Knowing Jesus, He'd turn right around and tell us to give the money to the poor anyway. Why would He tell us to sell our stuff, not just give it away?
2006-08-23 02:35:35 · 23 answers · asked by overseas and broke 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because...
I know I'm lame.
2006-08-23 02:41:42 · answer #1 · answered by kristi w 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, first of all, I think you're making too much of the specific wording here. The attitude behind it is the same, either way.
But think about it -- this was a rich guy in a non-technological, very very poor culture, like a third-world country where the streets are made of dirt, no plumbing, no electricity, and so forth.
What's a homeless guy on the street without food going to do with an ornately carved dresser? Or a woven carpet? Or colorful silk clothes?
Sell the stuff, give him the money from the sale, let him buy food or whatever he needs, right? :)
To do anything else seems a little weird -- like out of a Monty Python Flying Circus sketch.
2006-08-23 09:42:45 · answer #2 · answered by Jennywocky 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You really have to understand the scriptures, when Jesus made that statement, he was not saying in realality, to sell your house, car or whatever, But he was trying to make a point, that we can not put our worldly possessions ahead of serving him. So don't get certain statements confused, Jesus knew that people even in the days he walk upon this earth had to have certain things in order to live. You don't see the Apostles going around with no clothes on do you, so if we take that conversation out of context, then the Apostles would have to sell their clothes, But what Jesus was really saying was that if I am not first in your life, then you can not follow me. In fact when Jesus walked this earth, I don't see any Apostles, either when Jesus was alive or even after his crucifiction, where the Apostles had to have soup suppers, Bingo games, chicken suppers, or anything to keep the Gospel moving on, as we see so many churches today having soup suppers, bingo, chicken fries, or some other activity in order to support The Gospel of Christ. I have always said, if God sent you, then God will provide, God will not need for his servants to beg for money as we see so many doing today. I am not saying that in church that it is wrong to pass the offering plate, But they need to pass it only ONE time & not 2 or 3 times. In the church I go to for the last 36 yrs. we have not one time pass the offering plate, Why, Because my pastor said if God has sent him then God will provide, Yes we do believe in tithing, & my pastor from 1952 until his death in Dec. 2004 never did pass the offering plate & he went around the world 4 times preaching the Gospel, & since his death, the Assistant pastor has taken over, & still no offering plate has been passed, we have a paper that goes out worldwide 8 times a year call the CONTENDER free of charge, & our services are live on the internet. And none of the pastors at our church has anything great or expensive, they live in nothing fancy, nor do they have their own airplanes, in fact the pastor now, works on the sideline remodeling homes. So we have to really see that Jesus was saying that I come first in your life above all your earthly possessions, I hope this has helped you.
2006-08-23 10:08:26 · answer #3 · answered by birdsflies 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus didn't tell everyone to sell all of their stuff and give it away. He only told the rich young ruler to do that because his money had become an idol in his life and was preventing him from serving God whole heartedly. In another passage where a woman pours a whole jar of expensive perfume on his feet, Judas Iscariot gets on her case and says they should have sold the perfume and used the money to help the poor. But Jesus said we would always have the poor with us and it was more important to honor God with our resources than to give them away to poor people in a vain attempt to solve the issue of poverty. Christians can certainly help poor people, but it must be done in the context of demonstrating the love of God to them and showing them that God uses people on earth to help others.
2006-08-23 09:41:25 · answer #4 · answered by Martin S 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You are incorrect-Jesus never told us to sell all we possess and follow Him. He did tell the "rich young ruler" to do that. But that was a specific command to a specific person during a specific time. In order for that command to apply to you-Jesus would have to tell you personally. If He did-then you should obey Him.
2006-08-23 09:45:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When Jesus tells you to sell material things, and if we do, we are supposed to give the money to the poor.
2006-08-23 09:38:04 · answer #6 · answered by stullerrl 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That was to a potential disciple. He knew that the world he would be walking through requires payment for goods and services. Why would He require anyone to rely on the charity of others? In this case, it was also a small challenge regarding the man's attachment to his worldly goods.
2006-08-23 09:41:22 · answer #7 · answered by expatturk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They didn't have organized charities back then. If you owned property, the only practical way to distribute it to the poor was to sell it and go and distribute the proceeds yourself to individual poor people.
Note that Jesus was talking to a specific person when he said that. It was not a general command to everyone.
2006-08-23 09:39:00 · answer #8 · answered by lenny 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jesus wants us to not have emotional connections with our personal things. He wants us to realize that they are just things. and the poor can get more use out of money than of your things. It's just an extra measure of obedience to God, to do exactly what He tells us to do and how. God did not want us to just give our things away. He said go and sell everything you own, and give it to the poor. We are to obey God to the letter. and not just how or what we want to do. It is a way to define our individual level of obedience to God.
2006-08-23 09:40:10 · answer #9 · answered by Carol M 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Read some of the parables about money. He wants us to be smart about finances and the things we need. Having no money would make for a more tedious journey.
2006-08-23 09:40:58 · answer #10 · answered by peacemaker 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He told it to one person not to all people. He said that because he wanted the guy to see how many money his possessions is worth so he could see if he was materialistic or willing to do as God has told him.
Most of us cherish money and possessions so mush we do not see the Worth of being a Christian. And I am talking to all our Christians out there to.
2006-08-23 09:59:01 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