RICHES AND POVERTY Good morning beloved, welcome to ‘Scripture Review’ for this morning… Luke 18:24-25, ‘’And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hard shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’’ One of the Lord’s most chocking experiences is that it is virtually impossible for the rich person to enter God’s kingdom. Yet this is but one of many statements He made about riches and poverty, giving a perspective repeated by the apostles in several NT letters. The prevailing view among the Jews in Jesus’ days was that to be wealthy was a sign of God’s special favour and that to be poor was a sign of God’s displeasure. The Pharisees, for example, thought this way and derided Jesus for His poverty. Although this false idea recurs at times in the history of the Christian church, it is soundly rejected by Christ. The bible identifies greed and the pursuit of wealth with idolatry, which is demonic. Because of the demonic power associated with possessions, the desire for wealth and the pursuit of it often bring enslavement. Riches are, in Jesus’ perspective, an obstacle both to salvation and discipleship. They give a false sense of security, they deceive and they demand the total loyalty of one’s heart. The rich often live as if they have no need of God. By searching for riches, their spiritual lives are choked, and they are led into temptation and harmful desires, resulting in the abandonment of saving faith. All too often those who are rich take advantage of the poor. Therefore, no Christian ought to desire to get rich against God’s will. Selfish amassing of material possessions is an indication that life is no longer seen from eternity’s vantage point. Selfish, greedy people no longer find their goals and fulfillment centered in God, but rather in themselves and their possessions. The tragedy of Lot’s wife for example, was her placing all her affections on an earthly city rather than a heavenly one. In other words, striving after wealth has in it the seed of total alienation from God. True riches for Christians consist in faith and love that express them in self-denial and following Jesus. The true rich are those who have gained freedom from the things of the world through confidence that God is their Father and that He will not forsake them. Christians must not hold tightly to possessions as personal wealth or security, but they must relinquish their wealth and place their resources in the Lord’s hands for use in His kingdom, for the furnace of Christ’s cause on earth, and for the salvation and need of others. Thus, believers who possess wealth and material goods must see themselves as no longer rich, but merely as stewards of that which is God’s; and they must be generous, ready to share with brethren and be rich in good deeds. Every Christian should examine his or her heart and desires: Am I a greedy person? Am I a selfish person? Do I yearn for abundance? Do I have a great desire for the honour, prestige and power that often come from gaining great wealth? One of the tasks that Jesus saw as His Spirit-directed mission was ‘’to preach the gospel to the poor’’. In other word, the gospel of Christ can be defined as a gospel of the poor. The ‘’poor’’ are the humble and afflicted within the world who turn to God in great need and seek His will. At the same time they are faithful to God and look forward to God redemption of His people from sin, suffering, hunger and hatred that are in the world. They did not seek their wealth and life in earthly things. Deliverance from suffering, oppression, injustice and poverty will most certainly come to God’s poor. Their relief, at least in part, must come from benevolent offerings given by those among God’s people who have been blessed with material possessions. God sees His people in poverty and declares that they are ‘’rich’’. In no way can they be seen as spiritually or morally inferior.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 07:34:07 +0000
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