Why don't Christians sell everything they own to give to the poor?

Question

Luke chapter 18:
18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'

21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.

22When 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."

23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 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."

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Answer 1

you don't have to sell everything you own to give to the poor. if everyone gives a little no one would be poor!
your question should be why don't we sell one thing and give to the poor!

Answer 2

the point of this was that... the man was more involved in his riches and he was so matirialistic that he coudln't drop all of his things for god.... this scripture isnt saying.. everyone drop everything you own and serve god.. its giving us an example to follow... if jesus asked me tomarrow to drop everything i own and serve him i would... thats what makes me christian... the bible actually tells us to live compfortable.. it tells us that a working man is to be honored.

“Have you beheld a man skillful in his work? Before kings is where he will station himself.”—Proverbs 22:29.


"Every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his hard work. It is the gift of God."—Ecclesiastes 3:13.



he tells us not to over work ourselves...
"Better is a handful of rest than a double handful of hard work and striving after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 4:6)


the bible also tells us how if we are worry about being rich and getting more money all the time we wont be happy

(1 Timothy 6:9, 10)However, those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.

"They will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating. For like the days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance; because they are the offspring made up of the blessed ones of Jehovah, and their descendants with them."—Isaiah 65:21-23.


so you can see how god is not against working and reaping the benefits of it.. he just doesn't like it when we get wrapped up and worried about money all the time.

Answer 3

Greed. Russia tried that with Communism. It was tried also in the Bible The Acts Ch.4:31-37, ch 5:1-16.

Answer 4

i give a great deal to missions...........i give more than money...i give time as well. The rich ruler was stuck in the law....Jesus was trying to teach him to let go of the law and accept grace.

You dont have to be poor to be right......but you need to forget stuff and serve Jesus. Stop going for the bigger car, TV, house and try to do more for souls.

Answer 5

For the same reason Christians don't give all their money to the elders and live in common. They quote the parts that make them feel good and ignore the parts that would interfere with their selfish lives.

Answer 6

Indeed. Millions of people around the world are dying of preventable illnesses and malnutrition. I'm sure Jesus would be pretty pissed at anyone above the poverty line right now.

Answer 7

Because that was not to be taken literally. Jesus was telling him to build up treasures in heaven, rather than on earth, because treasures in heaven are forever.

Answer 8

Because we are not commanded to do so. The rich young ruler was challenged to do this because money was an idol in place of God in his heart. Christ challenged this. It would be a different challenge for each of us, depending on which idol our idol factory hearts had chosen.

Ath

Answer 9

Because as in all religious people, they only see what they want to see in whatever book they base their life on...

Answer 10

Because if they did this they would be poor and then they would have to wait for someone else to do it for them. But then would have to go do it again. It's a vicious cycle.