Wealth is a good thing
When Adam was created, he was placed in the garden of Eden.
The Garden of Eden was filled with all that Adam needed. God created Adam and Eve in an environment of prosperity..
This also means that God never planned for humanity to live in poverty.
Certain people believe that poverty is part of God’s plan for humans.
For centuries, many Christians who are uneducated with Bible subjects have long promoted the idea that Jesus promoted poverty.
They mainly use the following two passages to support their views: 'Matthew 5:3 and Matthew 19:23-24.’
For decades, many Christians believe that Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the poor’ while Jesus clearly said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ (Matthew 5:3).
A person who is poor in the spirit is very likely to be open towards learning and receiving more spiritual food. Poverty in spirit has nothing to do with material riches. There are people who are materially poor and yet very proud and unteachable.
The second argument used to promote poverty is found in Matthew 19:23-24 where Jesus said:
‘ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Many Christians misinterpret the passage of Matthew 19:23-24 by claiming that Jesus said: ‘it is impossible for a rich person to enter Heaven.’
Jesus never said that it is impossible for a rich person to enter Heaven. He said that it is difficult for a rich person to enter Heaven. The words ‘difficult’ and ‘impossible’ are two different words. Very clearly. We should also take note of the fact that as much as there will be some rich people who won’t make it to Heaven, there will also be some poor people who won’t make it to Heaven. Material poverty is not an automatic ticket to Heaven.There are people who are materially poor while living very unrighteous lifestyles.
Where does the ‘anti-wealth’ belief come from?
Back during the Middle-Age period, material poverty was praised as a quality by the Catholic Church and its priests. In truth, the real reason why the Catholic Church would praise poverty was because they wanted to ensure that the lower class of the population remained in poverty. That way, the rich people (land owners, Kings and aristocrats) would easily dominate while financing the Church. The objective of that manipulated teaching consisted in limiting the mindset of the lower class since the Old catholic church was working closely in favor of the rich. Back then, the rich (aristocrats) would make money through the servitude of the lower class.
It is sad that the old manipulated teaching has continued throughout centuries till now. And the Christians who speak against prosperity are not even aware of the origins of their ‘anti-wealth’ belief.
When it comes to wealth and prosperity: ‘stand by the Scriptures’
The passage of Matthew 19:23-24 should be explained in context. The passage comes from a conversation held between Jesus and a young rich man. In the conversation, the young man was told by Jesus to sell all his possessions and to give the proceeds to the poor. The young man walked away and was saddened by the instruction received by Jesus.
The issue of the young rich man was that he valued his riches more than God Himself. His wealth was his idol and he could not part ways from them.
Having wealth is not a problem. However, when a person is possessed by wealth, it becomes an issue. We should possess wealth and not the other way around. Wealth can never be an idol in our own eyes.
Bible Scriptures on wealth
''Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
The Garden of Eden was filled with all that Adam needed. God created Adam and Eve in an environment of prosperity..
This also means that God never planned for humanity to live in poverty.
Certain people believe that poverty is part of God’s plan for humans.
For centuries, many Christians who are uneducated with Bible subjects have long promoted the idea that Jesus promoted poverty.
They mainly use the following two passages to support their views: 'Matthew 5:3 and Matthew 19:23-24.’
For decades, many Christians believe that Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the poor’ while Jesus clearly said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ (Matthew 5:3).
A person who is poor in the spirit is very likely to be open towards learning and receiving more spiritual food. Poverty in spirit has nothing to do with material riches. There are people who are materially poor and yet very proud and unteachable.
The second argument used to promote poverty is found in Matthew 19:23-24 where Jesus said:
‘ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Many Christians misinterpret the passage of Matthew 19:23-24 by claiming that Jesus said: ‘it is impossible for a rich person to enter Heaven.’
Jesus never said that it is impossible for a rich person to enter Heaven. He said that it is difficult for a rich person to enter Heaven. The words ‘difficult’ and ‘impossible’ are two different words. Very clearly. We should also take note of the fact that as much as there will be some rich people who won’t make it to Heaven, there will also be some poor people who won’t make it to Heaven. Material poverty is not an automatic ticket to Heaven.There are people who are materially poor while living very unrighteous lifestyles.
Where does the ‘anti-wealth’ belief come from?
Back during the Middle-Age period, material poverty was praised as a quality by the Catholic Church and its priests. In truth, the real reason why the Catholic Church would praise poverty was because they wanted to ensure that the lower class of the population remained in poverty. That way, the rich people (land owners, Kings and aristocrats) would easily dominate while financing the Church. The objective of that manipulated teaching consisted in limiting the mindset of the lower class since the Old catholic church was working closely in favor of the rich. Back then, the rich (aristocrats) would make money through the servitude of the lower class.
It is sad that the old manipulated teaching has continued throughout centuries till now. And the Christians who speak against prosperity are not even aware of the origins of their ‘anti-wealth’ belief.
When it comes to wealth and prosperity: ‘stand by the Scriptures’
The passage of Matthew 19:23-24 should be explained in context. The passage comes from a conversation held between Jesus and a young rich man. In the conversation, the young man was told by Jesus to sell all his possessions and to give the proceeds to the poor. The young man walked away and was saddened by the instruction received by Jesus.
The issue of the young rich man was that he valued his riches more than God Himself. His wealth was his idol and he could not part ways from them.
Having wealth is not a problem. However, when a person is possessed by wealth, it becomes an issue. We should possess wealth and not the other way around. Wealth can never be an idol in our own eyes.
Bible Scriptures on wealth
''Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
(Psalm 35:27)
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
(Deuteronomy 8:18)
Notice that God enjoys the prosperity of His servants and He uses wealth as a sign of His covenant. If you rely on men’s opinions, you may easily feel bad for generating wealth but when you stand on the Scriptures, you will see that wealth is a good thing.
In Proverbs 13:22, the Bible states: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.”
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. Good people work at leaving an inheritance. This should motivate many of us to generate wealth so that our children and their children can get a headstart in life. That's what good do.
In most cases, the people who complain about prosperity messages are the ones who have never experienced or seen dirt poverty.
If a genuine message or a teaching on prosperity gets on your nerves, you are more than welcome to move away or ignore it. Simply because a message does not resonate with you, it does not mean that it won’t resonate to the poor person living in some poor area. We have to be cognisant of the needs of others.
Wealth is a good thing and I pray that wealth comes to you so that you can advance the interests of the Kingdom on Earth.
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
(Deuteronomy 8:18)
Notice that God enjoys the prosperity of His servants and He uses wealth as a sign of His covenant. If you rely on men’s opinions, you may easily feel bad for generating wealth but when you stand on the Scriptures, you will see that wealth is a good thing.
In Proverbs 13:22, the Bible states: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.”
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. Good people work at leaving an inheritance. This should motivate many of us to generate wealth so that our children and their children can get a headstart in life. That's what good do.
In most cases, the people who complain about prosperity messages are the ones who have never experienced or seen dirt poverty.
If a genuine message or a teaching on prosperity gets on your nerves, you are more than welcome to move away or ignore it. Simply because a message does not resonate with you, it does not mean that it won’t resonate to the poor person living in some poor area. We have to be cognisant of the needs of others.
Wealth is a good thing and I pray that wealth comes to you so that you can advance the interests of the Kingdom on Earth.