How can a Christian support the pursuit of profit when the Bible discourages the love of money?
Question 57 in Faith Seeking Freedom: Updated & Expanded
This question is from Faith Seeking Freedom: Updated & Expanded, launching June 2026 in paperback, PDF, and Kindle. Subscribe to this Substack so you don’t miss updates, previews, and the launch announcement.
Many Christians argue against the pursuit of profit, citing Paul’s admonition in 1 Timothy 6:10 that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Libertarian Christians concur that the pursuit of money as an end in itself is sinful and damaging to oneself and to others. Anything good and useful that is made ultimate is a form of idolatry. It is not wrong to seek more money because you possess very little and need to make ends meet, or because you wish to provide meaningful work for others. Money used as a tool is wise stewardship. Money as an end-in-itself is where we go astray.
Economic profit-seeking and “the love of money” are not the same concept. In an economic sense, pursuing profit is another way of saying we are utilizing scarce resources to create value for ourselves and others. This does not guarantee good results, but the profit-and-loss system signals to humans that resources are being used properly, not abused.
Pursuing profit is what everyone does every day when they choose to go to work, because both parties agree that they are better off by making the trade. This includes labor. Therefore, every time we go to work, we are engaging in an exchange resulting in us profiting off of the work. From manual laborers to high-level managerial work, everybody seeks an income which covers their expenses, plus some. What is done with that “plus some” is up to each person to decide. Charity, reinvestment, savings, spending—all these are options each individual must decide is right for them (see Question 49).