“I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” —Luke 16:9

At first glance, the verse sounds deeply troubling. Is Jesus really advocating we buy friendships? Is He endorsing materialism? Or suggesting we bribe our way into heaven? The Reformed tradition offers a compelling answer that preserves both the integrity of Scripture and the radical nature of Christ’s teaching.

 

CONTEXT IS KING: THE PARABLE FRAMEWORK

Jesus speaks these words immediately after the Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16:1-8). The dishonest steward, facing termination, cleverly reduces his master’s debtors’ bills to secure future favour. Surprisingly, the master commends his shrewdness.

The key insight: Jesus isn’t endorsing the manager’s dishonesty—He’s highlighting his strategic thinking about the future. The manager understood his current resources were temporary and used them to secure long-term relationships.

 

THE REFORMED READING: STEWARDSHIP, NOT MATERIALISM

Reformed theology emphasises that everything we possess belongs to God. We’re stewards, not owners. This radically reframes Jesus’ command:

• “Worldly wealth” refers to all temporal resources—money, possessions, talents, opportunities. These are tools entrusted to us for kingdom purposes.
• “Gain friends” doesn’t mean purchasing superficial relationships. The Greek word philous suggests genuine care and loyalty. We’re called to use our resources to serve others authentically, meeting real needs and building kingdom relationships.
• “Eternal dwellings” points beyond this life. Those we serve faithfully with our God-given resources become witnesses to our stewardship before the ultimate Master.

 

USE WEALTH TO GAIN FRIENDS: THE ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

John Calvin emphasised this passage teaches proper priorities. Unlike the world’s children who shrewdly plan for temporal success, God’s children should be even more strategic about eternal matters. We should invest our temporary resources in ways that have eternal significance.

This isn’t about earning salvation—we firmly reject works-righteousness. Rather, it’s about faithful stewardship flowing from a heart already transformed by grace. Our generous use of resources demonstrates the reality of our conversion and stores up treasure in heaven.

 

THE RADICAL APPLICATION

Jesus’ teaching is actually more demanding than surface-level charity. He calls us to:

• Strategic generosity: Intentionally using resources to advance God’s kingdom and serve others.
• Relational investment: Building genuine relationships through sacrificial service, not transactional exchanges.
• Eternal thinking: Making decisions based on heavenly values rather than earthly accumulation.

The Reformed tradition sees this as sanctification in action—the justified believer growing in Christlikeness through faithful stewardship.

 

USE WEALTH TO GAIN FRIENDS: THE BOTTOM LINE

Jesus isn’t endorsing materialism or bribery. He’s calling disciples to be as shrewd about eternal matters as worldly people are about temporal ones. He’s calling us to use our God-given resources strategically to serve others, build kingdom relationships, and invest in eternity.

The friends we “gain” through faithful stewardship aren’t purchased—they’re blessed. And their eternal gratitude bears witness to our faithful service of the true Master who owns everything we possess.

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.” —1 Timothy 6:18-19

 

USE WEALTH TO GAIN FRIENDS: RELATED FAQs

What do contemporary Reformed scholars say about this verse? RC Sproul emphasised Jesus is teaching about the temporary nature of earthly possessions and our responsibility to use them for eternal purposes. John MacArthur argues the “friends” represent those who benefit from our generosity and will welcome us in heaven as witnesses to our faithful stewardship. Tim Keller highlights how the passage reveals Jesus’ expectation that true disciples will be radically generous, using money as a tool for gospel advancement rather than personal accumulation.

• How do other interpretations fall short compared to the Reformed view? Some prosperity gospel teachers twist this verse to suggest God blesses financial giving with material returns, completely missing the eternal focus. Liberal theologians sometimes dismiss it as Jesus accommodating cultural norms of patronage, undermining Scripture’s authority. The Reformed interpretation makes better sense because it maintains biblical integrity while explaining the apparent contradiction—Jesus isn’t endorsing worldly values but subverting them by calling for strategic investment in eternity rather than on earth.
• Doesn’t the verse conflict with Jesus’ warnings about wealth elsewhere in Scripture? Not at all—it perfectly complements them. Jesus consistently warns against trusting in wealth (Mark 10:24) and storing treasure on earth (Matthew 6:19). But here, He’s teaching the proper use of wealth. The Reformed tradition sees no contradiction because the verse assumes wealth is temporary (“when it is gone”) and calls for its redemptive use rather than hoarding. This aligns perfectly with Jesus’ teaching that we cannot serve both God and money—we must use money to serve God.

What’s the difference between “gaining friends” and buying influence or favour? Biblical friendship (philous) involves mutual care, loyalty, and covenant relationship, not transactional exchange. When we genuinely serve others with our resources—feeding the hungry, supporting missionaries, caring for widows—we’re not purchasing their allegiance but demonstrating Christ’s love. Scripture emphasises true generosity flows from a transformed heart, creating authentic relationships based on shared kingdom values rather than obligation or manipulation.

• How does this verse relate to teachings on predestination and election? The verse assumes human responsibility within divine sovereignty—a classic Reformed balance. While God predestines salvation, believers are called to faithful stewardship as evidence of their election. Our generous use of resources doesn’t earn salvation but demonstrates it, serving as both fruit of regeneration and means of sanctification. The “eternal dwellings” represent the eschatological reality that the elect will be welcomed by those who benefited from their Spirit-empowered generosity.
• What practical applications do Reformed pastors draw from this verse? Reformed ministers typically emphasise strategic giving that advances gospel ministry—supporting church planting, theological education, and mercy ministries rather than merely accumulating personal wealth. They encourage believers to view their entire financial portfolio through an eternal lens, asking how each expenditure serves kingdom purposes. Many Reformed churches teach members to budget generosity first, seeing it not as leftover charity but as primary stewardship responsibility that reflects our identity as God’s covenant people.

How does this verse address modern wealth inequality? Reformed theology recognises God distributes resources unequally for His purposes, making some stewards of greater material blessings with correspondingly greater responsibility. This verse challenges wealthy believers to see their abundance not as divine endorsement of their superiority but as a trust for serving others, particularly the poor and marginalised. The passage implies that those with more worldly wealth have greater opportunity—and obligation—to “gain friends” through generous service, making wealth inequality a call to sacrificial stewardship rather than comfortable accumulation.

 

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