Is Poverty a punishment from God ??

What do you think?.. are we poor because God is punishing us?.. is poverty a punishment from God? According to the Bible, those who believe in God will never lack but as we all know, this isn't the case in our time. Most Christians are poor especially in Africa. There are great Christians in Africa who believe deeply in God yet live below the poverty line.

Poverty a punishment from God? What do you think?

merged post:
The Bible has a lot to say about poverty, so I think it is a helpful reference for this question. Many righteous men of the old testament suffered such as Moses, Abraham, and Job. They suffered in different ways, yet each does so without sinning. Looking at people like Moses, Abraham, and Job should lead us to recognize that poverty is not punishment, yet rather a refining of their faith.

It should be clear also that the Lord does place restrictions on his people and calls his people to live righteously, he will hold them accountable to such, and he is completely right in doing so. It is loving for him to hold us accountable "because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." (Hebrews 12:6). In a world of corruption, punishment is often unjust, so it is important to distinguish between our worldly, evil punishment and God's righteous discipline. The Lord does not punish us for acting in disobedience, rather it is his mercy on those he loves to make his people more like him.

"Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the Lord promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years (DISCIPLINE), to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes form the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you." -Deuteronomy 8:1-5

[Ami69]

While this thread is developed, and in-tune, I figure I'll throw a word or two out there.

Yes, man did create poverty, but, you see, life is "the" gift from God. It is up to every man, woman, and child, born into this world to take control of their own destiny. Any life on the planet can accomplish anything.

However I do believe in reincarnation, as I'm sure not many of you do, but that's besides the point because no matter what you believe will happen to you after you die it doesn't change what actually will happen to you, only the way you live your life will effect it.

I do not turn my head from poverty, I embrace it. As a race, and through my beliefs, not only is helping the poor a good deed, but you are potentially helping others get into positions to even help more people, in turn making your next life more bearable hath you be born into what would of been poverty.

Around the world you see poverty. Poverty, the result of your ancestors many actions ultimately bearing a shitty outcome. It's your ancestors fault for creating the poor. However you can't judge the poor in comparison between two places, hath we all not have technology, we would all be poor.

This is the light, knowledge. Teach the men to fish, feed them forever. Teach them to build, take care of injury, and farm.

As a race we are greedy, we take too much, we over sustain ourselves, and for that others pay. It's not until you work for your food, or share the burden of work equally as your neighbor, that we would live in a world where we can live as equals.

the idea of God is something I don't really understand. not that I am an atheist or anything like that but do you really belief that there is someone up there who rewards and punishes people?..

Well said. There's always inequality in this world and people needs an explanation for it, so the idea of GOD helps to justify the reason for the inequality.

I don't agree with your point. Some people are poor without a choice. They are born poor and its really hard for them to get out of the cycle even if they want to do so. Poverty is a vicious cycle which is hard to get out of. Think about it. Those that are born poor may not be able to afford education and without education and skills, its extremely hard for them to compete with the rich and educated for jobs, so at most these people would only end up with low-paying job and this will become a cycle for the next generation too.


If its "Karma", then shouldn't it be on the people who corrupts instead of a third party?

God is used as a justification for the inequalities that humans heap on each other, but also to control behavior. Poverty is the result of one group of people preventing another group from taking care of their basic needs. If impoverished people can be convinced that God is punishing them for their wicked ways, they are less likely to rise up and demand their fair share.

God doesn't punish through poverty. People justify poverty through God.

I am not seeing a understanding of the living God who is in the Bible. It is important to understand the source of poverty. Our world is fallen and man is fallen.

Jesus said there will always be the poor. Yet his heart was compassionate toward the poor while he was on earth.

So man's nature will abuse and take advantage of others or out of fear will take more than their share. This abuse can become institutionalized.

In places in Africa, there is instability so men arm themselves and organize, and take resources away from the civilians to support their forces. The conflict further destroys or depletes the resources, the environment, the economy, the social and family structure. This leads to stressed out people, who get disease and the downward spiral furthers.

I could go on with examples of systems of depravity that help to create over crowding, poverty and disease.

We need to help our fellow man in different ways, there is plenty of work and there may be no overall cure, but there can be many small and some large victories that we need to strive to work together to battle.

If I were a religious person I'd say that both Poverty and Wealth are tests given by God.

And just curious: is poverty as punishment a Protestant conception (in Calvinism and Lutheranism)? There are no such ideas in Catholicism and Orthodox Church, I believe.

I don't think that poverty is punishment from God. That would be like saying being wealthy is a reward from God and I just can't see God rewarding some of the awful people who have so much money and punishing just and good people with poverty. That just wouldn't make sense.

God gi.ves us free will. It is the evil of men that allow poverty to exist, not a punishment from god. The greed of man lets poverty exist, in some senses the poorest of the poor, are the wealthiest people in Gods eyes

As in any forum or debate there remains some fact; some fiction,opinion. While some may construe all forms of poverty a blight from God, others may see it as a self inflicted pain by humanity itself. Those familar with many forms of the Christian/Catholic bible (i.e. King James) God in all his omnipresent power was the source of much grief and pain with the plagues of frogs, locust, illness, etc. While in some cases poverty may be used as a form of punishment or perhaps a trial or challenge to overcome by the Almighty, it is in this author's opinion, most cases of poverty are either self inflicted by the individual/society. Be whatever the cause it remains the responsibility of that particular person(s) to overcome their social / economic situation. While some may claim that the accountability for the destitution of some is the culpability of society as a whole; we are at the very core animals. There are those who would prefer to consider or believe otherwise, but the respective human is not so far removed from our brethren who share the planet. Thumbs aside, under dire circumstance it is but a small step back. "Survival of the fittest" stands true in many aspects of the so called modern era just as it did centuries past.

