Is It Impossible for the Rich to Enter Heaven
17 August 2013
By Mark Farquharson
Jesus said:
Mark 10:25 Easier is it for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to be entering into the kingdom of God."
If that is the case then surely it is impossible for the rich man to enter the kingdom of God, for there is no way for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Unless one has a very big needle or a very small camel.
Mark 10:26-27 Now they were exceedingly astonished, saying to Him, "And who can be saved? Now, looking at them, Jesus is saying, "With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all is possible with God."
All is possible with God, thus it is possible for the rich man to be saved.
Why then is it hard for the rich man to enter the kingdom? Lets stat at the point when Jesus encounters the rich man.
Mark 10:17 And at His going out into the road, lo! one certain rich man, running toward Him and falling on his knees before Him, inquired of Him, "Good Teacher! What shall I be doing that I should be enjoying the allotment of life eonian?
The rich man what to know what he had to do to get an allotment.
Mark 10:19-20 With the precepts you are acquainted: You should not be murdering. You should not be committing adultery. You should not be stealing. You should not be testifying falsely. You should not be cheating. 'Be honoring your father and mother.'" Now he averred to Him, "Teacher, all these I maintain from my youth."
Jesus first told him all those the things he should do, that would be easy for him to do. In fact the rich man said that he was already maintaining these from his youth.
Then Jesus ask him to do something that would be hard for him to do:
Mark 10:21-22 Now Jesus, looking at him, loves him, and said to him, "Still one thing you are wanting. Go. Whatever you have, sell, and be giving to the poor, and you will be having treasure in heaven. And hither! Follow Me, picking up the cross." Yet he, being somber at the word, came away sorrowing, for he was one who has many acquisitions."
Jesus told the rich man to sell whatever he had and give to the poor. However the rich man could not give up his many possessions that he had. That is my he came away sorrowing.
Mark 10:23-24 And, looking about, Jesus is saying to His disciples, "How squeamishly shall those who have money be entering into the kingdom of God!" Now the disciples were awe-struck at His words. Yet Jesus, again answering, is saying to them, "Children, how squeamish it is for those who have confidence in money to be entering into the kingdom of God!"
The rich man’s problem was that he had confidence in money. Thus he could not give up his possessions, to follow Jesus. Do not place you confidence in possessions, in things. Place you confidence in Jesus and his father God.
Will the rich be saved? Here it says it is possible with God, not that it will happen.
However there are other verses that clearly state that All are Saved, that would include the rich:
1 Timothy 4:9-11 Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for this are we toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching.
The living God is the
Saviour of all mankind, especially of believers, but not only of believers, for believers are not all mankind. For him to be saviour of all mankind, the rich must be saved as well as the poor.
1 John 4:14 And we have gazed upon Him, and are testifying that the Father has dispatched the Son, the Saviour of the world.
John 1:29 On the morrow he is observing Jesus coming toward him, and is saying, "Lo! the Lamb of God Which is taking away the sin of the world!
Jesus is the
Saviour of the world, because he is the one taking away the sin of the world.
1 Corinthians 15:21-22 For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified.
{CLV}
All mankind are dying in Adam, since Adam is the first man, thus also all mankind shall be made alive {vivified} in Christ, rich or poor.
1 Timothy 2:1-6 I am entreating, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, pleadings, thanksgiving be made for all mankind, for kings and all those being in a superior station, that we may be leading a mild and quiet life in all devoutness and gravity, for this is ideal and welcome in the sight of our Saviour, God, Who wills that all mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth. For there is one God, and one Mediator of God and mankind, a Man, Christ Jesus, Who is giving Himself a correspondent Ransom for all (the testimony in its own eras),
God is the Saviour who wills that all mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth. What God wills, will be done. Thus all mankind will be saved and come into the realization of the truth, that Christ Jesus is giving Himself a
correspondent Ransom for all, that being all mankind, rich or poor.
{All verses CLV}
Copyright © Mark J Farquharson 2013