Is it possible to be wealthy and Christian?

Question

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV, Matthew 6:24-25, 31-33)

I agree with what all of you are saying, but wasn't Jesus very clear about how difficult it is for us humans to worship God and have many material items at the same time?

I too know many rich Christians who are truly living a life devoted to God; but according to Jesus, being devoted to God AND be rich was a nearly impossible task.

Answer 1

Yes it is possible. Just not easy.

UPDATE:
Yes Jesus basically said it was impossible. I think that you didn't post the clearest passage and that is a reference to a rich man going to heaven is like a chamel going through the eye of a needle.

Regarding your 1st quote. When Jesus said you can not serve both God and Money. People living in poverty struggle with this as well. They can "serve" Money as well. Just because you are Rich does not mean that you serve money.

And the other two posts you put really have EVERYTHING to do with priorities. If a RICH person puts GOD FIRST, and is a generous and a good steward with the material things he has. He can be RICH and a Christian.

Then again, how do you define RICH? If you define it by the worldwide standard, then the MAJORITY of proffessing Christians in the United States are rich. Are you saying that it is nearly impossible for a person to be a Christian in the United States? Because the poverty level of the U.S. is considered RICH is other countries.

Its not about how much you have, its about what you do with what you have.

Answer 2

Absolutely. While the Bible says few rich people are called, it does not say none. It is hard for a rich man to be saved, but not impossible. Nothing is impossible for God. Look at those OT saints who were fairly wealthy: Abraham, David, Solomon, to name a few. So long as you aren't "bound" by material possessions (which many are, in this materialistic age) like the rich young ruler, you can be wealthy and be saved, so long as your faith is in God, not money.

Answer 3

Jesus didn't say we couldn't have money, he simply stated that we should not LOVE money that we should LOVE Him. If we have money we should use it to glorify God. One who is broken in spirit and wealth more often than not seeks out Jesus. Where one who doesn't have to worry about much of anything does not seek the Lord, but seeks after his own greed. So, therefore it would be harder for a rich man to get into heaven than to get through the eye of a needle. =)

Answer 4

God said He would take care of us right? Well, he also said " No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."
Note: That He Said the "love of money" and not 'money' is route of all evil. See? If your putt'n money before God thats when you have a prob. We as Christians should look at money as a tool to further God's will, and not as an object that we hold tighter then God. So to answer your question yes you can be wealthyb and be a Christian, my question to you is. Are you being a good steward over it?

Answer 5

I think it's entirely possible to be wealthy and Christian. You don't take a vow of poverty to become a Christian. The verses you mentioned don't speak against being wealthy, but putting wealth in front of your relationship with Christ. One thing to remember is that "to those much is given, much is required" Also when Jesus tells the parable of the talents, he says, "Because you have been faithful with a little, you will be given a lot". So when it comes to wealth and Christianity, the requirement is to be a good steward with what you are given and not putting wealth above your relationship with God.

Answer 6

Sure. Look at the passage you quoted. It's all about the RELATIONSHIP to money. "Service" of two masters. Whom do you serve?

Notice, Jesus knew the heart of the Rich Young Ruler when He said "Sell all you have, give to the poor and follow Me". He knew that the young man was incapable of doing that.

Notice also that Jesus never asked Mary, Martha and Lazarus to sell their nice house in Bethany. Why? Jesus knew their hearts were right with God.

Answer 7

It isn't MONEY that is to be despised... it's the LOVE of money! You can work hard, invest well, live modestly, and be wealthy by the world's standards and still be a Christian! Ecclesiastes 2:24 says " With a man there is nothing better than that he should eat and indeed drink and cause his soul to see good because of his hard work" It is excess, and greed, and selfishness that God despises, not a man who works hard and saves well.

Answer 8

Jesus said that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." (Heaven)

Answer 9

Yes. It's possible, I see where I live all the time.

That scripture is talking about how the love of material things and money can take you away from serving God with a whole heart.

I hope this helped.

Answer 10

Yes, those than can be trusted with money are given money. With money comes more responsibility and more faith in God.

If you tithe, then the amounts you have to tithe are more, the more people you are expected to help, and the more you are supposed to do in honor of God.

Your money is a gift from God, no matter how much you have.

Very few people can be trusted with money, as it tends to corrupt a lot of people. So for the few that do not let money affect them, God blesses them with it.