Billy Graham on MoneySample

Wealth or poverty?

Billy talked quite a bit about wealth in his lifetime. I suspect it was because, being one of America’s wealthiest preachers, it was something with which he had to wrestle.

And so for today, I have pulled together some of Billy’s greatest quotes on the topic:

• “God does not condemn people because they are rich, nor does He justify others because they are poor. Poverty is not a virtue, nor are riches themselves sin.”
• “There are no rich nor poor in God’s Kingdom. The altar of God is where kings and paupers meet. The rich man must put his riches upon the altar, and the poor man must put his greed upon the altar and with one voice cry out to God, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling.””
• “Some of the finest Christians are people of means, but their bank accounts—like their lives—are consecrated wholly to God. All that we have ultimately has come from God, and He wants us to show generosity to others.”
• “There is nothing wrong with people possessing riches. The wrong comes when riches possess people. The Bible does not condemn wealth, but Jesus did speak of the deceitfulness of riches. Those who have great wealth may tend to feel independent, to rely on and trust in their riches rather than in God. It can be the stumbling block in surrendering their lives to Christ. This is the story of the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-23). This is why Jesus said that it is difficult for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God (Luke 18:24-25). He knows the motives, thoughts, and intents of the heart.”