GUEST COMMENT: You CAN do God's work as a banker

There's been a lot of debate this week. Negative press has surrounded him. How dare he say such a thing? People have used Jesus' statement "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" as conclusive evidence against him.

But many people in the City seem to marry faith and earning power comfortably.

Well, as a Christian in finance, I think I can make the same claim. How?

There's nothing at all wrong in making money as a Christian

In fact, working hard to earn money is commended in the Bible (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12) - something which has been known historically as the 'Protestant work ethic'. This is something that is still generally praised in the Western world.

The work of God, though, is to use your money for eternal ends

Yes, it involves prioritising the poor, but most importantly it involves demonstrating that you love God's kingdom much, much more than you love money. The City can involve punishing hours and put pressure on all areas of your life-it can be corrosive. But Luke 16.13 states "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money". This is a matter of both attitude and action. It's hard to reconcile but you have to make the call as to which you want to serve.

Ultimately... the work of God is to believe in the one he has sent (John 6:29).

Whether Mr Blankfein is prepared to do that is between him and Jesus Christ. Debate will abound. But it's not our place to pronounce judgment.