Have wealthy Christians figured out how to get a camel into the eye of a needle?

Question

"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:24).

Is it possible to be capitalist and Christian?

Answer 1

Sure. The eye of the needle referred to a half-sized gate in the Jerusalem wall. To enter, the camel would have to hunker down and crawl through. It could be done, but you would first have to unpack the camel.

Same with rich men... there are no rich men in heaven because they have to be unpacked first.

Answer 2

Ouch, I am probably gonna catch grief for this, but I don't think so, at least very few have. God's word stands, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

If it were possilbe and not unusual, then why do they store up there wealth on earth? We are told not to do that -
Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Its okay to plan ahead and have a retirement fund, college funds, etc. but there are those with extreme wealth with money just sitting. Why are they not helping the needy? Why not run a chairatible organization that isn't crooked in some way? What good does the money do that just sits ther not helping anyone? From an earthy view, yea, it collects even more money. Then we run into the area of who is then your god? What is more important?

Answer 3

Passing a camel through the eye of a needle is just a matter of perspective. Hold the needle up to your eye. The camel in the distance easily fits through. If you look very closely you can see the whole world.

I don't know if wealthy people are automatically ignorant of God.

Do you ever wonder if intelligence comes from God?
Does intelligent life exist at all?

Answer 4

Your real question is: Is it possible to be capitalist and Christian?

Yes and no. A Christian capitalist may gain wealth so they can share it with others and do good works with it. This does happen. However, a large proportion of capitalists lose sight of their faith and become consumed by greed, power, and money, even if they never intended to.

It could go either way from either side since people are so individual. Lee Iaccoca (former head of Chrysler) for example funds his own diabetes charity to raise money for Type 1 diabetes, the rare severe non-preventable kind that usually first appears in childhood and requires multiple daily injections for life. As far *as I can tell* he is NOT religious and goes so far as to attack Bush for basing government on religion. Now I am Christian, but I agree 100% that Bush is not correct in holding back on medical research due to "religious reasons". There is no reason to think God would want this, or that this is the correct thing to do for a politician. So, there are good sides and bad sides to both Christian and non-Christian capitalists.

I think wealth becomes a problem when it overshadows a Christian's faith, and they become consumed by it. That is entirely a case by case basis, although most people do become consumed with power and greed, which the Bible says is a no-no. So do I think it's possible to be a Christian capitalist? Yes, absolutely. Do I think it's likely? Not so much.

It's kind of hard to be a "good Christian" when you are living in a 30 million dollar mansion with 6 cars and there are homeless and hungry children eating out of garbage bins outside your door. I personally wouldn't feel right. But maybe that's just me.

Answer 5

There was a gate leading into Jerusalem that was called Merchants Gate and it was only wide enough for a Camel to pass through unloaded,greedy merchants trying to get a fully loaded Camel through found it impossible, hence the saying of Jesus.
Those who by honest dealings become rich are not anymore sinful than the rest of us,but as you point out those who get rich by unfair and greedy capitalistic means are condemned by Jesus for their selfish greed and will not lay this aside in order to be redeemed.

Answer 6

there's a great distinction between a Christian and somebody who calls oneself a Christian. there is not something incorrect with being wealthy. It purely occurs that people who shop up wealth for themselves in the worldwide tend to love wealth greater beneficial than God. The "eye of the needle" substitute into the entryway to a city which substitute into only great adequate to get a camel by way of if he substitute into unloaded and crouched down. It substitute into very achieveable to get the camel by way of, however the factor substitute into that it substitute into impossible to get the camel by way of whilst loaded. Jesus instructed a wealthy guy that if he had to be perfect, sell all his possessions, provide the money to the damaging, then stick to. Jesus substitute into helping capitalism: sell all his assets, not right this moment provide them to the damaging. Jesus substitute into helping charity: provide funds to the damaging, so as that they might % to purchase what they %, lower back, capitalism and loose selection. there is not something incorrect with capitalism mixed with the socialism of charity. what's incorrect is the grasping hoarding we've in the present day, the fiat funds wherein privileged people have get entry to to limitless wealth, and the greater they take, the less each and every physique else has. a real Christian who's wealthy is a sensible investor and improves the normally occurring of existence for each guy or woman fairly than being prepared approximately economic earnings. He knows that funds is only what's used to leverage the normally occurring of existence for each guy or woman, and the pursuit of money for the sake of having greater funds is a ineffective pursuit.

Answer 7

The answer is that a rich man can get through the eye of a needle if he repents and comes to Christ. The next 2 verses explain it.

When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matt. 19: 25-26

Answer 8

It is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, the Bible says, than for a camel to piss through the eye of a needle. But it is hardest of all on the poor schnook holding the flippin' needle!

Answer 9

Eye of the needle was a wall, camels couldn't fit unless you took off the stuff they were carrying.
Also, I think the camel had to crawl though.

Answer 10

Being wealthy is not a sin.Its the love of money that becomes a sin.
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" 1 Timothy 6:10.