when jesussaves says i need to study, does he mean that christians don't beleive that a virtuous life is one of poverty?
i'm genuinely inetersted to know why the bible seems to preach poverty, yet very very few christians seem to deliberately avoid the trappings of wealth and are as greedy and money obsessed as anyone else. have i missed the point of the new testament? am i wrong, is poverty not an important part of the teachings of christ? was the sermon on the mount just made up?
we have the alpha course in england, which is aimed at getting people to reconnect with christianity, but they seem to think that faith and truning up to chruch is more important than actually leading a life like jesus did.
2007-10-17 01:38:46 · 14 answers · asked by wha 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You are right in observing that Jesus taught against loving and hording wealth.
He told the rich young ruler to sell everything and give to the poor
He said it would be hard for a rich man to get to heaven
He said blessed are the poor.
The reason most don't want to look at this is that it goes against the grain of everything humans love and hold onto.
That doesn't mean it isn't a teaching of Jesus.
I don't think the emphasis, though, is so much on voluntary poverty, as it is on seeking HIS kingdom first.
He promises that the rest will fall into place.
Also note that he teaches to work so that you have something to give and provide for your family.
It's not about being beggars either.
2007-10-17 01:48:38 · answer #1 · answered by Lisa 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No he doesn't as your religion is man made !!so it's you who will save you ? Not some lame brained notion that a Flying
Spaghetti Monster by the name of Jesus is going to help
you !!And the sooner the Christians realise this,the sooner
we can all turn another page and get on with life !!
2007-10-17 09:04:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have to remember that Jesus had complete freedom from attachment to things of the world because He was divine and sinless,we are not this perfect and besides most Christians have families to support and cannot be itinerant preachers like Jesus was.
Money and possessions do not inhibit anyone from following Christ,but the un-natural love of these things can and do.
May the Lord of all bless you alway`s.
2007-10-17 08:45:11 · answer #3 · answered by Defender 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
so have you sold everything and follow Jesus?
I work....make a good living ...give a good percentage to Gods work.
I have a house and car. Shelter my family.
God has blessed me and i give back to him more than most.
Not lifting myself up but didn't it say that Abraham was very rich? Guess he wasn't right with God.
David? Solomon?all wealthy. guess they were not right either.
Adam had the whole world. Guess God blessed him for no reason.
From what ive seen the only ones that take a "vow of poverty" are those in false cults. God wants to bless you.
You need to rightly divide Gods word and not stand on one verse to prove a point. It is dangerous.
2007-10-17 08:47:46 · answer #4 · answered by jesussaves 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yeah... the Bible God wants you to live a life of poverty and at the end go the Hell if you didn't do it right...! The Clergy is exempt, of course!
We all know that in the Bible the rich man goes to Hell, while Lazarus makes it to Heaven! Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to Heaven! Do you believe Jesus???? For Christ's sake!
2007-10-17 08:48:34 · answer #5 · answered by Opus 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
There is no doubt that Jesus was a true and selected prophet of God and by following his message we could be saved.
If you say save in physical sence then you must change bible first because bible tells that he was crying and falling down on earth before God and requesting to save himself. If he cannot save himself how he can save others.
Don't feel we love him and honour him more that all humanity but saviour is only God his Lord, about whom he said: "The Lord our God, the Lord is ONE" named Eeliee or Eelion in Hebrew and Allah in Arabic.
2007-10-17 08:55:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Believe it or not the Bible does not preach poverty. Although many preachers have taken verses such as "The love of money is the root of all evil," and bashed their congregations with it.
If you look in the book of Psalms there are many scriptures where God says to His people "I will prosper you."
There is a difference between prosperity and greed.
2007-10-17 08:47:27 · answer #7 · answered by excelerate 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
The message is to share with the poor and care for the poor.
If everyone was poor, nobody would be able to help anybody.
2007-10-17 08:42:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Preach poverty? your not making sense. I am not wealthy, who are you talking about? maybe you need to point out what people you are talking about. Materialistic? yes we can be, that is part of our sinful nature.
2007-10-17 08:44:43 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
people are too materialistic these days to be thinking like you; but yeh few do follow "jesus" ways...& its hard to keep up with his ways...but yeh whoever does i guess they go to a better place...
2007-10-17 08:41:53 · answer #10 · answered by crazykiaray23 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