this is so lame, friend.
Being Rich Is A Sin
- Thread starter Squeaky
- Start date
this is so lame, friend.
My view is that it's not all that clear because it doesn't condemn Earthly riches outright rather it's just stating that the more you have, the easier it is to lose sight of what is truly important. So i agree, rich people will find it more difficult to keep their focus on God, but it's not saying "Therefore, you should not be rich". Mark 10:25 says- 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. The question here is if you have wealth, could you give it all away if God asked you too? If your answer is no, you should consider the place which wealth has in your life.
iouae
Well-known member
Fantastic news. I am safe from that sin.
that's way too high for Jesus' standard.
What should the punishment be for those who earn more than that per year?
I said
God has allowed man to set the standard for a few things. Like accountable age for children.
I said
Its not if they earn it but if they give it all away to the poor. And stay under that number.
Allow me to rephrase.
What should be the punishment for those who do not give away their wealth?
Let me ask you this, Squeaky.
What if, instead of giving that wealth away, the rich person can use that money to employ poor people more effectively, and then make a profit from it, and then can grow his business?
What then?
I said
Well you would have to ask yourself. Is that what God said to do? Or is your greed taking advantage of Gods goodness?
God Does Not Accept Excuses. Only Obedience or repentance.
Rom 15:17-18
17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God.
18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient--
2 Cor 2:8-9
8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
Phil 2:8-12
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
1 Pet 1:13-17
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
Rom 1:20-22
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
John 15:21-22
21 "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
22 "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
(NKJ)
xxx God didnt create excuses, man did. God only accepts obedience or repentance. No excuses.
Rom 15:17-18
17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God.
18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient--
2 Cor 2:8-9
8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
Phil 2:8-12
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
1 Pet 1:13-17
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
Rom 1:20-22
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
John 15:21-22
21 "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
22 "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
(NKJ)
xxx God didnt create excuses, man did. God only accepts obedience or repentance. No excuses.
Squeaky, how well can a poor man do Galatians 5:13?
How well can a rich man?
If a Christians becomes rich, would his desires tend towards Galatians 5:13 or away from that, considering that his fruits would be Galatians 5:22-23, considering verse 24?
I said
lol You have danced around it and skirted it but you avoid it. If a rich man was giving as much as God required he wouldn't be rich anymore. If he gives but remains rich he is greedy and robbing the poor.
But if he's poor, how can he employ others?
Is not providing a workplace for others serving them? and in turn, are they not serving him, and in turn, is he then not able to serve his customers better?
Is that not what Galatians 5:13 says, to serve one another? That's how an economy works, Squeaky, by man serving his fellow man.
A rich man can employ more people than a poor man can, can he not?
I'm trying to get you to think this issue through, Squeaky, instead of just repeating your beliefs over and over again.
If a business owner gave everything away in service to the Lord, he would have to lay off every single one of his employees, because he wouldn't be able to pay them anymore. How is that serving his fellow man?
I said
That is all logic from the devil. If he was paying his employees what he is suppose to? Again he wouldn't be rich. His riches would be given to the employees.
James 5:1-6
1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.
4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.
(NKJ)
If he is getting a big profit, he could also cut down on the price and show a little compassion on his customers.
It's really not...
Yes, if the business owner was paying his employees fair wage, being mindful of his income and expenses like any businessman worth his salt. If he was treating his employees right.
Are you sure, if he was doing everything right, his business would grow. He would be making more than he was spending, including paying his employees. He would eventually be able to hire more employees, and grow his business even more, and be able to serve more customers, provide a better product. He would be fulfilling Galatians 5:13.
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. - Galatians 5:13 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians5:13&version=NKJV
Squeaky, have you ever noticed what is said in verse 4 and verse 6?
Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. - James 5:4 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James5:4&version=NKJV
Now, I'm not sure about your Bible, but the New King James Version has section titles, which briefly describe what the section of text in that chapter is about. While it obviously is not part of Scripture, it can give us a bit of context to what is being said.
Verses 1-6 are titled, "Rich Oppressors will be Judged."
Rich oppressors... Hmmm. That sounds like a specific group of those who are rich, and not just a blanket grouping of all rich people. But again, the title is not found in scripture, but is just something added by the compilers of the Bible version to make it easier to understand what is being said....
Verse 4 says that the laborers' wages were held back fraudulently. James, when simply reading through the section, seems to be condemning those who are oppressing their laborers (or to use another word, their employees) through fraud.
Verse 6 says that the righteous are being slaughtered because they are resisting. James is condemning this type of oppressor as well.
Also, as a side note, I don't see anywhere in that passage where it says that the riches just be given away... Do you have a verse that says that a rich Christian must give away his wealth instead of using it for good?
What if his prices are already the cheapest items of that type being made? He can't make his product free, or he wouldn't make any money at all and his company would fail.
I said
A Christian is mindful of Gods Word. And if his business grows why cant the employees wages grow. What ever it takes to keep his self from falling under the rich curse. When he gets off into the rich curse he becomes a Rich oppressor