Seek ye first the kingdom of God, except if it costs you risk-adjusted returns.

Is there an investment-related carve-out such as this to the commandment to “seek ye first the kingdom of God”? (Matthew 6:33) Many Christians, who are exemplary in their efforts to live Jesus Christ’s teachings, all the same ask this question first when they learn about faith-based investing: “What will this cost me when it comes to returns?”

This suggests that integrating Christian values into investments results in underperformance. However, modern portfolio design can closely align the risk and return of a Christian-based portfolio with that of a market portfolio.

The larger concern is that this question reveals that some Christians might, if the tracking error to the market is significant enough, prioritize a market return over putting God’s kingdom first — a tradeoff they wouldn’t consider in other areas of life.

For example, most Christians would encourage their child to avoid a party where there might be immoral behavior, even if attending could result in the desirable “return” of an improved social standing. They would advise their child to put God first, trusting that He will take care of them and provide in better, more eternal ways. Yet when it comes to financial decisions, this same reasoning often doesn’t apply.

I strongly believe that those who seek first the kingdom of God in all areas of life, including how they invest, are blessed because of it. This is a principle with a promise: when we seek the kingdom of God first, “all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). And we need not worry because God always keeps His promises.