Recently a member died who was single and senior in years. The member’s daughter (who is not part of the pcg) found that there was no life insurance, no provision to cover funeral expenses. This meant that the daughter inherited this financial burden.

What does God expect of us living in this world? 1 Corinthians 14:40 tells us, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” The Bible states that we should have our house in order; that includes making provisions for situations that can arise, including death.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die,” Hebrews 9:27 says, “but after this the judgment.” Accidents do happen; Ecclesiastes 9:11 tells us that “time and chance happeneth to them all.”

As Christians, we have a responsibility to live our lives “decently and in order” to the best of our ability. God tells us to “lay up for a rainy day.”

“A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children,” says Proverbs 13:22, “and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.” Yes, we should save for the future and also prepare for unforeseen events.

Scripture shows that we should expect to have to cope with many and varied problems. Notice Acts 14:22: “[W]e must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

The Bible teaches the principle of protecting ourselves by taking precautions before calamity strikes. Solomon tell us, “A cautious man sees danger and takes cover; a simpleton strolls on and pays for it” (Proverbs 27:12; Moffatt).

The Bible often warns us to guard against the day of evil. One way we can avoid many financial problems for ourselves and our families is to have various insurances! In this day and age, insurance is an investment against financial disasters, which can come in many forms (e.g. death, accidents, floods, fires, storms).

Insurance is not a matter of lacking faith in God, but rather being prudent as God’s Word instructs each of us. Insurance has been around for a long time in various forms. The first methods of transferring or distributing risk in a monetary economy were practiced by Chinese and Babylonian traders as long ago as the third and second millennia b.c. For instance, Chinese merchants traveling treacherous river rapids redistributed their wares across many vessels to limit their loss, should any single vessel capsize.

Insurance became far more sophisticated in Enlightenment-era Europe, and specialized varieties developed. Some forms of insurance developed in London in the early decades of the 17th century. The first life insurance policies were taken out in the early 18th century.

“The basic purpose of insurance is to alleviate financial disaster suffered by an individual because of time and chance circumstances,” Mr. Armstrong wrote in “Is Insurance a Sin?” (Good News, May-June 1972). He said that, in principle, insurance is similar to third tithe. In cases where widows and their families need third-tithe assistance to sustain themselves, a financial loss has resulted from the death of the husband, who was the breadwinner. Unless some financial provision was previously made, the widow often faces severe economic hardship. God expects us to do for ourselves what we can.

Obviously amounts and coverage must be based on your needs and your budget. Of course, in all things we must be balanced. This is best determined in consultation with a knowledgeable, experienced and trustworthy insurance agent.

Insurance, of course, does not prevent accidents, fire or death; it merely compensates you if you suffer a loss so that you can regain your economic feet. In case of death, insurance provides for widows and children.

Insurance is not a substitute for faith. Faith is the assurance that God will deliver you out of every difficulty you become involved in. The Apostle Paul was in several shipwrecks. God delivered him out of each of them after they happened. Paul often lost his property. God alone could deliver Paul from death in such accidents. No insurance could have! But savings in the form of insurance would compensate Paul for his loss.

Insurance can be a physical means to meet a spiritual obligation. Through insurance you can provide for the future and protect the present. We all need to have our house in order; you should most definitely have a last will and testament in whatever form you choose.

Insurance benefits are twofold. First, they protect you personally against any financial loss you might experience; second, they enable you to aid others by contributing your premium dollars to offset the financial loss of another member or members of the group.

As Christ said, we should love our neighbors as ourselves. God does expect and require each of us to have our house in order to the best of our ability. Do not just think; be sure to act on these things.