[Lorence]

I don't think that poverty is a punishment from God. In fact I believe that God wants us to be abundant. You can tell by the rich natural resources we have. Poor people are poor because they choose to be poor. Or they are contented to be poor. There are people who used to be poor but did something to get out of poverty.

Poverty could be the sins of our past visiting us in this life. But even within poverty it seems that God gives us a chance to redeem ourselves, otherwise how do you explain the rags to riches story of so many people who have become legends in their own lifetimes.

Yes i do believe in it. I believe that not only poverty but many other bad things that happen are due to sins. There are a strong punishment from God.
I especially believe that this bad things which happen are due to the sins done in the past life.

I don't think so. Being born to a poor family is not your choice but growing up as poor is already a decision. Why? Because there are lot of things to uplift your life's status. Many stories have been told; people from rags to richest. All of these made a decision to change their lives. And God has nothing to do with poverty at all.

no poverty is not a punishment from GOD. Just think about this if you can eat Fillet Mignon and a glass of overly expensive wine or champagne. Then you have to think, why cant you donate money to the poorly and help them to live a healthy life.

Obesity now is a big issue for some of us! have you seen a child from Africa dying from hunger!

we just don't know how to share his blessings. we are just too greedy.

I put don't thinks that poverty is punishment of God. It would be as to say being rich is a reward of God and me just can 't see God rewarding some for the terrible people who have so much money and the punishment right and for good people with poverty. These would not 't right seem reasonable.

I don't think poverty is a punishment from God. I do think its a punishment for those that refuse to seek out to find financial "wisdom" and have caused themselves to become "punished". But for those that can't help themselves, those are the ones that I feel sorry for. Thats when it should be us that stand up and say "lets help these people until they can help themselves".

Poverty is not a punishment ,nor a blessing . Is just a state in which we can choose to remain or to do something to change that .
If we decide to work and leave the poverty back, God will help us and will bless our efforts ,as long as we don't transform ourselves in greedy people , in money lovers .Loving money is idolatry .

As what I have read in the book, Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, that poverty is not from God. Some of us are poor because our parents, our parents' parent are not doing something to make their lives better. Poverty is just the result of the decisions and actions we make in our lives. Let us not blame God or anybody else for being poor. Poverty depends on ourselves.

IMO poverty is not a punishment from God but it was made by people who keeps on making their life miserable, though I believed that it's not your fault being poor when you were born but it is your fault when you grow poor, God let us suffer from being hardheaded and for not following his will, He allow tragedy to make us realized that He was there waiting for us.

I don't think so, as most often poor people are actually good.

A good portion of my family came from poverty, and they're good people. I myself faced some poverty too, so I doubt it's a form of punishment. If anything, it's more of a test.

Same here. Some of my relatives are poor but they are friendlier people than my rich relatives. It's not a punishment except in certain cases where it can be. I agree that it's more of a test.

I don't think it's a punishment from God. People who are born into this world that are poor - they haven't done anything wrong, and the people who are poor are usually good people. It's true that it could be a test of some sort - in fact, I think that's the best theory. Otherwise it may just be luck affecting it.

I do not think being poor or in poverty comes from God I would feel that it comes from the Devil and his ability to persuade us to think we need all these things we have no use for which forces us to spend all our money and have nothing left for the things we need.

I don't think so.. Look poverty is human's fault.. If all people just live peacefully and the spirit of giving and sharing is still in each other's heart, i don't think there will be people or country who will suffer poverty.. And God do forgive so i don't really think its a punishment from the creator.. This might be what we called "Karma" of the Government who corrupts.

NO, not atall..because if there was no poverty in the world there wouldnt be poor society.. then who will be the low payment workers like electricians,plumers or transporting goods of food etc etc.... its the nature of the world, everyone gets what they deserve....

I have been reading the bible lately, and what I ead from earlier times is that when people are sinning or doing away with God's commandment, they are punished by God by suffering in whatever way. If one is a devout Christian, we could say that poverty is a sign that God is angry with His people and is punishing them, this is for them to go back the ways of God. Once, one deviates from sinful ways and humble himself to God, God will be merciful to him/her.

It's 50 - 50 . yes it's punishment of god ... because god always act on goodness & faith .... If we r right in our path & believe god has whole, he'll never let us down but we most don't obey to god. To show his anger he make some of the people to fall into the poverty line. he punished but he left the other few because he was kind enough to show that he was not cruel & out the punish we have to learn Wat r the do's & does

I do not think being poor is any kind of punishment from God....

Rather, I would consider it be a blessing in disguise...It is only when one is poor, he finds extra courage and dedication to improve his condition and that of his family and this commitment goes a long way in making him a successful man.

A person born rich hardly gets motivation from within himself to take long strides and do something on his own...

Your parents are to be blamed if you are born poor....
But if you die poor.....it is ONLY YOU...who is to be blamed !!!

Regards,

Walker

I am going to have to say no, it's an economic issue. To say we are being punished seems a little extreme...punished for what? It's like the ministers who came out and said that Katrina was a punishment for our lenience towards gays. It's a very intolerant, and slightly crazy view to have, in my opinion.