Biblical Principles of Building Wealth

Why do some people build significant wealth and others remain stuck in poverty?

Believe it or not, a lot of non-Christians have built substantial wealth by following most of these biblical principles of building wealth, and the catch is, they don’t even know it!

If you continue to build wealth using these principles, keep up the great work!

If you are struggling financially and don’t know why, hopefully this article will provide logical (and Biblical) rationale for why you remain stuck where you are today.

For context, the Bible is filled with more logic on money and prosperity than most people realize. The challenge is that studying scripture can be intimidating because the Bible contains 66 books (39 books of the Old Testament and 27 Books of the New Testament) and the NIV translation contains over 700,000 words. Overall, if you were to study the Bible from front to back, it would take you about two years.

Fun Bible Statistics

The word “prosperity” is mentioned over 80 times
The word “money” is mentioned over 800 times
The concept of helping the poor is mentioned over 2,000 times

Before the anti-prosperity gospel folk start throwing stones at me, these numbers above are a clear mathematical reminder that Jesus Christ does indeed want us to build wealth, but more importantly, use wealth as a tool to help others. The emphasis is on helping others, not buying a new Lambo or a second yacht, because you know, we all need one, right?

This article breaks down some of the most important biblical principles of building wealth. Keep in mind, this is not a list of all money-related verses in the Bible. If it were, we would be here for a minute.

I will do my best to show how these principles apply equally to businesses as well as consumers. I will also reference the 3 financial statements used in business, including the Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement, and Balance Sheet. Rest assured, I will try to break everything down in simple terms with relatable real-world examples.

I’ll be using the following framework:

Verse
Scripture or Scripture Summary
Explanation

All verses referenced are from the NIV translation.

In no particular order, here we go:

1) Can you be trusted with money?

Verse: Luke 16:10-12
Scripture: Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
Explanation: One of the most important metrics within a business is ROIC (Return on Invested Capital). In fact, it’s a metric that CEOs can be measured by. They are managing millions and sometimes billions of dollars and have a responsibility to multiply that capital for shareholders or risk losing their jobs. In our own lives, we are held to the same account in God’s eyes, but instead of getting fired from the top job, we can find ourselves falling into poverty. You have to look at money as a tool. Every dollar has a job. If that dollar is not producing more dollars, then it’s wasted. If you can’t manage the small amount of money you currently have, then you will not be given more.

2) Compound interest 101: Parable of the Talents

Verse: Matthew 25:14-30
Scripture Summary: This is a longer passage in The Bible, so I’m going to summarize it. Long story short, there are 3 men. One with 5 bags of gold, one with 2 bags of gold, and one with 1 bag of gold. The one with 5 bags of gold invests the gold and doubles his investment to 10 and is told, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things”. The one with 2 bags of gold invests the gold and doubles his investment to 4 and is told, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things”. The one with 1 bag of gold was afraid to lose the money (scarcity mindset) and buried the gold in the ground (modern-day version of a savings account). He was then told, “You wicked, lazy servant!” and his 1 bag was taken away and given to the man who turns 5 bags into 10.
Explanation: A wise investor should not be putting money into savings accounts, checking accounts, or low-yielding investments. Sure, it’s important to have an emergency fund set aside, but the majority of your capital should be invested in highly profitable stocks or assets that multiply wealth. If you are an emotional and fearful person who’s afraid to invest, you are essentially the “Wicked and lazy servant”.

3) Compound Interest 102: Parable of the Minas

Verse: Luke 19:11-27
Scripture Summary: There are 3 men. One with 10 minas, one with 5 minas, and one with 1 mina. (A mina is equal to 100 denarri, and a denarri is equal to a day’s wage. In modern times, if you earn $200 per day and multiply that by 100, that means today one mina equals $20,000). The one with 10 minas invests the minas and doubles his investment to 20 minas and is told, “Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.” The one with 5 minas invests the minas and doubles his investment to 10 minas and is told, “You take charge of five cities.” The one with 1 mina was afraid to lose the money and kept the mina laid away in a piece of cloth. He was then told, “I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! And his 1 mina is taken away and given to the man you turned 5 minas into 10 minas.
Explanation: This story is very similar to the Parable of the Talents. It’s another vivid differentiator between a wise investor and a lazy investor. You should leverage the power of compound interest. You should not adopt a scarcity mindset and put all your money into savings accounts, checking accounts, or low-yielding investments.

