Blessed to Be a Blessing

 The purpose of wealth is to bless others. God blessed Abraham so that he could be a blessing to others. The purpose of God’s blessing is revealed in God’s promise to Abraham, “I will bless you…and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). Abraham was blessed to be a blessing and the believer today is blessed for the same reason. The blessing of God is not given for personal enrichment, rather it is given so that the believer can help others and spread the Gospel. This wealth with a purpose is echoed when Paul says, “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV).

A Biblical definition of prosperity is found in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “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” (NIV). Some have argued that the blessings of the New Testament are intangible, spiritual blessings, but it is tough to square this perspective with the phrase “all things.” When the verse says God is able to bless abundantly in all things, how can one argue that “all things” means “only spiritual things?” This verse also gives a proper balance to the believer’s wealth. God wants to supply all of the believer’s needs, but not his greeds. The purpose for wealth is that the believer will “abound in every good work.”