Can The Rich Go To Heaven?
Can the rich go to heaven if the Bible says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of God?
“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.”(Matt 19:24)
This is one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. First of all, it is not talking about heaven. It is talking about God’s Kingdom here on earth. If we surrender our lives to Christ, and choose to do God’s will here on earth, we have stepped into the Kingdom- we are a follower of God and privy to His benefits.
In the book of Matthew there is a prayer called “The Our Father” which is a template to teach us how to pray. The prayer includes a very poignant verse about the Kingdom of God:
“…Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”(Matt 6:10)
God was teaching His disciples that only through prayer, will His Kingdom come to earth. What is His kingdom? It is a place of an abundance of everything that is good- including health. No sickness exists in heaven. Therefore Christ followers are taught that through our right-standing with God (righteousness) we have the ability to have powerful and effective prayers.
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”(Mark 16:17-18 KJV)
This verse is talking about Satan and the evil powers of darkness in this world- not actual serpents and scorpions. So anything negative that comes into our lives is NOT from the Lord. God provides us with an escape route. After we surrender our lives to Christ and live our life as He instructs, we have the power within us (The Holy Spirit) to overcome all the negative situations we encounter in life. This doesn’t mean instantaneously, or even every time, but the power to move heaven to act is within Christ followers.
A kingdom is a territory ruled by a king.
The Kingdom of God is the spiritual reign or authority of God. We know that God rules in the heavens but He is telling us that His Kingdom can also be brought down to earth through the prayers of His followers.
Now back to the wealthy… they have a harder time relying on the Lord, consulting with the Lord and seeking the Lord for direction and guidance because they can provide for themselves. They aren’t reliant on the Lord for their next meal. They can use their finances to get themselves out of difficult and expensive situations- situations that would make seeking the Lord top priority for a financially strapped person.
Most of us in America could be considered rich. We live, eat, and have a roof over our head without having to seek God for help in obtaining these necessities. This level of independence can make us spiritually distant from the Lord and give us little reason to be obedient to His ways. If life is manageable, we usually forget about the Lord.
All Christians, both the rich and poor, who believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, have the powerful Holy Spirit within us. The Bible tells us that Jesus informed His disciples and all future followers, that they can heal the sick, cast out demons, and they have power over all the power of the enemy (Satan) because Jesus has given us this power.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”(Eph 3:20)
So the rich -essentially all of us except those in abject poverty- will certainly have a hard time living life in the Kingdom of God (aka Kingdom of heaven) on earth because we are not seeking it. Having more than our basic needs met, we ignorantly look to human means when we have a need. But I urge those who are not living a life submitted to Christ to prayerfully consider it.
Proverb 3 speaks of the benefits of being a Christ follower.
Bringing God’s Kingdom To Earth
My son, do not forget my teaching,
keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
(Prov 3:1-10)
Submitting our lives to Christ seems hard. We think that in doing this the Lord may take away all fun in our lives. But He is actually protecting us by leading us away from poor choices that will cause negative consequences that last a lifetime.
Surrender requires full trust in God and it is difficult to do with wealth. Wealth creates power and choices and these attribute turn our faces from God.
As a matter of fact, although wealth brings options for enjoyment in life, it doesn’t bring sustained peace. Anxiety and discontent can still be very present in our lives. But all is not lost! These feelings are actually a good thing for a believer. Because they may be the actual turning point to surrendering our life to Christ. When we do this peace comes immediately! Then, as we stay in rightstanding with God, studying in the Bible, we will begin to understand all of the benefits of His Kingdom on earth. My favorite being- powerful prayers!
Can the rich get into the Kingdom of heaven? Yes, but everyone who desires to enter here on earth must surrender their lives to the Lord. Remember however, that you will never be worse off if you decide to take the plunge!
For more on the kingdom see here
Food For Thought,
Lisa
