What about wills and estate planning?
Question 11039
Wills and estate planning may seem like purely legal and administrative matters with little connection to theology. In reality, they are among the most practical expressions of stewardship a Christian can undertake. How a person arranges their affairs for the time after their death reveals a great deal about their priorities, their sense of responsibility, and their understanding of what it means to manage God’s resources well.
Stewardship Does Not End at Death
The biblical principle of stewardship is that everything we have belongs to God and has been entrusted to us for faithful management (Psalm 24:1; 1 Chronicles 29:14). That entrustment does not expire when we die. The resources, property, and possessions that remain after a Christian’s death still require thoughtful direction. Dying without a will does not demonstrate trust in God’s provision; it leaves the distribution of resources to legal default rules that may not reflect the deceased person’s wishes, may cause unnecessary hardship for a surviving spouse or dependants, and may result in resources going to unintended recipients or being diminished by avoidable legal costs.
The practical reality is that failing to plan creates problems for the very people a believer should most want to protect. A surviving spouse may face uncertainty about their home. Children may find themselves in unnecessary legal disputes. A family already grieving may be burdened by administrative chaos that could have been avoided with basic preparation. None of this honours God or serves the people involved.
Biblical Precedent for Planned Transfer
The principle of planned and intentional transfer of resources appears throughout Scripture. Abraham made provision for his household before his death, including the distinction between Isaac as his primary heir and the gifts given to his other sons (Genesis 25:5-6). Jacob’s blessing of his sons in Genesis 49 was, among other things, a deliberate act of directing his legacy. The Old Testament inheritance laws themselves represent a divinely sanctioned system of planned transfer, ensuring that resources passed to the right recipients in the right way.
Jesus’ parable of the dishonest manager (Luke 16:1-13), whatever else it teaches, commends the principle of thinking ahead and making shrewd arrangements for the future. The broader point is that wisdom involves anticipating what is coming and acting accordingly, rather than being caught unprepared. Estate planning is precisely this kind of forward-thinking stewardship.
Practical Considerations for the Christian
A will allows the Christian to direct resources toward family provision, generous giving, and kingdom purposes in a way that reflects their values and priorities. It is an opportunity to care for a surviving spouse, provide for children or grandchildren, support the local church, fund missionary work, or contribute to causes that matter. Without a will, none of these intentions have any legal force, regardless of how strongly they may have been expressed during the person’s lifetime.
Appointing guardians for minor children is another dimension that many families overlook. If both parents die without having named guardians, the courts will decide who raises their children. For Christian parents who want their children raised in the faith, this is not a decision to leave to a secular legal process.
The involvement of lasting powers of attorney, which allow trusted individuals to manage financial and health decisions if a person loses capacity before death, is a related area of responsible planning. The principle is the same: making thoughtful provision for foreseeable circumstances rather than allowing default arrangements to determine outcomes.
So, now what?
Making a will is not a morbid preoccupation with death. It is a responsible act of love toward the people who will be affected when death comes, which it will. The Christian who arranges their affairs thoughtfully, provides for their family, directs resources toward the work of God, and spares their loved ones unnecessary legal and financial difficulty is exercising the kind of stewardship that Scripture commends. If you have not made a will, do it. If you made one years ago and circumstances have changed, update it. It is one of the most practical things a believer can do to ensure that the resources God has entrusted to them continue to serve good purposes after they are no longer here to direct them personally.
“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
