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| Home | Using Things, Not Loving Them... |
| God's Plan for Prosperity |
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Holy, and at Peace! |
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| Riches Are a Responsibility |
| Mark 10:27 - Jesus
Counsels the Rich Young Ruler (words of Jesus in red) |
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"Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked
Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that may inherit eternal life?" 18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God. 19 You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honour your father and your mother.'" 20 And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" 27 But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible but not with God; for with God all things are possible." |
| God is not opposed to Christians having material things. He is opposed to material things "having", or "controlling" Christians. The rich young ruler in this passage had kept the Law all his life, but his riches controlled him rather than controlling his riches. He could not let go of those material things - not even for eternal life. There is no reason to doubt that if he had let those material things go, Jesus would have told him to keep them. This episode is a sad example of what can happen when people begin to trust in their material goods instead of trusting in God who has provided them. |
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