Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Being rich in and of itself is not a sin, as long as that wealth was honestly and ethically obtained. God delights in blessing His followers (Psalm 35:27). But the pursuit of wealth, as well as wealth itself, can also present great temptations from many perspectives, such as causing a person (through pride in the accomplishments by which that wealth was amassed) to forget that God is the ultimate source of it, and also that He has provided it for the purpose not only of benefiting that individual, but also so that the individual can be a source of blessing to others.

The real danger is that, despite the person's outward professions, money will become the person's god, which he depends on for protection and security, and the acquisition of which is his first priority in life (making him its servant, which makes it impossible for him to serve God (Matthew 6:24)). That also makes it extremely difficult for him to realize his spiritual poverty before God, and to understand that he is just as much (and perhaps more) in need of salvation as the person with no material possessions whatever.

October 14 2017 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Rick Lockhart

Being rich will not keep you out of heaven. The bible makes it clear that it is the LOVE of money that can become your idol and take the place of God in your life. 1 Tim 6:10. 

The scriptures records many faithful and righteous men in the bible who through the blessings of God became rich: Job. Job 1:3; Abraham. Genesis 13:2.; Isaac. Genisis 26:13; Jacob. Genesis. 30:3. Our Father owns "the cattle on a thousand hills" that are his and he wants to bless his children with. Psalm 50:10. And in Jeremiah 29:11 God does not have a problem wth blessing his children spiritually as well as materially even with that prosperity resulting in material riches. 

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. Again, it is the LOVE of money that makes it "easier for a. camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.. I believe that when God blesses us with whatever amount of material wealth we should not selfishly hoard it and get prideful but turn around and be a blessing to someone else. As Luke 12:48 says "To whom much is given much is expected".

December 29 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Joshua Eicher

Being rich, even super rich, is definitely NOT a sin. It is impossible to use a bible verse saying that it is. Because, what dollar amount is too rich?
$500,000? $1,000,000? Who's to say where the line is, between rich and poor? In this country, we would think $1,000 every week is rich.
But people in a third-world country would think $50 a week is rich.

Where the Bible says that a rich man can't go to heaven, that obviously isn't limited to money. That means anybody who is too full of himself or so self-sufficient that he "doesn't" need God.

From my experience of having gone to church for over 25 years, many christians have a very silly outlook towards wealth, which ends up being religious and hypocritical with no real biblical support. They can actually be kinda scary.

This is how many of them think:
#1. Generally speaking, all rich people are automatically evil and selfish. Why? Because they're rich, which means they are greedy.
#2. Christians are evil if they have "too much" money, even if they donate much of their wealth to help the needy.
#3. So......many......times...... when the word "prosperity" is mentioned from behind the pulpit, an apology is made, as if "prosperity" is a profane word, by saying "Prosperity is not just about money; it's also includes spiritual blessings". But when they talk about health or healing, they don't make any clarification about the different forms of health and healing, like spiritual healing. We're just supposed to assume they're talking about physical healing.
#4. Even though I'm expected to......WORK HARD...... for the money I get, I'm "not allowed" to have too much money because that's selfish, literally even if I give much of it away. Many christians are so warped about wealth, that if I was rich enough to meet the needs of 100% of the world's poor people, but chose to support only 95% of them, those christians would call me evil.......even though Jesus didn't solve everybody's problems, and still doesn't.

Many christians are bitter and hateful against financial prosperity. Why? Because they are proud of their "humble" poverty. 

No matter how ridiculous and goofy christians talk, being rich is NOT a sin any more than being healthy, or strong, or intelligent.

December 29 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

No, Luther, I don't think having riches is a sin in and of itself, but it is highly dangerous how you handle those riches. James 5:1-2 says, "Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten." 

Why would Jesus' half brother, James, say this? For one thing, "riches make themselves wings" (Proverbs 23:5). They can be gone in a minute.

November 11 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report