Can you be a rich Christian?

“I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, 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.” Matthew 19:23-24

 

wow, you are fast. your life must be spectacular

 

You're clearly mistaking people who CALL themselves Christian but don't seem to have any interests in following his teachings.

[FONT=arial, helvetica]"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.'" Matthew 25:41-45[/FONT]

 

That's the bible quote Creflo Dollar and others who preach that God promises true believers who donate for their 'ministries' material wealth on earth like to overlook.

While I find such people vile, I have difficulties with this quote myself. I'm not really rich - but in comparison to some starving people elsewhere I certainly am. And if I gave all the money I spend on useless little luxuries for my selfish little self to charities the world might be a tiny bit brighter. It gives me conscience-trouble here and there, but yet I find it hard to completely change my (and consequently my families) life. And I have serious doubts whether buying fair trade coffee will be enough to save my rotten little soul.

So I can but pray for the Lord to have mercy on me and Creflo Dollar alike.

 

Jesus taught us that our earthly time is miniscule and to devote our lives to the eternal calling.

18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20At once they left their nets and followed him.

21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

 

Bow to the robots, what is your religious view?

 

I think that this quote doesn't so much mean rich people exactly, but sort of the idea about rich men: proud haughty and rude. Perhaps it might mean that you need to give willingly of your substance. I knew a man who was, at a time, rich, but he didn't show it off and if he didn't tell you, you wouldn't think he was rich at all. He spent his money helping others, and saved it for just that purpose. That might be what this quote means.

 

That fact is about those who let money become their God. You cant worship God and money. A christian can be rich as I have known many over the years but they cant allow the lust for more money take over. We are to help others with our wealth not hoard it.

We are to help our brothers and sisters not lazy people who have a sense of entitlement.

 

I'm skeptical that they can. Sell all your possessions, don't store up treasures in heaven, etc. But I'm not CERTAIN that it's impossible.

 

What you meant is "thou shalt have treasure in heaven", and don't sore up treasures on earth.
And I wouldn't go as far as to say its impossible to do that. An example of a person who did would be Father James Martin, who gave up his career in the finance world in order to become a Jesuit priest.

Here's him on the Colbert Report talking about Glenn Beck and "Social Justice":
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/267673/march-18-2010/glenn-beck-attacks-social-justice---james-martin

 

I do believe that Jesus here was talking about one's character more than one's financial position. As they say, with great power, comes great responsibility. If you have wealth, but also use that wealth to aid all people, then surely that person would enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But should that person be greedy, I do believe that is the type of person Jesus meant would have trouble entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

And I believe that that is why Jesus said it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom, because in this world, it is hard to do the right thing, and even harder as the more material wealth one earns, the more chance they have to become greedier. Avarice is a complicated sin.

 

That's funny, I was pretty certain that rich was an economical position.

 

K-Bey , Jesus is reported to have said many things , + we can all interpret it more or less differently .

i.e.

“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”


I guess that must be every Tax collectors favourite quote.




.

 

Sure, but you ain't getting into heaven with your money so there is a fine line.

For Perspective, Jesus was talking to a Rich man that wanted into heaven and claimed he had followed the commandments, afterward Jesus told him to sell his possessions and follow him,- hence what this verse is referring to.

The man turned away from this opportunity, and for his dad's $$$$$$$$.. So yes, I do believe there is a line that you must not worship your money more than those things that are more important.

 

A bit like those runaway Egyptian slaves calling themselves "Hebrews" worshipping their Golden Calf - made out of dubiously acquired Gold . - right ?

Now were the fek would a bunch of slaves have legitimately had had enough gold for a golden calf , I ask you. ??????

IMO - as long as one have sufficient funds to provide for one's old age , to live in dignity without depending on charity of others, frankly I dont care a fek what Jesus or any other mythical/biblical character MIGHT has said.

btw - whether a camel can pass through the Eye of a needle , depends on the size of the the camel and the NEEDLE which should'nt be impossible with todays photographic technology.
I'm sure that Hollywood or any skilled photographer , can make it appear to be true.


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lol I never actually thought about that..

Supposedly -

 

You obviously don't care a feck about what He said about us becoming like the birds and the lilies in the field. (Matthew 6:25-43)

 

It is, but it can also indicate one's personality as well.

 

Oh, I'm well aware, I was merely giving my opinion on the question. Honestly, one cannot divine the ways of God.

 

The concrete context is:

Comment: It was over - but the rich man was not satisfied with the answer

Comment: Jesus said not "give me your money" ! He is ready for the poor.

Comment: He went sad ... but he could also had been happy to be able to do many good things with money and to follow Jesus Christ even in case of poorness.

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It seems to me this man started the conversation thinking something like "Jesus Christ will take my money and I will make a good career in earth and heaven without any personal problem or responsibility" - but Jesus Christ answered not in the way this man (¿and lots of others?) were expecting to hear.

http://youtu.be/Eh44QPT1mPE

 

If the tires on your house are not dry rotted, and your bible didn't get wet from a roof leak, consider yourself blessed.

 

Do you have any reason to believe that the Bible means personality? Or did you just decide to interpret a pretty straight forward hell-sentence on a hunch?

 

Maybe something to do with Jesus being about love and acceptance? And, as much as it would be great for all of us to follow the spiritual teachings of the Franciscans, who literally renounced all worldly possessions (at least in the begginning but that tradition was also continued by the spirituals even during the schism), it's certainly not feasible.

 

Bein g rich is not a sin......Being rich, but unwilling to give aid to those who are poor is.

 

Good point Daggdag. Completely in accord with the teachings of the Bible as far as I am concerned.