Why do people say that rich people won't be able to enter Heaven? (church, Messiah)
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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.
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.
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.
You are correct.
People tend to exaggerate Jesus' statement about it being difficult for rich people to enter the kingdom of heaven.
The same goes for 1 Timothy 6. People tend to say money is a root of evil... actually it's the LOVE of money that's a root of evil.
Many people are envious of rich people. Envy can be just as damaging as loving money.
The reason that Jesus said it would be difficult for the rich to enter heaven is well illustrated in the story of the "Rich young ruler".
The Rich Young Ruler
“Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me’” (Mark 10:21).
- Mark 10:17–22
Despite the carnage of the twentieth century, we have not yet learned the depths of our depravity. Secularists have taught us that we are basically good — all we need is education. Polls also suggest that evangelicals overwhelmingly believe in the goodness of man.
This is surprising, given Scripture’s assumption that we are chronically sinful. Paul tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). In Psalm 51:5, David confesses his evil nature was present even at the moment of his conception.
Our Savior once met someone who was confident in his own money and status instead of his allegiance to God. Wondering how he could inherit eternal life, this rich young man came to Jesus wondering what he had to “do” (Mark 10:17). The use of “do” indicates that he thought he could enter God’s kingdom by doing good.
However, Jesus does not directly castigate him for this belief. Rather, the Messiah responds by asking the man why he was calling Jesus “good,” for no one is good but God alone (v. 18). Jesus is not denying His own goodness; He is indirectly forcing the man to question his assumption that he knows goodness (and therefore, the Lord). In effect Jesus is saying “no one is good but God, and therefore you cannot rely on your moral behavior to inherit the life of the age to come. Like anyone else, you must follow me.”
Christ then gives him a list of ethical commandments and tells him that if he does all these, he will enter the kingdom of God (v. 19). The man is quite pleased, and he professes his own conformity (v. 20). Indeed, even if he did obey those commands, he was still missing something — Jesus catches him on the first commandment. Seeing that he worships the idols of wealth and social status, Jesus tells him to sell his goods and follow Him. But the man is not satisfied, and he refuses to let go of his riches (Mark 10:21–22).
Having seen the true nature of his prideful confidence, this man is bluntly denied the possibility of entering the kingdom on his own merit. He preferred to worship his money instead of God. Let us never be found professing Christ while remaining idolaters.
Coram Deo
Not all of us will be asked to sell everything that we have, but all of us are commanded to set aside any idol that may be present in our lives. We must all give up relying on our own efforts to earn salvation and instead embrace the grace that alone can redeem us from the curse of sin and death. Do you depend absolutely on the Lord for redemption? Think of the ways you have not loved God with your whole heart and confess your need of Him alone to save you.
Many rich people that profess to be Christian are trusting in their riches and not the Lord.
The reason that Jesus said it would be difficult for the rich to enter heaven is well illustrated in the story of the "Rich young ruler".
The Rich Young Ruler
“Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me’” (Mark 10:21).
- Mark 10:17–22
Despite the carnage of the twentieth century, we have not yet learned the depths of our depravity. Secularists have taught us that we are basically good — all we need is education. Polls also suggest that evangelicals overwhelmingly believe in the goodness of man.
This is surprising, given Scripture’s assumption that we are chronically sinful. Paul tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). In Psalm 51:5, David confesses his evil nature was present even at the moment of his conception.
Our Savior once met someone who was confident in his own money and status instead of his allegiance to God. Wondering how he could inherit eternal life, this rich young man came to Jesus wondering what he had to “do” (Mark 10:17). The use of “do” indicates that he thought he could enter God’s kingdom by doing good.
However, Jesus does not directly castigate him for this belief. Rather, the Messiah responds by asking the man why he was calling Jesus “good,” for no one is good but God alone (v. 18). Jesus is not denying His own goodness; He is indirectly forcing the man to question his assumption that he knows goodness (and therefore, the Lord). In effect Jesus is saying “no one is good but God, and therefore you cannot rely on your moral behavior to inherit the life of the age to come. Like anyone else, you must follow me.”
Christ then gives him a list of ethical commandments and tells him that if he does all these, he will enter the kingdom of God (v. 19). The man is quite pleased, and he professes his own conformity (v. 20). Indeed, even if he did obey those commands, he was still missing something — Jesus catches him on the first commandment. Seeing that he worships the idols of wealth and social status, Jesus tells him to sell his goods and follow Him. But the man is not satisfied, and he refuses to let go of his riches (Mark 10:21–22).
Having seen the true nature of his prideful confidence, this man is bluntly denied the possibility of entering the kingdom on his own merit. He preferred to worship his money instead of God. Let us never be found professing Christ while remaining idolaters.
Coram Deo
Not all of us will be asked to sell everything that we have, but all of us are commanded to set aside any idol that may be present in our lives. We must all give up relying on our own efforts to earn salvation and instead embrace the grace that alone can redeem us from the curse of sin and death. Do you depend absolutely on the Lord for redemption? Think of the ways you have not loved God with your whole heart and confess your need of Him alone to save you.
Many rich people that profess to be Christian are trusting in their riches and not the Lord.
This is a great answer lucknow.
There is nothing inherently evil with wealth. Some people make more money while sleeping than most people make in a month. The only thing I would add is that those who follow Christ and love others, will not be hoarding wealth for the sake of being rich. Instead they will most likely invest it in the kingdom of God and use it to help others.
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 some think their money will buy them anything. Others do learn that the price has been paid, now they have to adjust their view of what they need to do/pay and it ain't money.
Location: In Thy presence is fulness of joy... Psa 16:11
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Jesus said it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.
He didn't say the rich man absolutely wouldn't make it to heaven; He just said it's incredibly difficult.
Why? Because the love of money is the root of all evil. Mammon easily weaves a web around our hearts and minds, changes our opinions about things, and influences everything we say and do.
Jesus said we cannot love God and mammon both. We have to make a choice. That is why He challenged the rich young ruler to sell all, give to the poor, and follow Him.
And in one way, those who say Jesus doesn't demand everyone to do this, is right. He may not say "sell your luxurious house...your fancy car...your ---...and follow Me." But those who truly know Him as Saviour and Lord have laid it at His feet.
He tells the wealthy of this world to have the attitude that it isn't their's. To be busy investing that wealth in the lives of others; helping the poor and downcast in the church and outside the church.
Whatever we have on this earth, He has given us. We are to be thankful and use it for His glory...not ourselves.
And BTW, let's not forget that to be "rich" in material goods is a relative term. In the USA, even the rather poor are rich compared to those in 3/4 of the world. So just making ends meet doesn't excuse us from helping the poor. Even the poverty-stricken Macedonians reached deeply into their pockets to help the poor of Jerusalem when the famine struck. We should emulate their example; giving lovingly and joyfully what we can to help others in need.
(Matt 6:24-33; Mark 10:25+; 1 Tim 6:17-19; James 5; etc.
The funny thing is you don't have to be rich to love money. It's an attitude. You could be poor and be seething with envy at those who do have plenty of wealth... or you could just want the status and position that comes with being rich.
On what is your heart and your mind focused? That's the question.
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