Christianity: Poverty and Wealth

Authors Avatar

29/06/2003                                                                                                            Najim Abbasi 10c

Christianity: Poverty and Wealth

Christian Teachings

 

Ever since the beginning of the Christian faith, poverty and wealth have been a big issue. Before Jesus was born, the rich would use religion to keep the poor away from them. The wealthy thought their riches were a blessing from God and that their faith and dedication was a reason for God bestowing them with wealth. They believed that the poor were not true followers of God and therefore suffered with poverty. They thought that the poor were not as important in the eyes of God. However, Jesus himself was born in a poor family and he was born in a stable where the animals were kept. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9. Jesus and his disciples didn’t own anything. Jesus thought that greed and attachment to wealth would prevent people from going to heaven. Jesus was once asked by a rich man how he should inherit eternal life. When Jesus told him to give up his wealth to the poor and to follow Jesus, the rich man went away upset. Jesus commented that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” in Luke 18:25. The message behind this story is that the no matter how good a person may lead his life, he always has an attachment to worldly and materialistic things and that with this attachment it is impossible for him to enter heaven.

God was never against the rich themselves. Abraham, Job and Solomon all were devout believers of God and their wealth was never condemned by God. Jesus believed that by being rich, however, it gave people a feeling of comfort and protection. It gave people the feeling of desire and greed. This was what Jesus was particularly against and believed that this was what would prevent a select few from reaching heaven. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” Luke 6: 20 and Luke 6:24. He believed that, “You cannot serve both God and money.” Luke 16:13. All men and women were equal in God’s eyes regardless of status and wealth: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26.

In the Bible, Saint James said that the most important people in heaven were the outcasts of society making them one of the most loved people of God: “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” James 2:5. In 1Timothy 6:10, Saint Paul said that “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Through this quote, Saint Paul emphasizes that monetary problems lead to most wrong doings such as stealing, corruption and gambling. Saint Paul did not condemn money or wealth and neither did Jesus but said that the love of money was wrong and this is what kept a rich man from entering heaven. He also said that, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” God instructs wealthy Christians to put their money to good use by sharing their money with others who are less fortunate. Jesus taught his followers to stop working for money and start working for God because God will feed and clothe all his followers in Luke 12:22: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.” 

Join now!

Now, many Christians themselves try and help the poor. Many believe that they should work towards ending poverty in the world. Some people help the poor in obedience to Jesus Christ and share their wealth with those who need it. In businesses, some Christians make sure that their way of earning money doesn’t hurt anybody in the process. Christians all around the world take part in charities and help raise money for the poor. One such person was Mother Teresa, ““Our love of the poor comes from our love of Jesus. We try to serve him in the poorest ...

This is a preview of the whole essay