God’s Economy vs. Man's Economy

Is Jesus Lord of all your affairs, or is there still one part of your life where you insist on being “in charge?”

That one area, all too often, is money. We all have to make a decision. Will we live in God’s economy or Man's? This is sometimes described as being “in the world” or “of the world.”

Being "In the World" but Not "Of the World"

Oswald Chambers said our Lord did not teach detachment from other things: He taught attachment to Himself. Jesus Christ was not a recluse. He did not cut himself off from society. He was amazingly in and out among the ordinary things of life, but He was disconnected fundamentally from it all. He was not aloof but lived according to His Kingdom's values, not the world’s.

Larry Burkett wrote that only some Christians seem to understand the devastation generated through the misuse of money.

Some have accepted God's financial plan (God's economy) as their own and stand out like giants among their brothers. Still, more commonly, the Christian who withholds this area of his life from God struggles within the world’s financial system (man's economy).

The same frustrations, worries, and anxieties that characterize non-believers are common to many, perhaps most, Christians. What drives peoples’ actions in man's economy?

The contrasts between the two economies are found in Psalm 4:6-8, “Why is everyone hungry for more? ‘More, more,’ they say. ‘More, more.’ I have God’s more-than-enough, More joy in one ordinary day Than they get in all their shopping sprees. At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, For you, God, have put my life back together.” (The Message)

Key Differences Between God’s Economy and Man’s Economy

A list of the questions can help reveal the difference between God's and man's economies. The first is “Who is the master?” In God’s economy, He is the master, of course, but in man's economy, money is the master. It doesn’t matter how much you have; money controls you.

If God is the master, then “What is the source of income?” Of course, God is the source, but if you live in man's economy, you’ll be tempted to say, “I earned it.” The fact is God provides everything, even our ability to earn money. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”

Another question we must answer is, “Why do we have wealth in the first place?” Man's economy says we have wealth to live independently and do not need God. In God’s economy, wealth—abundance more than we need—is to help others. If some Christians did not have a surplus, nothing would be available for God’s Kingdom to help others and show Christ's love.

The Role of Money

A follow-up question is, “What is the real purpose of money?” Money is no different than anything else in the universe. It’s there to fulfill God’s purposes. It’s just one part of His plan, but in man's economy, we think money is there to insulate us from the world’s problems. In man's economy, we’re constantly afraid that something is about to go wrong, and we can never have enough money to fix it.

If that’s the role of money, what then is our role? In God’s economy, our role is to be trustworthy stewards of the wealth he gives us temporarily. We’re simply to steward or manage those resources wisely. He has given us more than 2300 Bible verses on money and possessions to help us do that. He expects us to learn them and follow them.

That’s quite a bit different from mankind’s economy. If you live there, your role is to seek personal fulfillment and happiness. Ironically, we’ll never achieve that if we’re living in man's economy. Only God provides true fulfillment and joy.

Another question is, What are my goals? If you’re living in God’s economy, your goal is simple: to follow God’s will. You need to be in regular prayer with him to discern His will. A simple version is, “Lord, what would you have me do?”

It’s the opposite if you’re living in man's economy. There, your goal is to benefit yourself. It’s all about your will, not God’s will.

Next, ask yourself how you’re doing. Defining success is straightforward if you’re living in God’s economy. It’s faithfulness. That means you only have to follow God’s financial principles. That’s your part. God is responsible for the outcome. You just need to be faithful.

In man's economy, you might have many achievements that mark your success. It’s not wrong to have financial goals and celebrate when you achieve one, but not for its own sake. If you fail to accomplish a goal in man's economy, you’ll probably feel like a failure. There, you are responsible for the results. There’s not much joy in that!

What Drives Us?

You might also then ask about rewards at the end of life. How will you manage the return on your life? Here, the difference is enormous. In God’s economy, you have eternal rewards. We all want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” - Matthew 25:23

Of course, in man's economy, you can measure your return on life by all the earthly gains you’ve made, mainly your net worth—none of which you can take with you.

You should also ask, What is the source of my significance? We all want to feel good about ourselves. In God’s economy, it’s your identity as a child of God. You are adopted into God’s family, and that can’t be taken away from you. In man's economy, you view your significance or worth as your work, riches, and power. You are only what you do or have. There's not a lot of joy there, either.

You could ask, What makes me get up in the morning? What drives me?” In God’s economy, it’s His glory and fame. In man's economy, it’s your significance and security.

Finally, ask yourself, How is my emotional state determined? In man's economy, your emotional state depends on circumstances. If things don’t go well financially, you’ll probably experience anxiety and depression. Nobody wants that.

Here, we see that the benefit of living in God’s economy is priceless. You are content in all circumstances. You understand that God is in charge of results. He has promised to provide, and He always fulfills His promises. We all have concerns, but deep-seated worry has no place in God’s economy.

Have you decided in which economy you’ll choose to live?

You can also listen the related podcast on this topic.