Does anybody think the more you have the harder it is to get to heaven.?

Question

As in money, power, looks, etc.
It just seems like there are more temptations than what other people have.

Answer 1

Yes, because when we get more the more we forgot about God. But in some people what ever happened in their lives God is not forgotten.

Answer 2

I think that that is a true statement. It might be that it isn't necessarily the amount of the "more" but what you do with the "more" and what it does to you. If more causes a person to feel superior to others,more affluent, smarter, better,more power puts them on an ego trip. They could tend to feel their success is self made, they need no one else, and forget about the less fortunate. They may tend to look at themselves as the reason for their success and don't feel they need God or feel compelled to thank Him. Doesn't the Bible tell us it will be harder for the rich to enter heaven? Why? See the above. Sharing, giving and being thankful, helping others, compassion, etc. don't seem to be part of their life style. It isn't impossible for the rich or famous to go to heaven but it could be harder. More temptations? Yes. It's how you handle, what you do, with the temptation.

Answer 3

Jay,
Good idea. So what did you do, give away everything, even your clothes? lol

I think that some people are better off without a lot. It keeps them sitting closer to God. The minute they have more, they being to lose sight of what's important.

Other people are fine with a lot. But I can't really say that they are close to God.

I think that some people with a lot really do have their sight on God. I guess that I can't understand them though. What I'm saying is that I wonder if I would be able to maintain if I had a lot of money. I hope that I would only spend more time with Him instead of working 40+ hours a week.

Answer 4

Well God seemed to agree. In the bible it says it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.

Also, the bible says, not many noble, not many great, will enter the kingdom of heaven.

People with lots of "stuff" seem to think there is nothing they need that money can't buy. Or, as you pointed out, their power or position (or whatever)....can't get for them. What do they need God for? Unfortunately, the more a person is enamored of themselves, their intellect, their possessions, the harder it is to humble themselves before God. And a person can hardly repent of their sins without humility.

Answer 5

That's a Biblical teaching where a rich man would have a harder time to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. I don't believe any of that because that passage is a creation of man. If you believe it....heaven is full of bums, beggars, homeless, and welfare recipients.

Answer 6

I think you are on the right track here. There is a story of a rich man in the Bible who asked Jesus "what good thing must he do to get eternal life?" Jesus answered him to do keep the commandments. The man countered and wondered which ones he had to keep (in other words, he was probably looking for a technicality here). He said to Jesus He kept all of the commandments. Then he asked what else he had to do. Jesus told him that if he wanted to be perfect he had to give up all of his possessions and give them to the poor. Guess what? That man walked away and could not do it because he was rich. This passage is Matthew 19:16-28

You can read the actual passage here:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019:16-28;&version=31;

But don't confuse salvation with works here. It's not about whether you are poor or rich, but the reason that Jesus speciified to this man that he had to do this, was that Jesus wants us to put Him first in our lives above all else. If we feel that money is more important than him, we have not put him as Lord of our life. Something is more important than God.

So, I think the lesson here is to figure out what is the most important thing in our lives. Is it our relationship with God or is it something else? If it's something else, are you willing to give that up for God?

My pastor said it best. Everything we have was given to us by God, and if we put everything that is ours in God's hands. He will bless us and he will meet our needs. He may not give us everything we want, but he WILL supply our needs.

Answer 7

How is your outlook?
Are you a good person?
Money, power, looks, etc. are illusionary. These things aren't real and they are not really that important. If you think they are, then yeah, you'll have a hard time getting into heaven.
Heaven and hell are infinite, eternal. Being eternal they are at your grasp in this moment. If you are not living in joy then you are already in hell.

Panic's comments are right on!

Answer 8

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24)

I don't believe in heaven or hell, but I think you're missing the real point here...it's not that the rich man has money...it's that he STILL has money...you know what I mean? He didn't use what he was given in this world to help his brothers.

This quote is about selfishness...not necessarily austerity, although there's plenty to be said for that, as well.

Answer 9

i think it takes us futher away from GOD. but im not one who believe we are all going to heaven the bible says only 144,000 will go to heaven thats the elect and the saints. the rest of us will have a new and perfect earth

Rev., 7/4: And I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed, out of every tribe of the sons of Israel, Rev. 14/1: Then I looked, and lo, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. Rev. 14/3: and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.

Answer 10

Not just that stuff but just have a job that you cant leave when the anti Christ shows up and puts the mark of the beast on us! It says that you cant buy and sell without taking the mark, most people you know with a house payment will do whatever he says so they Can keep working and not lose there stuff! This is the deception of the end times! Materialism!

Answer 11

i dont think material possesion has anything to do with 'going to heaven'..,the way you look upon them,does..
for example : you can have a car,because you need the transport,or you can have six cars,because you like how they shine..
its the way you look upon..,ask yourself the question.:why do i have this..; is it because i need and use it,or is it because i just wanted it,and now have it..or did i buy it,to show off..
prolly someone in the world is short off something,that you see as an temptation..,so why dont you just give it away then..
i'm sure that the one thats short of it,would like to have it,and your rid of your temptation,sounds like an WIN-WIN situation..if ya ask me..:-).