Christians and the Stock Market
Christianity itself isn't opposed to capitalism as long as it's not used for selfish motives. Capitalism is defined as a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners than the state. Out of the capitalist system also came the stock market aside from jobs and international marketing. Stocks are defined as partial ownership of shares from a corporation. I remembered going against the stock market thanks to the fraudulent site known as Jesus-is-Savior by David J. Stewart calls it a scam. Again, while Stewart is certainly right that capitalism works in a free market - he's definitely a nutjob conspiracy theorist you need to take with a grain of salt. Worse, did you know that the crazy Baptist preacher Steven Anderson also hates banks? It's no surprise that both Stewart and Anderson belong to the same side of the coin!
The parable of the talents also talks about the fruitfulness of true believers with the first two true servants investing money. A talent is worth 16 to 20 years' worth of salary. The false servant was exposed to be what he was when he buried the one talent. I guess the master (which represents God) was planning on exposing the false servant to his first two servants. Both servants were portrayed to be fruitful in their investments. Worse, the false servant didn't even bother to put the money in the bank. I would dare agree with some commentaries (and I remembered Ray Comfort's book "Revival's Golden Key") that reveal that the third servant was a false one. He was probably just a sit-in and God would sometimes invest that one talent in exposing fake servants within the midst.
When does the stock market become risky? It's when a person starts to be motivated by greed. Some people enter the stock market hoping to make easy gains. However, real success in the stock market can take even years before one actually gets that security. A real stockbroker would always tell people to be careful about investments. However, illegitimate financial companies only want to steal away money by promising high returns. It takes a lot of patience and carefulness like any other business. It will only give you good returns if you play it right.
Comparing it to gambling is absurd for this reason. In gambling, there's no guarantee that you will win and it's a game of chance. In the stock market - knowing when to buy and sell is very much controlled risk. Let's say I buy certain stocks at a low price then I sell them when the stock market is at an all-time high. A rise in the stock market means it's time for you to sell. You don't buy when the prices are up. It's common sense and controllable risk. It's not like casinos where you lose money based on random guesses. Prices of stocks are monitored daily if they rise up or down. It's just like buy and sell. You buy supplies to sell when the prices when you know a shortage is about to arrive within a managed timetable. It's like buying supply of fresh lumber when there's plenty because you know people will still need quality wood when it's no longer lumber season.
Then there's the motive for the Christian. What's the reason behind investing in the stock market? After all, even Christian-owned corporations issue stocks so stock markets can't be avoided. Is the reason behind it all about just increasing one's personal gain or is the purpose of the money meant to help others? Some people seek to become wealthy (even among the heathen) so they can produce more jobs for the jobless and give to charity all year round. The best advice first is to seek your motives and financial standing before entering the stock market.
See also:
Is the stock market really evil? I remembered attending some financial forums on small-time investments. Here are some basic tips that I learned from that financial forum:
- Buy stocks when the stock market is down and sell only when it's high.
- Use only the extra money you have to invest in the stock market. If you don't have it then don't invest in it. It's like not investing in anything if you can't afford it.
I decided to go with Got Questions and here's what they say about investing in the stock market:
There are those who oppose investment in the stock market, saying that buying stocks is the equivalent of gambling. The argument goes that, since stocks are bought in the hope (not guarantee) that they will increase in value, it is a form of gambling. There are differences, however, between gambling at a casino or buying lottery tickets, and buying stock. Gamblers risk money, which they know they will probably lose, in the hopes of making money quickly. Wise investors buy partial ownership in a company in the hopes of making money over time, which can be a sound way to plan for the future.
The difference really comes down to intent. Some types of investing, such as day-trading, are very much like gambling. Anything that requires "luck" above wise decision-making and long-term planning should be avoided. Most long-term investments return a profit over time, making them much more like buying bonds or certificates of deposit than rolling dice in a casino. There are many who use investments to secure retirement, education for their children, and inheritance for their families.
The Bible offers quite a few examples of growing wealth through legitimate means. Some are similar to investing—spending money now to make money later. God’s intentions for how we should manage our wealth are found in many Scriptures. The following are a few examples.
Proverbs 28:20 says, “A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” This speaks against the “get-rich-quick” mentality. Looking at investment as a long-term plan for the future is good planning, but trying to make a fortune overnight is not.
Second Corinthians 9:6 says, “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will reap generously.” The context is actually speaking about investing in our relationship with God, but it demonstrates how one must often sacrifice now to gain in the future. Similarly, Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”
Much of the Bible’s teaching about wealth is a warning against putting trust in wealth rather than in the Lord (e.g., 1 Timothy 6:17-18) or to the detriment of those who depend on us (e.g., Ecclesiastes 5:13-14). As long as we honor our commitments to God and our families with our money, and maintain a spirit of generosity and thankfulness, investing is an option Christians can consider.
The parable of the talents also talks about the fruitfulness of true believers with the first two true servants investing money. A talent is worth 16 to 20 years' worth of salary. The false servant was exposed to be what he was when he buried the one talent. I guess the master (which represents God) was planning on exposing the false servant to his first two servants. Both servants were portrayed to be fruitful in their investments. Worse, the false servant didn't even bother to put the money in the bank. I would dare agree with some commentaries (and I remembered Ray Comfort's book "Revival's Golden Key") that reveal that the third servant was a false one. He was probably just a sit-in and God would sometimes invest that one talent in exposing fake servants within the midst.
When does the stock market become risky? It's when a person starts to be motivated by greed. Some people enter the stock market hoping to make easy gains. However, real success in the stock market can take even years before one actually gets that security. A real stockbroker would always tell people to be careful about investments. However, illegitimate financial companies only want to steal away money by promising high returns. It takes a lot of patience and carefulness like any other business. It will only give you good returns if you play it right.
Comparing it to gambling is absurd for this reason. In gambling, there's no guarantee that you will win and it's a game of chance. In the stock market - knowing when to buy and sell is very much controlled risk. Let's say I buy certain stocks at a low price then I sell them when the stock market is at an all-time high. A rise in the stock market means it's time for you to sell. You don't buy when the prices are up. It's common sense and controllable risk. It's not like casinos where you lose money based on random guesses. Prices of stocks are monitored daily if they rise up or down. It's just like buy and sell. You buy supplies to sell when the prices when you know a shortage is about to arrive within a managed timetable. It's like buying supply of fresh lumber when there's plenty because you know people will still need quality wood when it's no longer lumber season.
Then there's the motive for the Christian. What's the reason behind investing in the stock market? After all, even Christian-owned corporations issue stocks so stock markets can't be avoided. Is the reason behind it all about just increasing one's personal gain or is the purpose of the money meant to help others? Some people seek to become wealthy (even among the heathen) so they can produce more jobs for the jobless and give to charity all year round. The best advice first is to seek your motives and financial standing before entering the stock market.
See also: