“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him … 20 Thou knowest the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 for it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they that heard it said who then can be saved? 27 And he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God." - Luke 18:18-27.
According to the scriptures quoted above, a very rich ruler asked the Lord Jesus what he (the ruler) must do to inherit eternal life and the Lord listed some commandments that he must obey which the ruler claimed he had already kept since his youth. This first response from the Lord clearly shows that keeping the commandments of God is a requirement for eternal life. Is this not also written in Matt 19:17 wherein the Lord said: if thou will enter into eternal life, keep the commandments? What a shame to those that preach one saved always saved, saying that salvation cannot be lost because it is not of works, thereby preaching what Christ Himself denounced! And then the Lord told him he lacked one thing. Again, that he lacked one thing is very important because this suggests that without this one thing, he cannot inherit eternal life. The Lord then told him that he must transfer all his earthly riches to heaven to keep them eternally secure. This will require him to remove his trust in his riches, part with all his riches by giving it to the poor, and then follow the Lord. This was his final test, the true test of the greatest commandment as written in Mark 12:29-31; the love of God above all. In this, this rich man was found lacking in that he departed from the Lord very sorrowful because he had great riches which he could not part with. He could not embrace the choice of laying up his riches in heaven by following the Lord on the earth and giving all his riches to the poor at the command of the Lord. In this, his love for God was imperfect. Then the Lord declared that rich men shall hardly enter into the kingdom of God i.e. very few rich men will be saved in the end because of their trust in riches. Not because God's mercy and grace is inadequate to save, but their own reluctance to part with riches and use them for the glory of God and the good of others. Indeed, it is hard for rich men to cease to “trust in riches” and rely upon God (1 Tim 6:9-12, 17-19). We must also say that being rich is no barrier to finding God if the rich will humble themselves and renounce all human sins and human merits. The rich may face more temptations and compromise but if true salvation is important enough to them, it will be easily received. God does not respect the rich more than the poor for He is no respecter of persons (Rom 2:11). The rich have to meet the same conditions as all others to be saved and that is why it is hard for them and why so few rich men pay the price to get saved. Nevertheless, a rich man does not have to give up all he has to be a disciple of the Lord and inherit eternal life, but he must become willing to do so if God would require it of him for this would be a true test for his love for God and His commandments.
There are many reasons why it is hard for many rich men to inherit eternal life; we have listed some of these below:
Their oppression of the poor to make themselves rich and make a show of their riches (Neh 5:1-13, James 2:6-7, 5:1-7, Prov 18:23, Jer 22:13-19).
Their lack of trust in God because of riches (Job 21:7-15, Psa 52:1-6, Job 31:24-28).
Their pride over success (Psa 73:3-9, Prov 28:11, 1 Tim 6:4-19)
Their sinful pleasures (Jer 5:7-9, 27-31, Amos 6:1-6)
Their boastings (Jer 9:23, Deut 8:17-18, 1 Tim 6:4-19)
Their covetousness for more riches (Luke 12:15-21, 16:13-31))
Their high-mindedness (1 Tim 6:17-18, James 1:10, Deut 8:17)))
Their refusal to obey God (Mark 10:21, Luke 12:15, Matt 6:19-21, Prov 23:4).
Riches in Scripture are considered the cause of much sin and rebellion against God; and for this cause, there are many warnings to men, especially Christians, to shun all covetousness of such (Deut 6:10-17, Psa 52:1-7, 73:1-22, Prov 23:4-5, 28:20-22, 30:8-9, Jer 9:23, Ezek 28:5, Matt 6:19, Luke 6:24, 12:15-20, 16:13-31, 1 Tim 6:4-19, James 1:9-11, 5:1-3).
Because the Lord, the Judge of all, has said that it is difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, we must know that this is true. We therefore exhort everyone among you that aspire to be rich and even those that are already rich among you not to be high-minded, trusting in riches but to trust in the living God. Do good and be rich in good works towards God serving Him faithfully, for this is the true measure of your riches in the sight of the Most High and in the world to come. Be ready to help others to the degree that God is pleased and be willing to communicate with all men including the poor, not despising them. By doing these things, you will lay up treasures in heaven and in the end you will lay hold on eternal life, which is only in Jesus Christ. As these things are also written in 1 Tim 6:17-19, please practice them. And covet not to be rich, for all covetousness is idolatry which God hates. Peace be to you all. Maranatha.
