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Real estate investing in the modern world has a number of advantages over investing in equities and derivative contracts.

1. Real estate tends more often than not to go up, because governments cannot “print” land (they can print fiat currency like US dollars though), and companies cannot issue land like they issue stock or stock options. There tends over time to be more and more people wanting access to the central places for commerce and housing. This puts an upward pressure on prices in real estate.

Trading is perhaps a little more morally perilous than investing. It is often a zero-sum game, meaning – what you gain, someone else loses. That is the case with things like options and futures trading, in any case. International trade was practiced by saint and sinner alike. Solomon traded and became wealthy through it, but the alliances he built through foreign marriages which probably contributed to his success in trading definitely contributed to his spiritual downfall.

God Himself often speaks in investment terms, and there is nothing inherently sinful in investing. That is not to say that it is O.K. for a Christian to invest in just anything – it would be wrong to invest in a tobacco company, a brothel or a casino since all these things tend to destroy people for the sake of company profit. But there are many companies or assets which may be good to invest in, some of which are currently underpriced relative to their true value.

In Isaiah 5 God speaks in terms of a vineyard, in which a lot of labour was invested, and sadly produced sour grapes.

I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me … Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.