If you are expecting this article to be a condemnation of people of material wealth, well, it’s not. There are a lot of scriptures which condemn the rich, but we need to find out why they are being condemed. It’s no secret that I think Donald Trump is a crook and is not qualified to be dogcatcher in the rye field. But that’s just my opinion and it is not sinful to have a lot of money.
“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him.” 1st John 3:17
I often use the above verse to encourage people who have things to give to those who don’t. But I have a question for those who think it’s wrong to possess this world’s good. How is someone who has this world’s good going to give to someone in need if it is wrong for him or her to have this world’s good? In other words how is he or she going to give of what they don’t have?
A lot of the rich work very hard to get where they are at monetarily and some poor people work just as hard and do not get as far.
“The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked is sin.” Prov. 10:16
“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” Prov. 13:11
God made Abraham rich. The problem with those have this world’s goods isn’t that they possess a lot of wealth, but with how they got their wealth.
My current pastor use to pastor a larger church in which there were some members who were millionaires. He didn’t gravitate to those millionaires, but I doubt he avoided them either, but if he had an appointment with someone poor he would keep that appointment even if one of the millionaires wanted him to go with them. That was the right thing to do.
Apparently someone in his church had noticed that he didn’t gravitate towards people with money and said that every other preacher they had had did. It’s a good thing to not gravitate towards those who have money. But we have no need to avoid them either. They are all human like the rest of us.
“For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts?” ” James 2:2-4
James 2: 5 tells us God chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith, vs. 6 tells us that we have despised the poor and lets us know that it is the rich who take Christians into the judgment seat.
In James chapter 2 scripture tells us that if we tell a brother or sister who is in need of clothing and food “…be ye warmed and filled…” (James 2:15-16) that there is no profit.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:15
There are problems with the rich, just as there are problems with the poor. A lot of it comes down to attitude. A lot of the wealthy got that way by hard work, some got that way by cheating and going after money any way they could, ethical or not. It’s the latter that the scripture condemns. A lot of rich people do give a lot of money to charity. That’s a good thing, sometimes there’s a slight problem when the rich give only to organized charities. Problem is that not every one in need qualifies for those charities and sometimes people slip through the cracks, so to speak.
God makes both rich and poor and sometimes we meet together. I remember a sermon I heard once where the pastor was talking about what a prominent person had said. This is approximately what that pastor quoted her as saying. “I was saved by an M, the scripture says not many noble, not many rich shall be saved, it does not say not any rich or noble shall be saved.” That’s accurate.
If they didn’t labour for the purpose of being rich, then God has blessed the work of many rich people. Many rich people enjoy their work and that’s in line with scripture, they should. When God brings rich and poor together it is God who is the maker of us both.(see Prov. 22:2) It is God we both serve, both rich and poor are saved by the blood of the lamb, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
If Dave Ramsey and Casey Anthony came to your church on the same day. Would you gravitate toward’ Dave Ramsey and try to avoid Casey Anthony? You shouldn’t. They are both created by God. Is he saved and she unsaved? We don’t know that. What we know is that God desires everyone, including Casey Anthony to be saved. And we should offer her the same opportunity to repent as the Dave Ramsey’s and Tony Romo’s of this world. God don’t favor the rich or favor the poor, he has blessed each with there own amount of faith and gifts. Thank God.
“Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom” Prov. 23:4
“By humility and fear of the Lord are riches, honour, and life” Prov. 22:4
“He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.” Prov. 22:9
“The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is maker of them all.” Prov. 22:2
No, it’s not wrong to have a lot of money and be rich according to this world’s standards, but true riches are with God. Peace, mercy, love, compassion. That’s what true riches are.