Principles and tools from two foundational books on money, giving, and eternity
How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School
A comprehensive guide to biblical financial stewardship
Everything we “own” actually belongs to God. We are stewards, not owners. How we handle money demonstrates who we really believe owns it.
How a person handles money is a precise indicator of their spiritual condition. Jesus spent more time on this topic than nearly any other because it so accurately reveals the heart.
Money is not inherently good or bad, but it is powerful. As wealth increases, feelings of compassion decrease and entitlement increases. We must harness its power while guarding against corruption.
This life is brief; eternity is permanent. Every financial decision has eternal consequences. Earthly treasure will always be lost. Heavenly treasure is imperishable.
The tithe (10%) is the starting point of giving — “training wheels” — not the goal. Grace giving begins after the tithe. The OT giving burden was closer to 23%.
Giving generously to the poor is a moral duty. God has a particularly strong affiliation with the poor, and supporting them reflects God’s nature.
Giving should be voluntary, generous (even sacrificial), cheerful, and needs-based. God is glorified when we recognize His sovereignty.
Christians are pilgrims, not settlers. Material things are temporary provisions for the journey. Wealth can entrench people in this world and make them unresponsive to God’s call.
Synthesized from God and Money (Cortines & Baumer, 2016) and Money, Possessions, and Eternity (Alcorn, 2003)
Key scriptures from both books, categorized by the 8 Core Principles. Click any row to read the ESV text.
| # | Reference | Description | Principle |
|---|
Sources: God and Money (Cortines & Baumer, 2016) and Money, Possessions, and Eternity (Alcorn, 2003)
Your money mindset is driven by two factors: your temporal focus and your view on the highest purpose of money. Spenders maximize value today. Savers maximize value in the future. Servants maximize value in eternity.
Limits both consumption and wealth-building. Views money as a blessing to the world in Christ’s name.
Enjoys God’s provision generously AND gives generously. Must guard against lifestyle inflation.
Limits consumption but accumulates wealth. Views money as security, stability, and “keeping score.”
Pursues the greatest possible present consumption. Views money as a way to “live it up.”
Source: God and Money, Chapter 5 — The “Three S Framework” (Cortines & Baumer, 2016)
“Every financial decision is implicitly a vote for one kingdom or the other.”
Ch. 7 — Two Treasuries, Two Perspectives, Two Masters
“He who lays up treasures on earth spends his life backing away from his treasures. To him, death is loss.”
“He who lays up treasures in heaven looks forward to eternity; he’s moving daily toward his treasures. To him, death is gain.”
“Christ’s primary argument against amassing material wealth isn’t that it’s morally wrong, but simply that it’s a poor investment.”
— p. 94“When Jesus warns us not to store up treasures on earth, it’s not just because wealth might be lost; it’s because wealth will always be lost.”
— MPE“I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.”
— Martin LutherSource: Money, Possessions, and Eternity Ch. 7 (Alcorn, 2003)
Before any purchase, ask yourself:
John Wesley’s purchasing questions, cited by Alcorn in Ch. 10
“I should live today not for the dot, but for the line.”
The Treasure Principle / MPE Ch. 7–9
From Chapter 13 — Giving: Reciprocating God’s Grace
“Christians are God’s delivery people, through whom he does his giving to a needy world. We are conduits of God’s grace to others.”
“Tithing isn’t the ceiling of giving; it’s the floor. It’s not the finish line of giving; it’s the starting blocks.”
| Tithe | Recipient | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Levitical | Priests / Levites | Numbers 18:21, 24 |
| Festival | Worship celebration | Deut. 14:23 |
| Poor (every 3rd year) | Orphans, widows, foreigners | Deut. 14:28–29 |
Average OT giving: ~23%/year. NT grace giving goes far beyond.
Ch. 12 — Tithing: The Training Wheels of Giving
Click any reference to read the ESV text.
Source: Money, Possessions, and Eternity Ch. 10, 12–13 (Alcorn, 2003)
Frameworks from both books for setting a maximum level of spending and directing surplus to Kingdom purposes.
The authors of God and Money propose that every Christian prayerfully determine a personal “Spending Finish Line” — a maximum annual spending level that provides a comfortable life without excess. The authors concluded that a universally desired lifestyle falls in the $60,000–$150,000 spending range. Once you cross your finish line, every additional dollar of income is directed toward generosity and Kingdom purposes rather than increased consumption.
The book teaches that as income increases beyond your finish line, you should give away a greater and greater percentage. Rather than prescribing exact numbers, the authors encourage each person to prayerfully determine their own graduated giving plan — starting with a tithe and increasing generosity as God provides more.
“Live on a certain amount of money each year, an amount that allows some room for discretionary or recreational spending. All income beyond that I will give to God’s kingdom purposes.”
| Scenario | Action |
|---|---|
| Income increases | Keep lifestyle fixed; give the increase |
| Windfall / Bonus | Give the majority immediately |
| Lifestyle creep temptation | Ask Wesley’s four questions |
| Desire for upgrade | Ask: “Will God reward me for this at the resurrection?” |
“God doesn’t give us more to increase our standard of living, but to increase our standard of giving.”
Note: The dollar figures from God and Money (2016) have not been adjusted for inflation. Alcorn’s approach is principle-based rather than tied to specific amounts. Use these frameworks as a starting point and adjust prayerfully for your situation.
Click any reference to read the ESV text.
Sources: God and Money Ch. 6–8 (Cortines & Baumer, 2016) and Money, Possessions, and Eternity Ch. 16 (Alcorn, 2003)
“Never, under any circumstances, accumulate more than 33 times our Spending Finish Line.” The authors set a personal wealth cap at 33x their annual spending (~$3.3M based on $100K spending). Anything above flows to Kingdom purposes.
| Scenario | Action |
|---|---|
| Net worth approaches cap | Increase giving rate; reduce savings rate |
| Net worth exceeds cap | Give 100% of excess immediately or via DAF |
| Income windfall | Apply graduated giving waterfall; give majority |
| Investment growth over cap | Rebalance by increasing charitable giving |
| Life event (new child, medical) | Prayerfully adjust cap with community input |
Note: The dollar figures and guidelines referenced above are from the book’s 2016 publication and have not been adjusted for inflation. Consider updating them to reflect current purchasing power.
Source: God and Money Ch. 7 — Saving: Investing in the Future (Cortines & Baumer, 2016)