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Can the rich enter Heaven? The answer is a resounding yes. Being rich does not make it impossible to enter Heaven. The confusion comes from Jesus words here:
“Again I tell you, 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.”
Here is this verse in context.
Matthew 19:16-30
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, “`Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,
19 honor your father and mother,’ and `love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 Again I tell you, 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.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.On close examination of this passage it is clear that Jesus never said that the rich man didn’t have eternal life. The rich man’s question was as follows: “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life”?
Jesus Answered: “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments”. After a discussion on which commandments he needed to keep, it became clear that the rich man had kept these commandments. Case closed.However, the rich man presses Jesus further and asks “What do I still lack?” Notice that he wasn’t saying what do I lack in order to obtain eternal life, The conversation had moved on. Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, sell your possessions and give them to the poor, and you will have reward/treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. The rich man went away sad because he had great wealth.
Jesus said that if the man wanted to be perfect, then sell all that he had. Jesus did not say this in reference to the earlier point about being saved. Basically the man was not sad because he was couldn’t bring himself to sell his possessions and thus be saved, but that he could not sell his possessions and be perfect so as to receive Heavenly reward on top of his salvation. This is also taught in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 where salvation and reward are two different but complimentary things and not all who are saved receive reward.
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.
So there you have it. Jesus was talking about two things here, salvation and reward.
Now back to Matthew 19:16-30 where I will discuss some other possibilities regarding Mathew 19. In verse 24 & 25 Jesus goes on to say that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. So difficult in fact, that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. Isn’t it impossible for a camel to go through the eye of a needle? According to a couple of views, the answer is no,
The first speculation goes back centuries even over a millennium ago. But there is no absolute proof that this is true. We know that the city of Jerusalem had a wall around it for protection. The wall had a number of gates where you could enter the city. These gates were closed at night except for one gate, called the ‘Eye of the needle”. This gate was half closed, i.e., the door came part way down and left a gap underneath with enough room to crawl under. The reason was so caravans (camel trains) could still enter the city at night, but marauders on horse back could not. Camels unlike horses could get down and crawl under the gate after their baggage was removed and obviously so could the men driving the camels, while horses could not. The view here is that Jesus was basically saying that a rich man must lower or humble himself if he is to enter the Kingdom. The next speculation is that he word ‘camel’ basically means ‘rope’ because some rope was made from camel hair, thus the passage is not talking about a literal camel. Who knows. There is no proof that any of these are right.
Whatever the case, Jesus says “that all things are possible with God”. Hence it is absolutely possible for a rich man to enter Heaven. In other parts of the Bible we see that the rich are instructed to be generous in this world. We also have to note that some great men of God were also rich such as Job, Joseph, David, and Solomon. Finally, Matthew 27:57-58 talks about a rich man who was also a disciple of Christ.
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.
58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.After I read your account, it made me look at it with different eyes. There are rich people who obey God help the poor whom I now believe will be saved. On the other hand there are rich people that may be greedy, vain, full of lust and unrepenting with no obedience to God. I think these are the kind of rich people Jesus was referring to.
As you said, Job, David Solomen were rich yet God loved them. Even Lazarus
whom Jesus loved and even brought him back from the dead was very rich and as I said, Jesus loved him. He was very rich yet he was a man of God. These are
not the rich that Jesus was referring to.Good. God looks at the heart, not the outward appearance.
Some who are rich got there by being immoral and serving mammon. But that is not true with all rich people. Some became rich by inheritance, others by successful business, still others because of an extraordinary natural gift they possess like being a world-class soccer player. Such things do not damn a person, but where their heart is.
Further, we in the Western World who own their own home and have one or two cars and can afford holidays are rich by comparison to most of the world. Surely we are not damned by reason of our wordily privilege. Rather we have been instructed to be generous.
Anybody that will, by faith alone in Christ alone, accept Christ as Savior can be saved. Rich and Poor alike…
Christ died on the Cross
Christ was buried
Christ rose from the grave
Hi and welcome Osnola,
Where does scripture preach your gospel?
Accepting Jesus is a popular idea for salvation but is it scriptural?
Osnola Kinnard.
Have you tested what you have heard and repeated?
James preaches against the teaching of faith alone by teaching faith without works is dead. Actually Paul does to but his words are not as literal after all righteousness from God is works; it is just God’s works. I have not mentioned grace but it is in there both in that faith comes from grace and the works of God are God’s grace on those that believe. There should be know that all good things come by the grace of God.
Of course it may mean that the words “faith alone” are not meant to be understood literally. In which case could you be clearer. Thank you.
24 Again I tell you, 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.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”What is impossible with man, but possible with God?
Perhaps giving up riches.
Jesus said unto him, If thou desire to be perfect, go and sell what thou hast and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.
Matt 19.21miia,
It is about more that what Jesus literally told the rich man or the disciples would have not said “Who then can be saved?” Even the poor exist “who”. The answer is in order to be saved one needs the power of God which is exactly the answer Jesus gave to them.
Hi,
It is essential that we do not have no needs. The righteous walk by faith.
We need to be dependant on God for our supply.
Give us this day our daily bread.
God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith-james
Hi and welcome Osnola,
Where does scripture preach your gospel?
Accepting Jesus is a popular idea for salvation but is it scriptural?
Nick, pay close attention to his words.
Anybody that will, by faith alone in Christ alone, accept Christ as Savior can be saved. Rich and Poor alike…
It is true that they can be saved.
Hi T8,
Faith is the essential starting point.
Then faith in the commands and obedience to them.
Why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do as I say?
Nick
you don’t even believe the words that Jesus spoked ,how can you give advise that you don’t follow ?
Nick
you don’t even believe the words that Jesus spoke ,how can you give advise that you don’t follow ?
Nick, you are trying to change the subject or point I made. You were wrong, just admit it. You said:
Hi and welcome Osnola,
Where does scripture preach your gospel?
And what did he say?
Anybody that will, by faith alone in Christ alone, accept Christ as Savior can be saved. Rich and Poor alike…
He is right Nick. You are clearly wrong when you oppose these true words of Osnola.
BTW, welcome Osnola. Yes there are those who seek to condemn you here. Ignore them, there will always be Pharisees and the religious proud who gather around to persecute those who are innocent and love God. Jesus suffered them and so will all who seek to live a godly life in Christ Jesus.
It is true that anybody that will, by faith alone in Christ alone, accept Christ as Savior can be saved. Rich and Poor alike…
They can be saved Nick. You were wrong.
Thanks for being honest. So that makes your answer to Osnola wrong and uncalled for. You could apologise to him/her if you want.
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