4) Manage debt correctly

Verse: Proverbs 22:7
Scripture: The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
Explanation: If you take on too much debt, it’s true, you become a slave to the lender. More debt = more stress, especially if you don’t have a vehicle to quickly pay down the debt. If you need to take out debt to start a new business, I can tell you right now, you are starting the wrong business. You should be starting a business that is investable, meaning other people see the immediate value and invest their capital into the business. In other words, you are risking your time, and they are risking their money. It’s a team effort with no debt factored into the equation. Now, when it comes to debt, the golden rule is a DTI (Debt to Income Ratio) of 30% or less. What this means is, you should only take out debt that is 30% of your net income. To clarify, I’m not talking about gross revenue; I’m talking about net income, or in other words, profits. For example, if your business is generating $5M in revenue with a net income of $1M, this means the maximum debt you should take on is $300K. A good example of wise debt management is Alphabet (GOOGL) in 2025, which had a net income of $100B and had taken on $25B in debt, which equals a DTI of 25%. As consumers, we need to do the same thing. If your monthly salary is $5K and your expenses are $2.5K, that means your net income is $2.5K. 30% of $2.5K equals $750. If you’re going to take on debt, make sure you can quickly pay it off or burn it down.

5) Don’t co-sign with others or put up security for debts

Verse: Proverbs 22:26-27
Scripture: Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.
Explanation: There are 2 key parts to this verse. First, never co-sign on an investment if the co-signers are not business partners. If a friend wants to start a business and wants you to co-sign, and you are not running the business, you just put yourself at risk (Very stupid!). Second, never put up security for debts. What is security? Security is the “secure” things in your life, such as your home, personal investments, and other assets. If you put up your home in the form of collateral, and that business fails, you can lose the business and the house (Also very stupid!). As the final part of the verse states, “Your very bed will be snatched from under you.” In other words, your home can be taken away.

6) Money is not the root of all kinds of evil, the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds evil

Verse: 1 Timothy 6:10
Scripture: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Explanation: Are you working for money, or is money working for you? Unfortunately, too many people, especially people without money, do not look at money as a tool, they look at it as an idol. They worship it. They bow to it. They depend on it. A wise person does not love money. They look at money as another tool in the garage. It’s that simple. The big question is, how do you look at money?

7) Establish 7 or 8 streams of income

Verse: Ecclesiastes 11:2
Scripture: Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
Explanation: If you have one stream of income, you’re setting yourself up for disaster. A good example of this is if you lose your job or your business goes under. In situations like this, people can stress out and scramble for another stream of income. What you should do is use the first stream of income to establish other wealth-building or revenue-generating streams of income. Examples include a stock portfolio, a dividend portfolio, real estate, and other cash flow-generating businesses. Also, keep in mind, you should never put one revenue stream at risk to start another revenue stream. In other words, never cash out a 401K, never cash out an investment portfolio, and never sell your home or take out a second mortgage to start another revenue stream. You should use free cash flow to start the other wealth-building or revenue-generating streams of income. Free cash flow is the cash that’s left over after covering operating expenses. If you do not have free cash flow available, then keep your focus on your first stream of income. Build this stream into a healthy position so it can eventually start the other streams of income.

