WHY A RICH PERSON CAN HARDLY ENTER HEAVEN
Dear friend, before you become startled and wonder about today’s topic, let us look at the Words of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 19:23-24 (AMPC), “And Jesus said to His disciples, Truly I say to you, it will be difficult for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go into the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus made this statement because He knows that majority of rich people put their entire attention and trust on their resources to solve all their challenges in life.
The rich person believes he can use his money to have his way all the time and because our world is wired around money, many people unfortunately have the same wrong thinking.
In fact, to buttress this point some even quote the Holy Bible text in Ecclesiastes 10:19b (AMPC), “But Money answers all things.”
Now, why is it difficult for the rich to enter heaven? It is because they feel they have no need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they have no need for God since they have been able to succeed financially in life.
Let’s quickly see some of the things the rich can do that majority of people cannot:
ü The
rich can conveniently pay his hospital bills whenever he or any member of his
family is sick.
ü He can
travel to any part of the world on a first class ticket and lodge in any hotel
of his choice
Now, how easy do you think it is for a preacher of the Gospel to talk to such a rich person and for such person to become convinced that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life and that no human can reach God without Jesus Christ?
I know a rich man who once said that his success in life is as a result of “luck.” This careless statement is saying that God’s grace does not exist and that even God Himself does not exist!!
I have seen a number of rich individuals who refer to themselves as self-made.
For a poor person, his hope is to become rich someday in life or at least to be able to make money to enable him pay his bills conveniently.
So the poor man can listen to anyone speaking to him that can show him how to solve his most pressing needs in life.
Even if he is told about Jesus Christ as his only hope in life, he would pay attention just to get out of his troubles.
Fortunately, the Bible even makes reference to this fact in James 2:5 (AMPC), “Listen, my beloved brethren: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and in their position as believers and to inherit the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him?”
For the rich man, what is his hope and faith other than the riches his mind is constantly focused on?
No wonder all the occult groups all over the world promise riches to their would-be members to lure them into a covenant with the devil.
Can you now see the grave danger in riches particularly for those who got their riches first without having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?
This is why we are told in Psalm 62:10b-11 (AMPC), “if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
11 God has spoken once, twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God.”
God says when your riches increase, do not set your heart on it because all power belongs to God.
The only time a rich person may be interested in hearing the Gospel is when his or her resources is unable to solve a major problem that is threatening his very existence.
This is the time he is willing to listen when you share the gospel with him.
However, it is not every rich man that would have this opportunity of knowing and accepting the Truth about the Gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a result, many rich and famous individuals are perishing daily and going on to an eternal damnation in HELL, unfortunately.
This is God’s demand of every human being including all rich people in Jeremiah 9:23-24 (AMPC), “Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise and skillful person glory and boast in his wisdom and skill; let not the mighty and powerful person glory and boast in his strength and power; let not the person who is rich [in physical gratification and earthly wealth] glory and boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] riches;
24 But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord. [I Cor. 1:31; II Cor. 10:17.]”
Finally, let me say here that there is nothing wrong in having riches because the Holy Bible makes it clear that it is the blessing of God that makes someone rich without adding sorrows to it – Proverbs 10:22.
After all, money is required to pay bills in this life for every human’s basic needs.
What God is telling us is that as a rich person you MUST put 100% trust only in Him (God Almighty and Father of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) and not in your riches to be able to solve your challenges.
When you do this, then you would see how easy it is to always acknowledge God as the source of your riches and all you have in this life and you would be more interested in using your God-given resources for the work of Gospel through offerings, paying tithes, making donations to Church projects and helping the poor and needy.
Jesus Christ is coming NOW to take in Rapture ONLY those who are ready and waiting for Him.
Is Jesus the Saviour and Lord of your life? Are you ready for Him?
May the good Lord bless you as you heed His Word today, act on it and share with others in Jesus’ Most Powerful Name, Amen.
Gabriel Ama.
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