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I have always loved the way Jesus in the gospels turned the conventional wisdom on its head. People at his time thought that those who suffered illness or poverty were being punished by God, and the rich were being rewarded. Even today, it is common for successful people to state "I've been very blessed". However, in the Beatitudes the poor, meek, sorrowful and persecuted are called blessed. The quote about a camel going through the eye of a needle implies that wealth is a curse, or at best a challenge.
I always thought accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior, trusting in Him and turning away from our sins is enough to be saved and have Eternal Life in Heaven.
Because often, people let money get in the way of receiving Christ.
I have personally sat in the home of a wealthy man who told me that a church shouldn't preach so much fire and brimstone. He thought the church should only talk about how God loves us. I couldn't imagine that I could tell him a way that God would bless him that would make a difference in his life -- he already had it all. There was no reason this man should turn to God if it was for monetary blessing alone.
Because often, people let money get in the way of receiving Christ.
I have personally sat in the home of a wealthy man who told me that a church shouldn't preach so much fire and brimstone. He thought the church should only talk about how God loves us. I couldn't imagine that I could tell him a way that God would bless him that would make a difference in his life -- he already had it all. There was no reason this man should turn to God if it was for monetary blessing alone.
It's also easier to blame the guy who didn't want to sit in a fire and brimstone church. "Dude was wealthy. He wouldn't listen."
He didn't buy the version of religion Viz was selling. I've known millionaires who accepted Christ after they made their millions. None of them sit in fire and brimstone churches. Neither do I.
I've certainly never suggested that. Nothing wrong with being wealthy. Nor would I suggest he was bound by any kind of obligation to give any set percentage of that to the church. He is free to do with his money what he wants to.
I've certainly never suggested that. Nothing wrong with being wealthy. Nor would I suggest he was bound by any kind of obligation to give any set percentage of that to the church. He is free to do with his money what he wants to.
You had nothing to offer him, due to his wealth.
If your bag of tricks is simply fire and brimstone, you cannot victimize through God, a person who knows God's bounty.
I never mentioned what he should do with his money. You are. His money was never in my thoughts.
Last edited by RonkonkomaNative; 03-05-2015 at 03:37 PM..
The wealthy are generally less likely to reach a point in their lives where they are humbled so much that they realize they need God. They have a greater attachment to the things of this world. Being a disciple of Christ means being willing to let the things of this world go - this was something the rich man in the Gospels was unable to do, despite following the commandments. People who enjoy success and the superficial joy found in the things of this world generally don't think they need God. They can make it on their own strength, without relying on faith. This is perhaps why misfortune can be a blessing in disguise; misfortune shows us that our ultimate joy is now found in the transient things of this world, but in God and his infinite love and glory. Misfortune humbles us and brings us closer to God. I never grow in my faith more than when life is so difficult that I can't get through a day without relying on the strength of the Lord.
This is not to say that one cannot be both wealthy and a believer. Many believers are blessed by God and do find financial success. But we as believers are not called to be wealthy or to enjoy material success - we are called to serve and to suffer for our Lord.
The answer to this question is simple. It is impossible for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle unless you have Jesus in your life. He can do it. The rich man will not make it to heaven unless he has Jesus in his life. It's the same for everyone else too except the rich man will have more temptations due to his wealth.
I always thought accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior, trusting in Him and turning away from our sins is enough to be saved and have Eternal Life in Heaven.
It is enough to be saved, Jesus was not speaking of salvation, the Temple is in 3 sections and the Temple only mirrors what the kingdom of heaven is.
There are two words for life, one is life, and one is abundant life. If you are rich, you couldn't possibly enter into abundant life but you can sure be saved, but mere salvation still awaits further judgments while gaining reward is to be called,'' Firstfruit.''
The disciples went out in haste trying to secure a better resurrection because they knew the differences in the 3 sections of the Temple and they knew what it lead to.....
A person can speak against the laws of Moses and refuse to keep them and even teach others not to keep them but they will be the least in the kingdom, and that is to be found in the outer court of gentiles because the person chose to remain a gentile, living as all the nations live but God has a peculiar people who follow his commandments.
Very few people will make it into abundant life, I know what it is and how to get there but I don't believe I have arrived yet.
The great majority have salvation and they will await the decision of the second death while those who have entered into the kingdom have no fear of the second death.
The difference between the two is that one person was given a seed, a child of God and made ruler over the household of God to give his children meat in due season but he starved the child and was found wanting because he was with child and still weaning a child.
So his child is killed with death and he goes to salvation as a woman.
The other person was likewise given a seed and he gave his child the milk of the word until his child began eating meat, and he didn't put his child in a corner, but he spent all his time raising and teaching the child until the child was 30 years of age.
God has created a new thing in the Earth, '' A woman shall encompass a man.''
There is no person more wealthy than me, I just happen to be the richest man on Earth, and I would defy anyone to think different, I literally own everything. I own the car you drive to the pennies in your pockets.
Should I fall upon hard times and find myself stranded, it will be you who is woken by a dream and caused to get in your car just to cruise, and you will think it's coincidence that you run across a stranded person, and when you buy me breakfast, I will smile and act as if nothing strange has happened, you will go about your way thinking that you did something good, you will think it was by your own ideas and imaginations, but my days are already planned out, and tables are set before me, this is my world, I have no need to carry cash, cash is everywhere.
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