70｜How to Treat Wealth and Enjoyment

Scripture never denies wealth, nor does it deny enjoyment. The world created by God is itself abundant, beautiful, and meant to be enjoyed. However, He simultaneously draws a clear boundary: necessary abundance comes from God, but excessive abundance will consume the soul. One may possess wealth, but one must never be possessed by wealth; one may enjoy grace, but one cannot turn enjoyment into an idol for self-inflation.

This article aims to reveal:

• Why God usually grants only a "sufficient portion";
• Why excessive wealth is more likely to corrupt the soul;
• Why "necessary enjoyment" is grace, while "excessive enjoyment" is a temptation.

(1) Necessary Wealth Is a Grace from God

Deuteronomy says: “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:18). Ecclesiastes also says: “Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them... this is a gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 5:19). This means:

• Wealth itself is not a sin;
• Reasonable enjoyment is not a sin;
• On the contrary, they are gifts God intends for man to enjoy—the foundation for a dignified life, family stability, and the unfolding of work. Therefore, a true follower of God does not need to pursue "ascetic poverty" deliberately. Instead, he should learn gratitude, dedication, and sharing within "necessary abundance."

(2) Why Does "Exceeding the Necessary Amount" Gradually Alienate the Soul?

Jesus said: “You cannot serve both God and Mammon.” (Matthew 6:24). Mammon does not refer to coins themselves, but to the spiritual power that makes money "Lord." Excessive wealth naturally triggers three transformations in the soul:

1. The Self Is Exalted: One easily shifts from "Thanking God for all this" to "I earned all this myself." This leads to despising others and ignoring grace.
2. Enjoyment Shifts from 'Grace' to 'Self-Feeding of Power': Necessary enjoyment leads to gratitude; excessive enjoyment leads to addiction, narcissism, and showing off.
3. The Pursuit of "More" Becomes the Goal: When "a little more" becomes the life objective, God’s will and the needs of others are cast aside. This is why excessive wealth often does not bless a person but destroys them instead.

(3) Why Does God Only Grant a "Sufficient Portion"? — The Truth of "Manna Theology"

In the wilderness, the Israelites gathered manna daily:

• What was gathered in excess would rot;
• What was gathered in small amounts was still enough. This was a deliberate spiritual training:

1. To teach people to look to God daily rather than to their inventory;
2. To prune the sense of scarcity and greed within;
3. To tell us that "sufficient grace" is the way to protect the soul. God grants according to "Need," not according to "Lust." The Five Loaves and Two Fish were the same: everyone was full, and what remained were baskets of fragments—testifying to grace, not creating the "ultra-rich." The principle of the Kingdom is: no one lacks, and no one is lost due to excess.

(4) The Blessing and Temptation of Wealth: Where Is the Boundary?

One can distinguish through several comparisons:

• Necessary Wealth leads to gratitude, peace, and willingness to share; Excessive Wealth leads to anxiety, defensiveness, and inability to be satisfied.
• Necessary Enjoyment allows for rest and restores the strength to live for God; Excessive Enjoyment leads to indulgence, chasing sensory pleasures, and losing direction.
• Necessary Dignity reflects the dignity God gives to man; Excessive Luxury is used to glorify oneself rather than God. God desires for you to live well, but He does not wish to see you consumed by "the good life" and thus lose your true life.

Summary｜Original Doctrine 70

1. Wealth is a gift from God, but He usually grants it in a "sufficient portion."
2. God prevents "excess" to protect us from being alienated by Mammon.
3. Necessary enjoyment is grace; excessive enjoyment is temptation.
4. A dignified life can glorify God, but uncontrolled wealth often leads people away from Him.

In one sentence: God is willing to grant you abundance, but He will not grant the kind of abundance that is sufficient to destroy your soul.