Should christians enjoy wealth or even be rich?

First, it is important to realize that it is not a sin to be wealthy. The ancient patriarchs Job, Abraham, and King Solomon were all very wealthy. In fact, God made them wealthy (Job 42:12-16; Genesis 12:1-3; 13:2; 1 Kings 3:10-14). God's action simply proves that being wealthy is not wrong or God would not have done that.

God never rebukes wealthy Christians for being wealthy. He simply warns them to be generous. However, God does rebuke them as well as others for not loving Him and for sinning.
When God walked this earth, He told several people to give their money away. One of them was a rich young ruler (Matt. 19:16-26). Jesus said that because money was their god. They loved their money more than they loved God. So we should not be surprised that Jesus challenged them to give their money. By saying that, Jesus helped them discover what was truly important to them. It was not God.


Now let's ask the question, "Should pastors be wealthy?" In the Old Testament the Levites or the priests were not given an inheritance of the land. Consequently, the Levites were not able to grow their food. They lived among the people, and the Jewish people supported them with tithes of about 23.33 percent. Were the Levites wealthy? Most likely some had more money than others. Were any wealthy? We do not know.
These applies to everyone - whether they are a Levite or a member of the clergy.

The key to understanding this verse is the word "serve." There are some poor people who are controlled by money just as much as some rich people. Also, there are people who give their money to others without regard to how much they own. Having money is not the issue. The issue is your heart attitude towards the money that God has given you.

Notice that the ownership of money is not the root of evil. The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.

Comments

  1. Its good to know the truth! God bless you for sharing my piece on your blog! lol

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  2. Real truth my sis! but these thoughts that Christianity is synonymous with poverty is erroneous .

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  3. It is a miracle to me when I see Christians who are poor because, naturally it doesn't or should not happen. King Solomon of blessed memory referred to such situations as error: ...slaves on horseback, while princes go on foot like slaves (Eccle 10:5-7). Apostle Paul said: "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? " (Romans 8:32). '... all things..' means 'ALL THINGS. 'Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need' (matthew 6:33) '...everything...' means 'EVERYTHING'.

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  4. one sociologist, Karl Marx once said 'For the bureaucrat, the world is a mere object to be manipulated by him. the bureaucrat will do anything to secure his wealth and comfort. this contradicts the doctrine of church, which also presupposes that, there is no room for a christian here. looking at the other side of the coin, the bible says, I will give you abundant peace if you live your lives according to my words ('peace' include redundant wealth). looking at this from a logical perspective, all Christians are suppose to be rich 'all things being equal'

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  5. The notion that a minister's work is limited to just Sunday pulpit preaching is the issue. I wish everyone will have the opportunity to genuinely play that role for a month and they will realize that they need to be paid more.

    If men get paid soo much a week for kicking a ball around, what about those who take custody of precious souls. It's all an issue of faith and love in Christ and remember whosoever wish can tap into that blessing.

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