IS THERE ANY HEAVEN FOR THE RICH?
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Matthew 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
The term, "the eye of the needle" is in reference to a small door that is at the gate of a city, and this is the only door that is allowed to be open after dark. For a camel to pass through the gate and enter the city, the camel must be completely unloaded and forced through. Thus the comparison of the difficulty of the rich man. This rich man must first unload his wealth, thus we have this proverb that is quite common in the East. In the Babylonian Talmud, they use an elephant, rather than a camel.
Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Money in itself is not evil, but the love or desire of money is the root cause that brings all evil. It is man's desire and his coveting of money that brings evil on himself. It is like the law of God, which is not evil, but the law shows the evil that is within man. The law is not harmful to the one that lives within the law. It is the law breaker that is in fear of the law. The law is good but the lawbreaker is bad. The money is good, the desire for money and the hoarding of the money is what is bad. I hope you see this simple analogy.
Money that comes from doing things God's way is a blessing from God and you never have to apologize for that wealth. Having a lot of money is not where the sins of wealth come from, but is is what is in your mind when you are obtaining the wealth, and to the purposes that the money is used. What matters is the frame of mind of the one going after the money, and not the money itself.
The term, "the eye of the needle" is in reference to a small door that is at the gate of a city, and this is the only door that is allowed to be open after dark. For a camel to pass through the gate and enter the city, the camel must be completely unloaded and forced through. Thus the comparison of the difficulty of the rich man. This rich man must first unload his wealth, thus we have this proverb that is quite common in the East. In the Babylonian Talmud, they use an elephant, rather than a camel.
Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Money in itself is not evil, but the love or desire of money is the root cause that brings all evil. It is man's desire and his coveting of money that brings evil on himself. It is like the law of God, which is not evil, but the law shows the evil that is within man. The law is not harmful to the one that lives within the law. It is the law breaker that is in fear of the law. The law is good but the lawbreaker is bad. The money is good, the desire for money and the hoarding of the money is what is bad. I hope you see this simple analogy.
Money that comes from doing things God's way is a blessing from God and you never have to apologize for that wealth. Having a lot of money is not where the sins of wealth come from, but is is what is in your mind when you are obtaining the wealth, and to the purposes that the money is used. What matters is the frame of mind of the one going after the money, and not the money itself.
G
I think it is important to make a distinction, here. It is the "love of money" that is the root of evil. Many poor people love money. A two bit drug pusher who owns little may love money more than others (so he sells drugs to destroy others). Some people may simply not get married and live together to get more government assistance (love of money), though it is clear God meant people to be married. There are other examples. If a person robs a convenience store and terrorizes the clerk for a mere $40, that is loving money.
Just because a person loves money, it does not mean they are rich.
The older I get, though, the more I see that evil when traced to its root starts as a love of money.
Just because a person loves money, it does not mean they are rich.
The older I get, though, the more I see that evil when traced to its root starts as a love of money.
Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity(love in action).
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness(money, material, for their wants): from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The love of money is the root of all evil for it neglects the poor and needy, which is what it is all about for the operation God wants on earth, and love is the fulfilling of the law, and love your neighbor as yourself, so loving people would include helping people with their needs as well as your own needs, and not going by your wants, for people are more important than your wants according to God.
Mat 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Jesus did not rebuke the rich man when he said he kept the commandments from youth, but said he lacked one thing concerning his possessions, his wants, to sell those things and give to the poor for then he would have the proper love necessary to be able to enter heaven, and that is to love people instead of caring about money and material things above people, which if he lacked he did not fulfill the law, for love is the fulfilling of the law.
Some people have an interpretation that the eye of the needle is a gate, that was narrow, but that a camel might be able to squeeze through it to justify that some rich people can enter heaven, but they only want to justify themselves going by their wants, and are like the rich man with the attitude of going by their wants above loving people.
How can the rich man enter heaven if he went by his wants when Paul said he is nothing, and James said his faith is dead, and John said the love of God does not dwell in him, and he did not fulfill the law by loving people.
But a rich man can enter heaven if he sells all his unnecessary possessions, and distributes the money to the poor and needy, and only goes by his needs, but then he would not be a rich man anymore.
Act 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
Act 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
Act 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Act 4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
Act 4:35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
The rich man did not care about the poor and needy so he could not enter heaven in that condition, for he put money, and material things, above people.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity(love in action).
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness(money, material, for their wants): from such withdraw thyself.
1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The love of money is the root of all evil for it neglects the poor and needy, which is what it is all about for the operation God wants on earth, and love is the fulfilling of the law, and love your neighbor as yourself, so loving people would include helping people with their needs as well as your own needs, and not going by your wants, for people are more important than your wants according to God.
Mat 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Jesus did not rebuke the rich man when he said he kept the commandments from youth, but said he lacked one thing concerning his possessions, his wants, to sell those things and give to the poor for then he would have the proper love necessary to be able to enter heaven, and that is to love people instead of caring about money and material things above people, which if he lacked he did not fulfill the law, for love is the fulfilling of the law.
Some people have an interpretation that the eye of the needle is a gate, that was narrow, but that a camel might be able to squeeze through it to justify that some rich people can enter heaven, but they only want to justify themselves going by their wants, and are like the rich man with the attitude of going by their wants above loving people.
How can the rich man enter heaven if he went by his wants when Paul said he is nothing, and James said his faith is dead, and John said the love of God does not dwell in him, and he did not fulfill the law by loving people.
But a rich man can enter heaven if he sells all his unnecessary possessions, and distributes the money to the poor and needy, and only goes by his needs, but then he would not be a rich man anymore.
Act 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
Act 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
Act 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Act 4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
Act 4:35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
The rich man did not care about the poor and needy so he could not enter heaven in that condition, for he put money, and material things, above people.