8) Court is for small-minded people

Verse: 1 Corinthians 6:1-6
Scripture: If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
Explanation: A lot of “small-minded, small business” people can get caught up in legal disputes. As the Bible clearly states, this is trivial, or in other words, pointless. Taking other people to court is a time-consuming and expensive activity where nobody wins. A wise person does not take others to court over business and money matters. Agreements should be put into place first that clearly define resolutions. And if a resolution cannot be determined, an intermediate party should make a decision so all parties can quickly move on. Most attorneys will say they enjoy the planning part of their legal businesses. In other words, laying the foundation with the correct documentation, including business plans, operating agreements, trademarks, and patents. Those activities increase business valuations, which is perfect for entrepreneurs who wish to sell their businesses at some point. On the flip side of that coin, what most attorneys don’t like is spending time in court over trivial disputes. Do you know anyone who takes other people to court, especially over trivial matters? Avoid these people like the plague!

9) Don’t accept bribes

Verse: Deuteronomy 16:19
Scripture: Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent.
Explanation: Bribes can get you into trouble with the wrong people. If you take a bribe, you can be expected to do something unlawful or immoral in return. You can also put your business and sometimes your own life at risk. Have you ever seen the movie The Departed? Spoiler alert! A few of the main characters took bribes, and pretty much everyone ended up dead.

10) Remember who gave you the ability to produce wealth

Verse: Deuteronomy 8:17-18
Scripture: You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 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.
Explanation: When times are good, that’s when a lot of people can forget where the abilities and the blessings came from. In other words, they forget gratitude. In good times and bad times, always remember gratitude because at the end of the day, God gave you the ability to produce wealth. The keyword is “gratitude.”

11) Put your hope in God, not money

Verse: 1 Timothy 6:17
Scripture: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Explanation: Do not put your hope in wealth because it is uncertain, meaning it can be here today and gone tomorrow. Whereas if you put your hope in God, he is always with you.

12) The plans of the diligent lead to profit

Verse: Proverbs 21:5
Scripture: The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
Explanation: If you are diligent, or in other words, meticulous and precise, you will generate a profit, but if you hurry without wise planning, you will end up in poverty. How many people do you know who always seem to be in a rush, working hard, but seem to have nothing to show for it? This verse is the answer.

13) You don’t have to work hard for this

Verse: Proverbs 10:22
Scripture: The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it.
Explanation: As the previous scripture talks about, being diligent is important, but the good news is, you don’t have to work painfully hard. This is a reminder that you don’t create your own wealth, God creates your wealth. Let him do the heavy lifting. If you feel like you’re working too hard, then it’s time to take a step back and relax. In fact, take a few days off work or take a vacation. We live in a world where hard work is respected and sometimes idolized. We need to remember to slow down and take care of our health.

14) Seek Wise Counsel

Verse: Proverbs 15:22
Scripture: Without counsel, plans fail, but with many advisers, they succeed.
Explanation: Whether we like it or not, we should have mentors or other people to discuss ideas. It’s common in business to have a business coach, board of advisors, or board of directors. It’s common for individuals to speak to someone older and wiser. Trying to go through life on your own without help is unwise. Some of the most successful people on this planet have said they got to where they are today with the help of others. If you have ever heard the phrase “I stood on the shoulders of giants”, that’s a great example.

15) Don’t charge interest to those who need help

Verse: Exodus 22:25
Scripture: If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.
Explanation: This verse is pretty much self-explanatory. If you lend to someone who needs money, don’t charge interest. Give them the money and move on.

16) Give generously

Verse: Exodus 22:25
Scripture: Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”
Explanation: This is a reminder that a scarcity mindset will not build true wealth. Someone who gives generously without asking for anything in return will continue to receive more. Be a generous giver, not a reluctant, scarcity-minded giver.

17) Help the poor

Verse: Proverbs 14:31
Scripture: Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Explanation: As stated earlier in this article, helping the poor is stated over 2,000 times in The Bible. This verse is just one example. We should not oppress the poor, we should be helping the poor.

