Investment, in the biblical context, refers to the allocation of resources, whether time, money, or talents, with the expectation of a future return or benefit. The Bible provides various principles and teachings that guide believers in making wise investments, emphasizing stewardship, diligence, and trust in God's provision.

Biblical Principles of Investment

1. Stewardship: The Bible teaches that all resources belong to God, and humans are merely stewards of His creation. This principle is foundational to understanding investment from a biblical perspective. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus illustrates the importance of using and multiplying the resources entrusted to us. The servants who invested wisely were commended, while the one who buried his talent was rebuked.

2. Diligence and Hard Work: Proverbs frequently highlights the value of hard work and diligence in achieving prosperity. Proverbs 21:5 states, "The plans of the diligent bring plenty, as surely as haste leads to poverty." This underscores the importance of careful planning and effort in investment activities.

3. Diversification: Ecclesiastes 11:2 advises, "Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land." This verse suggests the wisdom of diversifying investments to mitigate risk, a principle still relevant in modern financial practices.

4. Avoiding Greed: The Bible warns against the dangers of greed and the pursuit of wealth for its own sake. 1 Timothy 6:10 cautions, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." Believers are encouraged to seek contentment and prioritize spiritual wealth over material gain.

5. Trust in God's Provision: While the Bible encourages wise investment, it also reminds believers to trust in God's provision rather than relying solely on their own understanding or wealth. Proverbs 3:5-6 advises, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Examples of Investment in Scripture

· Joseph in Egypt: Joseph's management of resources during the years of plenty and famine (Genesis 41) is a prime example of strategic investment and planning. His foresight and prudent management saved Egypt and surrounding nations from disaster.

· The Proverbs 31 Woman: The virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31 is depicted as engaging in various forms of investment, including real estate and commerce. Proverbs 31:16 notes, "She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard."

· The Early Church: In Acts 4:32-37, the early Christians practiced communal sharing and investment in the community's welfare. Barnabas, for example, sold a field and brought the proceeds to the apostles, demonstrating a commitment to collective investment in the church's mission.

Warnings and Cautions

The Bible also provides warnings about the potential pitfalls of investment. Jesus' Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21) serves as a cautionary tale against hoarding wealth without regard for one's spiritual state or the needs of others. The rich fool's failure to invest in eternal treasures led to his ultimate downfall.

In summary, the biblical perspective on investment emphasizes responsible stewardship, diligence, and a heart aligned with God's purposes. Believers are encouraged to invest wisely, with an eternal perspective, and to trust in God's provision while avoiding the snares of greed and materialism.1. (n.) The act of investing, or the state of being invested.

2. (n.) That with which anyone is invested; a vestment.

3. (n.) The act of surrounding, blocking up, or besieging by an armed force, or the state of being so surrounded.

4. (n.) The laying out of money in the purchase of some species of property; the amount of money invested, or that in which money is invested.

1745. endusis -- a putting on, ie investment (with clothing)
... a putting on, ie investment (with clothing). Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: endusis Phonetic Spelling: (en'-doo-sis) Short Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1745.htm - 6k6045. inyan -- occupation, task
... task. Word Origin from anah Definition occupation, task NASB Word Usage effort
(1), investment (1), task (6). business, travail. From ...
/hebrew/6045.htm - 6k

Li the Law of Increasing Returns
... It is its doctrine of interest; the return to be looked for from investment in the
spiritual life. ... Knowledge, power, faith, all grow by investment. ...
/.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/li the law of increasing.htm

The End of Religion
... heaven? Is not religion a good investment? Is it not, considering how short
and uncertain life is, the best of all life-insurances? ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon viii the end of religion.htm

The Daily Walk with Others (ii. ).
... INVESTMENT-CIRCULARS. ... The whole question of the increase and investment of money
is a very solemn and searching one for the Christian, clerical or lay. ...
/.../moule/to my younger brethren/chapter v the daily walk.htm

The Christian Business World
... It is the looking forward to the time of reckoning which makes men, who are in offices
of earthly trust, pay careful attention to the investment of funds and ...
/.../sell/studies in the life of the christian/study xi the christian business.htm

Jacob Jones; Or, the Man who Couldn't Get Along in the World.
... A good chance for a small, but safe beginning, was seen by the uncle, which
would require only about a thousand dollars as an investment. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arthur/words for the wise/jacob jones or the man.htm

Hillis -- God the Unwearied Guide
... His best known books are "A Man's Value to Society," and "The Investment of
Influence.". HILLIS. Born in 1858. GOD THE UNWEARIED GUIDE[1]. ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume 10/hillis god the unwearied.htm

Gambling, Card-Playing
... Gambling takes a variety of forms. First of all is the professional gambler. He
has no other business. His investment is a "pack of cards" and a box of "dice. ...
/.../questionable amusements and worthy substitutes/iii gambling card-playing.htm

Mr. HG Wells and the Giants
... In a word, the failure of this virtue actually lies in its success; it is too
successful as an investment to be believed in as a virtue. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/heretics/v mr h g wells and.htm

The Neighbor Colonies to virginia-Maryland and the Carolinas.
... three months before the charter of Maryland received the great seal, but his son
Cecilius took up the business with energy and great liberality of investment. ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter vi the neighbor colonies.htm

Spiritual Growth
... soul; to the development of a building in course of erection, 'all fitly framed
together' and growing; to the growth of a fortune by wise investment, in the ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/xvii spiritual growth.htm

Investment (1 Occurrence)
... or that in which money is invested. Multi-Version Concordance Investment
(1 Occurrence). Ecclesiastes 5:14 And I saw the destruction ...
/i/investment.htm - 7k

Siege (63 Occurrences)
... 20:19 2 Kings 24:10; 2 Kings 25:2)): 1. In Early Hebrew History 2. In the Monarchy
3. Preliminaries to Siege 4. Siege Operations: Attack (1) Investment of City ...
/s/siege.htm - 51k

Invisible (5 Occurrences)

/i/invisible.htm - 8k

Water (4571 Occurrences)
... the shares representing the capital of a stock company so that the aggregate par
value of the shares is increased while their value for investment is diminished ...
/w/water.htm - 23k

Investing (1 Occurrence)

/i/investing.htm - 6k

Invest (2 Occurrences)
... 8. (vi) To make an investment; as, to invest in stocks; -- usually followed
by in. Multi-Version Concordance Invest (2 Occurrences). ...
/i/invest.htm - 7k

Fortunate (4 Occurrences)
... good thing not foreseen as certain; presaging happiness; auspicious; as, a fortunate
event; a fortunate concurrence of circumstances; a fortunate investment. ...
/f/fortunate.htm - 7k

Rechab (13 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah used the Rechabites, who had been driven into Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's
investment of the land, as an object-lesson to covenant-breaking Judah. ...
/r/rechab.htm - 15k

Rechabites (4 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah used the Rechabites, who had been driven into Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's
investment of the land, as an object-lesson to covenant-breaking Judah. ...
/r/rechabites.htm - 13k

Ring (33 Occurrences)
... They were given as a token of investment with authority (Genesis 41:42; Esther
3:8-10; 8:2), and of favour and dignity (Luke 15:22). ...
/r/ring.htm - 24k

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