Why is it harder for the rich man to get into heaven?

Question

let's assume that he's a model Christian in all other ways.....

Answer 1

Oh, it hardly matters, as long as the money remains in the wallet, and does not get into the rich man's head !

Answer 2

This goes back to your other question about death producing life.

A rich man has no need for God, he doesn't need God's help in life. Even a man that walks upright before God can be led astray by the deictfulness of richess.

Money creates self assurance and confidence in what one has. In order to come to God you must deny yourself and accept His way as the right way. A rich man has a hard time denying the wealth that he has. It's an attitude that leads many away. Money is the same as any desire that brings pleasure. It's all good and God will make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. However, when God asks you to give something to another person in need and you feel that person doesn't deserve your money a conflict begins to grow in your heart. A bitterness towards God who gives to all freely and your own attitude that one should be worthy of what they get. This conflict will create a hardness in the heart towards the kindness of God and eventually you will distance yourself from Him in an attempt to keep what you think is yours.
But His kingdom is based on the principle of giving to get. Not get and decide who should recieve. This is the gift of Jesus, and to show God you love him more than your money he may ask you to give it.. Of course if you do obey then you acknowlege that God is the giver of all good things and he will reward you with even more than you thought you had in the first place. This keeps the heart focused and the faith strong, it's a spritual principal again though. I hope I helped you understand it.

Answer 3

Jesus made this point very clear. A man (a -lawyer- no less) asks him 'How can I get into heaven.' Jesus tells him to follow the law. The man says 'Well I already do that. What else can I do?" Jesus says "Sell all you have, give the money to the poor and follow me". The lawyer wasn't able to do that.

As the lawyer leaves, Jesus turns to his pals and says 'See? It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter heaven'.

CS Lewis has an excellent explanation of this episode. We are on this earth, he says, but not -of- this earth. We are never too comfortable here because we're not made to live here forever. If you see someone who is too comfortable on earth, what it really means is that the earth is too comfortable in him! Wealth and privilege are distractions from what is really important. That's why Jesus was never the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation.

OTOH the Calvinists and Puritans saw it differently. They believed that God picks certain people to favor, for reasons that are unknowable to us. If someone has a lot of money or power, that should be taken as evidence of God's favor, wo should consider this person very wise and deserving.

Unfortunately, this old Puritan principle is still very strong in American culture today. 8^<

Answer 4

Certainly, Jesus did not mean that no rich man could ever become a disciple; some in the first century became anointed Christians. (1 Timothy 6:17-19) Jesus’ use of exaggeration was to stress how hard it is for a rich man to put God before material wealth and comforts.—Luke 12:15-21.

Answer 5

Well you're assumption is the problem.

To get rich (even more so in those days than now, but still true of most rich now -- with a few exceptions) you have to be a digusting and destructive person who causes a lot of damage, and make your wealth off of the sweat and suffering of others.

That is, it's the process of becoming rich that makes you NOT a model Christian.

At least, that's how I've always understood the saying.

When I said there are exceptions today, there are people who have gotten moderately wealthy doing good things.

But most, and especially the really wealthy ones do it off of the suffering of millions, even billions of others -- oppression, environmental destruction, obscene profits while paying starvation wages, corruption, theft, mass murder.

Answer 6

because he thinks he can buy his way into Heaven. does that mean that someone who is rich cant get in to heaven? NO!! if you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour in your Heart and ask Him to forgive al your sins then you will surely go to heaven. Matthew 19:24-26: 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Answer 7

What does a rich man often seek? More riches? Materialistic isn't that? So as heaven is a spiritual realm the acquiring of physical wealth has little to do with it.

Answer 8

Um..cause he's rich...

Money corrupts good people. It doesn't have to be taught through Biblical teaching to see that. Every day in society we can see that.

People who are rich have a hard time parting with the money they have and how they want to spend it. Christianity basically calls a believer to surrender their entire life to Christ...meaning that the money is still in the hands of the rich person, but should be used in a more beneficial manner.

Tithing of course comes into this, but I think giving it to worthy causes is just as good in God's eyes in many cases.

Answer 9

Because the rich man is focused on his riches here on earth rather than the riches to be gathered for heaven. So he is to caught up on this life and not the next one.

Answer 10

Because his money is a heavy responsibility. If he's gained it all out of greed, out of desire for "things", then he really has turned his back on his fellow man. God said there were 2 great commandments: Love God and Love your fellow man. It's very often hard for people with much wealth (and by the way that means most of the people in the USA, where I live) to make it to heaven.