Is it better, spiritually, to be poor than to be rich?

in #steemchurch7 years ago

For many years, this has been a huge debate within Christians. Some think as a Christian, you’re entitled to all God’s blessing and you should be rich. And some also thinks you should be rugged in the lord and therefore taking your eyes off money and remain the way you are.

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  • How does your financial status affect your spiritual status?
    Which do you think is better? to be poor or rich?

Deuteronomy 15:4

Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:

According to this scripture, God promised the people of Israel freedom from poverty if the people followed God’s laws.
But in the book of Luke, Christ taught of being poor and blessed.

Luke 6:20

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

And also in 1 Timothy 6:8–10, Apostle Paul addressed this issue perfectly. Having food and raiment let’s stay contented. Because those that insist in getting rich fall into diverse temptations and a trap and into many harmful desires that plunge people to ruin their life at the end of everything. He also made us to know that the love of money is a root of all series of evil. Some people, eager for money too much, therefore have wandered from the faith and finding their life pierced with many griefs. But on my opinion, I would say that having money is not in anyway wrong, but loving money is. and we should take note of this-

The abundance of money or the lack of money is less important than our spiritual condition.

can riches be a stumbling block in our spiritual life?

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Mark 10:17–22Which shows the account of the rich young ruler, this should show us a little of how riches can be a spiritual stumbling block. When Jesus met this man, he asked him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor, and follow him. The man was wrath and walked away because he was a man of much wealth.
The wealth of this young man was a barrier to him in this case , the wealth was a negative experience to him since it kept him from following Christ. He valued his money more than the love he had for Jesus.

In conclusion, humans sees someone that’s wealthy as a blessing or someone who God loves and the poor as a cursed creature. God’s has greater plan for making this things jut the way they are, and uses both the wealthy people and the poor ones to accomplish His will. Let’s not get involved in the temptation of thinking/seeing wealth as God’s only blessing and instead be content in any and every circumstance we find our self. As a Christian, we should know that God blessings are not define by riches or how successful you may be in this world. But are determined in their fullness in a kingdom not of this world.
I believe this has brought a clear explanation to you all in the steemchurch.

Thanks for coming thus far with me

WILL YOU JOIN THE CRUSADE FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY IN THE BLOCKCHAIN?


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I don't know how I missed this. This is definitely one of the best SteemChurch posts I read today. You made your points clearly stand out.

The topic you addressed is one that has caused disagreements in many congregations. Wealth is good, but as you said the overly love of money is what is bad. We should be careful when asked to choose between following Jesus or riches. Many of God's servants are rich, but it is rich not to make riches a stumbling block.

The scriptures says we should not be lazy. Let's do some work and make money - that is the right thing to do.

Thank you very much sir.
Your contributions are also superb.
I believe others will learn from this also.

Thanks to you brother @odiaprecious for your contribution too. May God bless you.

Thank you apostle #Jaff8. Am delighted to see you commenting on my post.
It’s a privilege.
Thanks for your contribution also.

We've been looking for old posts we may have missed, then we came across your post.

Thanks for this brilliant article. We have to be spiritually rich - as that defines our lives. Material things are needed for our daily survival, so we have to work too.

Upvoted & Resteemed
J8.

Riches can be a stumbling block and a blessing, it all depends on your perception about wealth.
Being rich doesnt necessarily entail the amount of worldly possession you have but your willingness to give and help others with what you possess.

The bible says its Gods plan to prosper you and a simple study of the bible reveals maby of Gods servants eg Daniel, Job, Jacob, Abraham were abundantly blessed. However, they each had a test to pass before God entrusted them with that wealth. Additionally the concept of free money has no place in christianity. God expects you to work and be productive and your wealth shoyld enable you to do Gods work. As long as there is immaturity or secret sin God cannot bless you and neither can God bless someone who does not work for his wealth.

I think it is a very wrong misconception to think that being poor equates to spiritual growth,and vice versa. Our God is a rich God. Why would he want us to be poor? The bible says

The Lord shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory,by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4: 19

Please let's change this way of thinking .

I will throw more light to the question "can riches be a stumbling block for our spiritual life"... It can indeed be a stumbling block in ones life if one choose it to be so, It is very neccessary to make Good time for our spiritual life that is strengthening our relationship with God, more over we can also strengthen our spiritual life using our wealth by wholeheartedly giving back to the community through some charity works. nice one @cleverly 👍

Jesus said that it will be hard for an elephant to pass truogh the eye of a neddle same it is for a rich man and viewing it from the story of the rich man and lazaarus we all knoww the story,in todays world it is regarded that the xhurch is made for the poor because they are the ones that needs God more than others .

Thanks for stopping by.

I still believe riches cannot be a stumbling block to our Christian faith.
This is why before we pray for blessings from the lord, it has to be according to his riches in glory.

Very controversial I must confess. I am totally sandwiched in this post but I'll prefer to be rich eternally than for the moment.

This writeup is precise and accurate.
Blessings are not only a measure of wealth.
There are ways God blesses every man and we even fail to realize them.

Thanks for your contributions too.