Outline Christian teaching on wealth and poverty.

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ai) Outline Christian teaching on wealth and poverty.

Christianity is regularly mistaken a saying that "money is the root of all evil". However, this is not Christian teaching. Christians believe that "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10) as it can heavily influence and dictate peoples' lives. Wealth and riches can be used to good deeds and so it is not always bad. For example, in the parable of The Good Samaritan, the Samaritan used his money for good. He paid an inn-keeper to look after a beaten-priest who was robbed and stripped of his clothes and afterwards, didn't expect anything in return.

Idolatry according to the Oxford online dictionary is the worship of idols, adulation. It originates from the Greek eidolon "idol" and latreia "worship". The Bible teaches us not to idolise material things or anything other than God. It teaches us this in the Ten Commandments "You shall have no other gods before me". "You shall not steal". "You shall not covet your neighbour's goods". Matthew 6:24 also says that "You cannot serve both God and money". This shows that worship of anything other than God is wrong, especially as it distances us from Him. God is a jealous God and so he detests this as he wants our unconditional love.

Agape, according to the Oxford online dictionary is Christian love as distinct from erotic love or simple affection. It originates from the Greek - "brotherly love". Therefore, we must help out brothers. This does not only extend to blood-related brothers, but to everyone, including the poor. This is so that "there should be no poor among you" (Deuteronomy 15:4). However, the help that we give must be humble and out of the public-eye, otherwise the giving can instead become a receiving in terms of an improved reputation, which can help gain a person extra money. "Be careful not to do your "acts of righteousness" before men to be seen by them" (Matthew 6:1). Also, it's not the amount of money you sacrifice, it's how much you sacrifice in terms of the wealth you have. The help we give should not simply be through words, but through actions as well, as actions speak louder than words. "Little children, let us not love in truth or speech nut in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18). Furthermore, James 2 says that "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

In The Widow's Offering, a poor widow gave money to the temple, but the amount given was miniscule to that given by others. After seeing this Jesus said "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on."

The Church's official stance on the subject of wealth and poverty is shown through the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). 1723 "true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement - however beneficial it may be - such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love". It also says that "Love for the poor is incompatible with the immoderate used of riches or their selfish use". This shows that being wealthy is not necessarily beneficial. Happiness is not found in money or material possessions, instead, it is found in God and the love given to Him and reciprocated from Him. Although, having material possessions is not bad. St. Clement said that a man who "holds his possessions... as gifts of God... is worthy to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven." We must also be wary that we must not be proud of our wealth - Luke 12:13-21 "Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth", as it is not we who have created it, but it is a gift from God.
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Being wealthy or poor is neither intrinsically evil nor good - it's neutral. This is because it is not our wealth-status that is important, it's how we respond to it. Some people think that if you are poor, you are guaranteed to get into Heaven due to the Bible scripture - "Those who suffer on Earth will go to Heaven". However, this quote should not be taken at face value. Instead, it means that if you are poor in hope that being poor will get you into heaven, then that is wrong and instead, you will go to ...

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