18) Tithing is a true wealth-building mechanism

Verse: Deuteronomy 14:22-23
Scripture: Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.
Explanation: Tithing can be a “taboo” subject even for Christians, as some Christians will argue that it’s an Old Testament law and doesn’t apply today. That is a false belief, and I will show real-world examples of why. The purpose of tithing is to help churches amplify their message through marketing, advertising, and manpower. In other words, churches need a budget to spread the gospel. The more people that are introduced to Jesus, the more people can be saved and spend life in Heaven, where there is no pain, anxiety, cancer, TikTok, Instagram, condescending bosses, or difficult family members. There are many verses on the topic of tithing to help introduce more people to Jesus. One could argue that after repenting of your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, tithing is one of the most important objectives for Christians. This is why there are many success stories of people building significant wealth by tithing. Some of those examples include John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil, who began tithing at a young age and became one of the richest men in the United States. Another example is William Colgate, the founder of Colgate-Palmolive. He made a commitment to donate 10% of gross profits to churches and over time increased that percentage to 20%, 30%, 40%, and eventually 50%! Colgate-Palmolive now generates over $20B in revenue per year. Another example is James L. Kraft, the founder of Kraft Foods, who also made a commitment to donate 10% of gross profits to churches. Kraft now generates over $24B in revenue per year. Overall, if you give generously to the church, you will build wealth. Keep in mind that donating to charities doesn’t count. Yes, it’s great to give to charities, but true tithing is focused on giving to the church. The more you give to the church, the more people can be introduced to Jesus, and the more people can have the opportunity to be saved. It’s a simple mathematical equation.

19) Put God to the Test (When it comes to tithing)

Verse: Malachi 3:10
Scripture: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
Explanation: The key phrase is “Test me on this.” This is the ONE part of the Bible where God says to test him. This is a true sign that we should be giving to the church, and if we do, we should be prepared for massive blessings!

20) Maintain focus on the commandments, and you will be prosperous

Verse: Joshua 1:8
Scripture: Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Explanation: This verse, along with the next two, focus on the importance of obeying the commandments (which I will explain in a moment). You can follow all the other verses above, but if you do not obey the Lord’s commandments, you will go nowhere. In other words, it’ll feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, making no progress in life. Also, the Bible doesn’t say “you might be prosperous” or “you can be prosperous”, it says “You WILL be prosperous.” The key part of this verse is to follow the instructions, and you will be prosperous and successful.

21) Keep the Lord’s commandments, and you will be successful

Verse: Leviticus 26:3-5
Scripture: If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
Explanation: This is another reminder that if you keep the Lord’s commandments, you will be successful.

22) What are the commandments?

Verse: Deuteronomy 11:11-15
Scripture: But the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year. And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.
Explanation: The commandments are not complicated. This is where a lot of people get stuck in the weeds and overengineer this. As God says in this verse, the commandments are to Love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul. The key is to serve him with all your heart and soul.

23) Good news, this isn’t difficult!

Verse: Deuteronomy 30:11-17
Scripture: Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
Explanation: This verse clearly states that this is not too difficult to achieve. The key is to love the Lord your God, walk in obedience, and keep his commands. If you do those things, you will live and increase, and you will be blessed.

24) Put God First

Verse: Matthew 6:33
Scripture: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Explanation: This verse emphasizes why it’s important to put God first. The best way to do that is to study the Bible. A great example is Denzel Washington, who became more focused on his Christian Faith in the early 1980s. He decided to put God first, or at least try his best to put God first, and his career took off. Some of his most successful films include Training Day, Glory, Malcom X, Man on Fire, American Gangster, and The Equalizer.

25) Believe and do not doubt

Verse: James 1:6-8
Scripture: But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Explanation: When you ask God for something, you must believe and not doubt. God wants a motivated believer who expects something to happen, not hopes something will happen. Someone who asks God for something and then doubts will receive nothing.

26) Expect blessings

Verse: 1 Samuel 12:16
Scripture: Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!
Explanation: There are 2 important parts to this short, yet powerful verse. First, stay still, or in other words, let God do the hard work for you. And second, expect something great to happen. Again, do not hope something will happen, you need to EXPECT something to happen. That is true faith at work.

Summary

As you can see, wealth building isn’t overcomplicated. In fact, most of these principles are common sense, especially the principles around being trusted with money, leveraging compound interest, managing debt, not co-signing, not putting security up for debts, and helping the poor.

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