business or with investments to make a significant amount of money. 

And as we prove ourselves trustworthy by being faithful to what God has already given, He gives us more.

7 "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow..." 1 Cor 3:7

...is anything... He's not saying we are nothing or have no role in the process but that we are not ultimately the reason for the results, God is. When done well, God will praise and reward us. The following context supports this.

"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim that anything comes from us, but our competence comes from God." 2 Cor 3:5

God and I working together.

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, (you) work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." - Phil 2:12‭-‬13 ESV

How do we and God work to accomplish things at the same time? It is not a "both/and" relationship but an "in/through" one. It is God who gives us the desire, will, strength, and ability to work the work and it is our arms, legs, minds, etc (i.e. us) being empowered. He provides the strength but we are still the ones doing the sweating, not God.

Col 1:29
"For this I toil, ⁶struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me."

...struggling... God is the one empowering us but this does not exclude our sweat, persistence, and perseverance. He enables us to sweat and persist by and through His grace and love to us and out to others. To use an analogy we are the sale boat but He is the wind.

Even though 2 Cor 9 is talking about people giving financial/ material resources; in principle, it would hold true in giving any resources, be that time, energy, abilities, material possessions money, etc. Money is only the fruit of using our other gifts/resources to acquire it. 

Financial and material resources come through hard work. Sharing the good news is not by our words only. In fact, our good and excellent deeds give greater credibility to our words. An old saying is I don't care about what you know (and say) until I know that you care. A primary way we show care is by blessing others with our time, and attention and that is often with or through the material blessings God has given us.

"And God is able to make ³all grace abound to you so that (you) having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." - 2 Cor 9:‬8

It is not a question of whether work - a job, investment, or business - can be a means of ministry but whether it is a good effort we are engaged in i e. It's not what we do that is most important by why we do it. What determines a good work versus a bad work is not just what we do but the goal of our efforts i.e. are we seeking to advance our purposes or God's. If God's, then whatever we do, do it with everything we've got for His glory.

i.e. ...⁶struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." Col 1:29

The other implication is this takes sacrifice. We have to give up something we could use elsewhere - such as money or time - wherever God directs us to get a return (increase) on whatever God has called us to. We should know this going in and decide how much we're willing to give up in order to gain the outcome we hope for and believe God desires and has called us to.

The good news is if and when we are giving (working, sacrificing) for the right reason - i.e. using all the resources He's given us to advance His kingdom for His glory, not ours - He will not only bless those efforts (and multiply our resources to do even more to honor Him and bless others) but also empower us to do what we have been given to do and are committed to doing. This is His promise, no ifs, ands, or butts. 

When we do all things (especially our business or job) for God's honor out of love for others we can do it without reservation or doubt we are doing a good thing.

We also must be clear that we do not sow and water in and by our own strength. 

And when we experience good results, it is only because of His hand of blessing i.e. for this to happen, we must be and are empowered by God's Spirit/Love i.e. ultimately the results are because of Him; because of the strength and energy He gives us to complete the task and Him clearing the path or opening doors to bring it about.

God is engaged in every part of the process. He provides the seed. His Spirit is the power that gives us the will to work and drives us within, as well as multiplies our efforts without.

And we are engaged in every part of the process. It is ⁴our gifts, abilities, resources, efforts, hands, feet, bodies, and minds that are required in the sowing and watering and also our prayers that are necessary in asking God to give the increase. We are fully engaged in every phase.

Every endeavor (work) God gives us i.e. calls us to, we are engaged in is a partnership with God for His glory as well as our joy. This results in the thanks of others which also brings joy and honor to God and to us.

For a discussion on the fallacy of the health and wealth gospel, click here.

For a discussion on giving as we have received, click here.

For a discussion on the importance of discipline and diligence, click here

For a discussion on the importance of excellence, click here.

For a discussion on legitimate vs illegitimate business, click here 

For a discussion on resting in God, click here

For a discussion on whether competition is good or bad, click here

For a further discussion on being diligent, click here

For a discussion on what is more important, great effort or great faith, click here

For a discussion of what exactly is money/currency click here.

For a discussion on how faith is hard work, click here.

_______________________________

¹Is sharing the good news limited exclusively to speaking about what Christ did for us? No. When we understand the gospel, it permeates, shapes, and drives every aspect of our lives and actions as well as our words. It entails not only what we do but why we do it. This includes our regular day-to-day job, business, or any venture and how we go about them.

²Exerting whatever effort is required - sowing and watering - takes time and effort; time away from other things that may be more immediately gratifying. 

Sacrifice and self-denial do not necessarily involve a huge loss but simply setting aside legitimate but inferior desires for more productive God-honoring goals e.g. Instead of checking your email or the latest news, it may be more fruitful to spend some time reaching out to someone (family, friend, business partner) that could use some of God's love and attention - through you.

³grace -  The fuel that energizes our abounding is God's love - which is ours only by grace, not because of our faithfulness (obedience) or productivity.  Faithfulness does not cause grace but is the means by which grace is released. Our experience of God's love is tied to our faithfulness. 

⁴This principle is so certain that even if we sow for the wrong reason - i.e. for our honor and gain not God's - if done diligently and without giving up we will eventually get results. It is how things are designed to operate regardless of our motives. However, when done for God's honor, we are promised God's support and His wind (breath/Spirit) at our backs. Otherwise it could - and likely will - eventually result in burnout. 

⁵By saying these are ours, we must recognize and acknowledge all we are and have is given, loaned to us, and sustained by God to advance his purposes. Nothing that is, would be if not for God, including all the gifts we are given and skills we acquire.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good (not just bad), for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. - Gal 6:7‭-‬10 

⁶Col 1:29 

For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

To or for-

Εἰς (Eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

this end-

ὃ (ho)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

I labor,-

κοπιῶ (kopiō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2872: From a derivative of kopos; to feel fatigue; by implication, to work hard.

striving-

ἀγωνιζόμενος (agōnizomenos)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 75: From agon; to struggle, literally, figuratively, or genitive case.

with all-

κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

His-

αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons

energy-

ἐνέργειαν (energeian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1753: Working, action, productive work, activity; in the NT, confined to superhuman activity. From energes; efficiency.

working-

ἐνεργουμένην (energoumenēn)
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1754: From energes; to be active, efficient.

powerfully-

δυνάμει (dynamei)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1411: From dunamai; force; specially, miraculous power.

within-

ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

me-

ἐμοὶ (emoi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

A suggested prayer 

What to begin and close each day of work if you are building a business.

God bring to mind, lead, and bring me to the people you wish me to work (or build my business) with and minister to. 

Also enable me to work in a way that most honors you i.e. with faith, focus, diligence, energy, strength, and love to make whatever ²sacrifice is necessary to reach (serve) the maximum number of people for you, with the potential you've given me so that I might richly bless (love) others for your glory and praise and my happiness.

Show yourself strong on my behalf so that I may bring you greater honor i.e. more fully reveal and display your goodness - i.e. make you look good, not me.

God, only you can increase and multiply the fruit of my efforts... (efforts empowered by You, but mine just the same). I ask you to do so for the honor of your Son. So be it... Amen!