English Deutsch Français Italiano Español Português 繁體中文 Bahasa Indonesia Tiếng Việt ภาษาไทย
All categories

It appears to state in the bible in a very definite way, a way that does not seem open to interpretation that it is hard (below). Why is this so often ignored by wealthy Christians ?

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.

Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!

Indeed, 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."

2007-03-03 09:14:43 · 14 answers · asked by William B 2 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

14 answers

depends on how they got rich.

2007-03-03 09:22:44 · answer #1 · answered by Mikael 4 · 1 0

You have to take other Scripture into account when ever you read the Bible. All Scripture must agree with itself and if you have a question about a verse then you can usually get a better idea of what it is trying to say by looking at other verses as well.

Pr 11:28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

1 Tim 6:9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

These 2 verses say that it is the LOVE of money, not money itself that will get a person into trouble. It is OK to be rich so long as that does not become your entire life and goals.

Mat 6:19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24"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.

Things that you desire most start to come before God, and then you have trouble.

Mat 16:26What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Try to be rich just to be rich and you will lose your soul. The rich man in the story was sad because he did not want to give up all his riches to get into heaven, his money meant more to him than salvation and that is why Jesus said it is hard for a rich man, one who loves money more than God, to get into heaven

2007-03-03 09:45:43 · answer #2 · answered by Really, I'm Fine 3 · 0 0

It's not hard at all, I think. I've known many rich people who're quite righteous and God-fearing, God-loving humans. But, yes, it's kinda hard to find this type of people; they seem to think that because they have so much wealth, they don't need God. Little do they understand that they may be rich in this life most likely to gain at least a little happiness for if they don't praise and thank God for their wealth and use their wealth wisely, they'll be doomed to hell. So this is probably their only chance of being happy and enjoying themselves.
The Kingdom of God isn't hard for ANYONE to reach, but people make it hard for themselves when they become a bit too indulged in this life and forget about God and death. The rich people don't have to sell everything they have and give it to the poor in order to go to heaven; they should give charity as often as they can and when it comes to using their wealth, they should always use it in the best, most decent, Godly way possible. THIS is how, I believe, they'll be able to attain Heaven.
Peace and blessings be upon you all!

2007-03-03 12:16:12 · answer #3 · answered by ♡♥ sHaNu ♥♡ 4 · 0 0

I'm not a rich person, so I am not defending the rich. However, what JESUS is stating is NOT a condemnation of wealth. Wealth can be a blessing if you are responsible with the blessing. It can be a curse when we begin to worship wealth. When people are not satisfied with what they are given and continue to pursue a greater wealth, it becomes a curse. We need to look up into heaven and be thankful with what we are given.

Also, keep in mind that Abraham, Joseph, King David, King Solomon, and others were blessed with riches. They will see salvation. They have NOT made their riches their god!

GOD bless

2007-03-03 09:23:56 · answer #4 · answered by Exodus 20:1-17 6 · 0 0

It is more about how you view money as well as your material possessions.
Jesus knew that his followers would suffer persecution and for many, who had much, money or possessions, would have a hard time loosing these things to their persecutors because they were flowing Jesus foot steps.
Like wise today, we are on the brink of Jehovah’s New System of Things.
What would you be willing to give up or loose in this system of things to enjoy that Paradise on Earth that Jehovah has promised so long ago?
Or is what you have now more important than learning how you can save your life and your family’s lives by learning the truth that the bible teaches?

2007-03-03 09:34:03 · answer #5 · answered by Here I Am 7 · 0 0

At the top of towers in the ancient middle east they had sally ports. Where one door opens you walk in, they close it and the door to the other side opens. They were usually at the top of very large straight towers, and they were called they eye of the needle. To get a camal through, you had to totally unload it, get it down on all four legs and have people pulling it through from the front and people pushing from the back. It was not an impossibility, but a tight squeeze. So the eye of the needle quote is actually a reference to that and not a camel going through the actual eye of an actual needle.

2007-03-03 09:30:43 · answer #6 · answered by fifimsp1 4 · 0 0

No one can answer that question for you, LOL its not like theirs someone at heavens doors doing a survey of all the rich and poor that enter.
Just make sure your a good person, and i'm sure you know what it means to be a good and kind person.
Give what you can afford and don't feel guilty for being rich!

2007-03-03 10:01:29 · answer #7 · answered by Zaina 3 · 0 0

It is much easier for the rich to loose focus on God and become self involved.

2007-03-03 09:28:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

in case you study extra passages from the bible then you definately will see that Jesus/God did no longer bypass around taking everyones money far off from them. some prosperous peoples wealth replaced into further to a hundred fold. excitement and money are heavily proper. once you look exterior for excitement, then excitement will consistently allude you. once you look interior for the source of entertainment, then you definately have all you decide on. money is the actual manifestation of entertainment.

2016-10-02 08:12:25 · answer #9 · answered by grimon 4 · 0 0

the man saw status in being rich, it's your heart condition that is important. you can have lots of money, but don't let the thought of not having any get in the way of worshipping your god

2007-03-07 08:03:24 · answer #10 · answered by price 3 · 1 0

Money money money sweeter than Honey.
Is easy to become attached to money and material possessions, and to enjoy money and possessions is sinful. Specially if these Cristians and Evangelist make money by cheating people in the name of faith.

2007-03-03 10:48:42 · answer #11 · answered by ? 7 · 0 0

fedest.com, questions and answers