What Jesus is Not Saying about Riches (TMF:1457)

Tuesday, September 15, 2020
Peace to Live By: What Jesus is Not Saying about Riches (TMF:1457) - Daniel Litton
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       We can either seek everything this world has to offer us—the pride of life—or we can seek to make God happy and often have both. In this passage, there are many things about the rich young man that Jesus is not saying. Number one, Jesus is not saying it is the responsibility of a new convert to sell everything he has and give to the poor. If that were true, how would a Christian live life? How could one have a family? How could one even give to the church? Even Jesus himself likely owned things. Number two, Jesus is not making the point that a disciple who sells all he has is greater than one who does not. That may be another way someone may incorrectly interpret this passage. Just selling everything a person has and giving to the poor does not make a person perfect. That’s not what Jesus is articulating here. Number three, Jesus is not saying it is wrong for a Christian to in fact be rich. Many of us who Jesus has called are rich.