Is There Anywhere That the Scriptures Says That We Should Be Poor?
1) Direct Answer
No. The Bible does not command all believers to be poor. It commands us to be content, free from the love of money, generous, and willing to suffer loss for Christ if needed.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Balance, not a vow of poverty: “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me” (Proverbs 30:8–9).
- Contentment over covetousness: “Godliness with contentment is great gain… For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:6–10).
- Instruction to the rich—not to become poor, but to be humble and generous: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded… that they do good, be rich in good works, ready to distribute” (1 Timothy 6:17–19).
- True priority: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth… but lay up… in heaven” (Matthew 6:19–21); “Seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33).
- Grace to abound and supply: “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye… may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
- Work to have to give: “Let him that stole steal no more… rather let him labour… that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28).
- Learn to abound and to be abased: “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound” (Philippians 4:12–13).
- Godly men with means: Abraham was very rich (Genesis 13:2); Job was blessed with great substance (Job 1:3; 42:12); Joseph of Arimathaea was a rich disciple (Matthew 27:57). The early saints shared freely (Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–35), not by a universal command to take a vow of poverty.
- Jesus’ call exposes idols, not a blanket rule: the rich young ruler was told to sell all because riches had his heart (Mark 10:21–22). Zacchaeus, when converted, gave half to the poor and restored fourfold, and Jesus said, “Salvation is come to this house” (Luke 19:8–9). The issue was repentance and restitution, not mandatory destitution.
- Jesus’ own path: “The Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). That shows His chosen suffering, not a law requiring every believer to be penniless.
- Also, Scripture blesses well-being in right order: “That thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2). Soul first; other things follow as God wills.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- If God required universal poverty, why does Scripture address “the rich in this present world” and tell them how to use wealth righteously instead of commanding them to become poor (1 Timothy 6:17–19)?
- If riches proved God’s favor, why did Paul often hunger and suffer lack (1 Corinthians 4:11; Philippians 4:12)? You see, neither poverty nor wealth proves spirituality; obedience does.
- The Bible’s command is not “be poor,” but “don’t love money,” “be content,” “be generous,” and “seek the Kingdom first.” God may entrust little or much; our duty is faithfulness.
Short Reinforcing Statement
You see, money is a tool; Christ is the Treasure. We are not called to chase riches, nor to glorify lack—but to walk holy, content, generous, and ready to suffer for His Name if He so appoints.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Questions and Answers (God being misunderstood)
61-0723E §90
When the Roman soldiers went back one time, listened at Him, said, "Never a man spoke like this. We never heard a man speak like this." It was not a man speaking; it was God! Yes, sir. Men didn't speak like this. A man tells and speaks the Scriptures; Jesus makes the Scriptures live. Men don't live like this: "The Scripture says this here; here it is!" Man can say the Scripture says it, but that's about all he can do. But Jesus could say, "I and my Father are one, my Father dwelleth in me. He that's seen me hath se...
Church Ages, part 10: The Laodicean Church Age
60-1211E §66
Seventeenth verse says: Because thou sayest I am rich, ... increased in goods, and have need for nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched [Oh!] knowest not that thou art wretched, ... miserable, ... poor, ... blind and naked: They thought they were rich, this Pentecostal in this last age churches. They thought ... and outwardly they were. Yes, sir, they are rich. Just think of the church. Used to be a few years ago stood out on the corner, cast about from place to place, had a hard time. But now they got som...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
58-0323 §50
And she ran into the city, and said, "Come, see a man that told me the things that I've done: isn't this the very Messiah?" If that was the way the Messiah made Himself known in the days gone by, it's got to be the same today. Now, to you ministers, and to you Bible students, not one time did He ever perform that sign before Gentiles. Search the Scriptures. Not one time. But He even forbid His disciples to go to them. But that's the way He manifested Himself as Messiah to both Jew and both Samaritan. How many is wi...
Questions and Answers
59-0628E §58
Why? I can't take the Bible saying something here, like the church says, "The Holy Ghost was for just that group back there," the church says so; and the Scripture says, "Whosoever will." I can't make that hit the target. I can't make Calvinism---just believe on the Lord and you got eternal security---and Arminianism, "That if I just touch not, handle not, taste not, I'd like to do it, but I can't do it!"... Arminianism is too far away from Calvinism, and they both are wrong. I've got to see where... They both got...
This day this Scripture is fulfilled
65-0125 §11
Now I try to make a comparison with Esau and Jacob, and then bringing times down, and I won't go into that, but bring it down to the last part, and my last scripture to use was comparing it not unscripturally, but as Jesus said it would be. What the main doctor said the condition of the church would be in this last days: it would be a Laodicea, rich, blind, naked, poor church. And it would be compared with the days of Sodom. Now we know that's the truth. If you noticed it historically he brought in the days of Noah...