Heaven’s Currency

 What Really Counts In God’s Economy

The economy of Heaven is not driven by gold, silver, crypto, or the ever-fickle opinions of men. It is founded, fueled, and fulfilled by something far more lasting, something not measured in digits or dollars but in devotion and divine purpose. Heaven has a currency all its own, and the sooner we, as citizens of the Kingdom, understand what really counts in God’s economy, the more we can live freely in the flow of His provision, peace, and promises. And let me tell you right off the bat, beloved, this economy is not in recession.

Let’s start where we must—Matthew 6:19-21. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Now, that word “treasure” in Greek is thēsauros—yes, like “thesaurus,” a treasury of words. But in biblical Greek, it means more than a stash of stuff; it implies a storehouse, a place of value, a receptacle for precious things. Jesus wasn’t saying, “Don’t have a savings account.” He was urging us to examine what we treasure most and where we are storing it. The economy of earth is about accumulation; the economy of Heaven is about investment. Not in the NASDAQ but in nearness to God.

Paul understood this well. Philippians 3:7-8 says, "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." That word “loss” in Greek is zēmia—it was used for damage, disadvantage, even liability. Paul considered all his worldly success—status, education, credentials—as liabilities when compared to the infinite worth (huperchon gnōsis) of knowing Christ. In God’s economy, knowing Jesus is the gold standard.

Now let’s talk currency. What is exchanged in the Kingdom? What is valuable in Heaven? Faith, for starters. It’s the medium of exchange in the Kingdom. Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." That’s a pretty exclusive statement. Not unlikely. Not rare. Impossible. Faith is not optional. It is the coin of the realm. And faith, in its original Greek, is pistis—not just mental assent or hopefulness but relational trust, confidence rooted in fidelity and history. It’s not “I hope God shows up,” but “I know my Redeemer lives.”

So if faith is the currency, then what is the purchasing power of that currency? Mountains moved. Sins forgiven. Kingdoms received. Bodies healed. Dead raised. Jesus often responded not to people’s needs but to their faith. “Your faith has made you whole,” He told the woman with the issue of blood. Not her desperation. Not her backstory. Her faith. And yet that faith wasn't perfect; it was messy, risky, a little superstitious even. She just touched the hem (kraspedon) of His garment—likely the tassel commanded in Numbers 15:38, a symbol of God’s law—and power flowed out of Him.

Grace is the marketplace. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith.” Faith is our response; grace is the arena in which that exchange takes place. Grace (charis) in Greek means gift, favor, joy, delight. It’s the unmerited overflow of God’s heart toward us. But even grace, if you trace it back, ties into the Hebrew chen, meaning favor—but it shares a root with chanan, which means to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior. God’s grace is not passive; it’s condescending love, in the purest and most holy way. He stoops low to lift us high.

Let’s not forget love. Oh, if faith is the currency, then love is the atmosphere in which that currency flows. Galatians 5:6 tells us “faith works by love.” That word “works” is energeō, where we get “energy.” Faith is energized by love. Without love, faith is just religious noise (1 Corinthians 13). Love (agapē) is selfless, sacrificial, seeking the highest good of another. It’s not emotional currency, it’s eternal capital.

And don’t think for one moment that Heaven doesn’t keep books. Malachi 3:16 tells us there’s a “book of remembrance” for those who fear the Lord and think on His name. Revelation 20:12 references the Book of Life. God is a record-keeper, not because He forgets, but because He values. He tracks what we do for Him—not to guilt us, but to reward us. That word “reward” in Matthew 6:4, where Jesus says your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly—is apodidōmi, which means “to give back in return,” or “to pay what is due.” God is not stingy. He overpays.

And let me tell you something radical: the smallest acts count in the Kingdom. A cup of cold water given in His name? Rewarded. A kind word? Noted. A mustard seed of faith? Mountain-moving. The economy of earth honors power and size; the economy of Heaven honors sincerity and seed. Remember the widow’s mite in Luke 21? Jesus said she gave more than all the rich people, not because of the amount, but because of the margin. They gave out of surplus; she gave out of sustenance. Her two coins, lepta in Greek, were worth almost nothing monetarily, but they were worth everything in God’s eyes. In His economy, the heart behind the gift outweighs the size of the gift.

Obedience is another high-value item. 1 Samuel 15:22 says, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” The Hebrew word for obey here is shama—to hear intelligently with the intent to act. It’s not just about hearing; it’s about heeding. God would rather have our ears than our burnt offerings. In God’s economy, delayed obedience is disobedience, and partial obedience is rebellion. Ask Saul how that worked out. But oh, when we obey, even in the small nudges, the dividends are out of this world.

Righteousness—now that’s a currency no bank on earth can mint. It is not earned but imputed. Romans 4:5 says God “justifies the ungodly,” and that faith is credited as righteousness. That word “credited” is logizomai, a bookkeeping term meaning to account or reckon. God reckons us righteous, not because we’ve balanced the moral checkbook but because we believe in the One who paid it all. And Jesus—our spotless Lamb, our High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek—He didn’t just pay our debt. He made us heirs. Joint heirs.

Which brings us to inheritance. Peter says we have “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4). Reserved! Set aside! This isn’t spiritual pie-in-the-sky language—it’s legal, covenantal language. That inheritance is not just eternal life, but abundant life here and now. Peace. Joy. Authority. And yes, even material provision when it’s aligned with Kingdom purposes. But our Father is not a vending machine; He is a vine dresser. And He prunes us not to punish, but to multiply our fruit.

Now I have to talk about trust. Because in any economy, there must be trust in the system. God’s economy is built not on scarcity but abundance—not on fear, but on trust. That’s why Jesus could say, “Do not worry” in Matthew 6, five times in one chapter. Worry (merimnaō) literally means to be pulled in different directions. And isn’t that exactly what worry feels like? Like our soul is being yanked every which way? But God says, “Seek first the Kingdom, and all these things will be added.” That word “added” is prostithēmi—to lay beside, to join. He doesn’t just meet our needs; He adds to them blessings that chase us down.

Humility, too, is rare treasure. James 4:6 tells us that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. That word “resist” is a military term—antitassō, to set oneself in battle against. You want to bankrupt yourself in Heaven’s economy? Walk in pride. But walk humbly, and God floods you with favor. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less. It’s positioning yourself rightly—under the mighty hand of God, so He can exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5:6).

And finally—don’t miss this—repentance is the exchange rate. In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables about lost things—a sheep, a coin, a son. All of them end in rejoicing. Why? Because what was lost was found. Heaven throws parties when repentance occurs. That word “repent” in Greek is metanoeō—to change one’s mind. In Hebrew, it's shuv—to return, to turn back. Repentance is not groveling; it's recalibrating. And when we repent, we literally align ourselves again with the currency of Heaven.

So, what counts in God’s economy? Faith, love, obedience, humility, righteousness, repentance, generosity, and relationship—these are the coins that never corrode, the riches that never run out. And they are available to the widow and the CEO, the shepherd and the scholar, the child and the elder. Heaven’s economy is accessible, abundant, and incorruptible. The only inflation we need to worry about is the puffing up of pride.

So let’s be rich where it counts. Let’s deposit our faith, invest our obedience, and steward our days like eternal dividends hang in the balance. Because they do. And beloved, the return on investment is out of this world.

 

 

image made by chatgpt