What do you wealthy Christians think of the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus?

Question

I've heard the usual rationalizations about Jesus' statement 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 Heaven: that the 'eye of a needle' is some gate in a wall and that rich people can indeed go through if they humble themselves, etc., etc.

However, what about the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus? Jesus said NOTHING about the Rich Man's beliefs, just that he callously ignored poor Lazarus starving outside and ended up in Hell. Doesn't this strongly imply that 'rich Christian' is an oxymoron?

How about 'but woe unto ye rich' in the Sermon on the Mount or the statement 'ye cannot serve God and Mammon'?

Then there's James 5:1-6: "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you..." What do you think of that?

Answer 1

well, it states that the people put the treasures at the feet of the apostles so I guess they were then rich. .... ever think of that?

Problem with money isn't that it makes you go to hell, but that it makes you feel secure and unwilling to follow Jesus.

I have met many a rich person who works on Sunday so he can afford his stuff.

God commands us and we listen. If the rich merchant had followed Jesus he would have become an apostle no doubt.

The bible says seek ye first the kingdom of God and every thing will be added unto it.

Once the rich merchant had come to understand God who knows, maybe God would have made him rich again like
Job.

Yes Job became rich after his trials.

Have a nice day!

Answer 2

I know this is a bit long, sorry, but theses verses from Isaiah say it all. This is what Christ was always saying.

Isaiah 58:6, 11
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Answer 3

the subject consisting of your grievance is that lots of the words and imagery used interior the myth has particular meaning interior the renowned western recommendations, that could (or will possibly no longer) be at odds with what the unique author (Luke) had in recommendations. So in spite of could seem "glaring" to you're rather you analyzing cutting-area foreign places concepts into to the unique account. And that, certainly, is the case, with the long historical past of the unscriptural place of torment and Hell, consisting of the immortal soul, maximum reader's "glaring" understand-how of the account is inaccurate.

Answer 4

There were many wealthy people in the bible, who were said to be righteous men, and were saved. Abraham was rich, Jacob was rich, Moses was rich, Noah was rich, Joseph was rich, Isaac was rich, David was rich, Jairus was rich, believers in Herod's court who helped Jesus and his disciples were rich, believers in Nero's court who helped the apostles were rich, etc.

So, if you think a christian cannot be rich, you must account for all those people in the bible who were rich, and were still deemed righteous and were saved.

Answer 5

You should consider this parable as well as this statement following it from a different book.

Luke 12:16 And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' 20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."

1 Timothy 6:17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

Having a lot of money isn't wrong. What is wrong is having a lot of money and not honoring God with your wealth by giving to the needy and supporting Christ's Kingdom work here on earth.

Answer 6

Define Rich, Your owning a computer makes you extremly weathy too in most of the world.
I think your absoulty right we are all in trouble.

Answer 7

Please, please, PLEASE try reading the bible for yourself! A rich person will NOT go to hell for being rich, nor can a poor man get to heaven because he's poor.
So, what point are you trying to make here?