Who is rich? People usually think of the top 1/3rd as rich, the bottom 1/3rd as poor, and the middle as 1/3rd “middle class”. I have never met anyone who admits to being rich. I have known a few millionaires. It amazes me how the rich think of themselves as “middle class”. If we were to divide the world’s population into thirds, the upper third would be rich.
Some might disagree with this classification, so let’s be conservative and know for sure that the upper 1/8th of the world’s population is rich. According to http://www.enough.org.uk/enough02.htm, less than an eighth of the world's adult population own a car. I’m not sure about this website, or how accurate the statistic is, but even if they were way off, 1/3rd of adults in the world do not own a car. Do you own a car? Then you can be sure that the following scriptures apply to you, as a rich person.
1 Tim 6:3-11
3 If
anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of
our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,
4 he
is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in
controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious
talk, evil suspicions
5 and
constant friction between men of corrupt
mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means
to financial gain.
6 But
godliness with contentment is great
gain.
7 For
we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
8 But
if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
9 People who want to get rich fall
into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that
plunge men into ruin and destruction.
10 For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money,
have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
11 But
you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
(NIV)
Heb 13:5
5 Keep your lives free
from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you." (NIV)
1 Tim 6:17-19
17 Command
those who are rich in this present
world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so
uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything
for our enjoyment.
18 Command
them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to
share.
19 In
this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the
coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (NIV)
James 1:9-11
9 The
brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.
10 But
the one who is rich should take pride in
his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.
11 For
the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its
beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he
goes about his business. (NIV)
James 2:5-7
5 Listen,
my dear brothers: 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?
6 But
you have insulted the poor. Is it not the
rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you
into court?
7 Are they not the ones who are slandering
the noble name of him to whom you belong?
(NIV)
James 5:1-5
1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because
of the misery that is coming upon you.
2 Your wealth has rotted,
and moths have eaten your clothes.
3 Your gold and silver
are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like
fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.
4 Look! The wages you
failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The
cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
5 You have lived on earth
in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of
slaughter. (NIV)
Prov 28:11
11 A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment
sees through him. (NIV)
Eccl 5:10-13
10 Whoever loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is
meaningless.
11 As goods increase, so
do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to
feast his eyes on them?
12 The sleep of a laborer
is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.
13 I have seen a grievous
evil under the sun: wealth hoarded
to the harm of its owner, (NIV)
Rev 3:16-17
16 So,
because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of
my mouth.
17 You
say, 'I am rich; I have acquired
wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched,
pitiful, poor, blind and naked. (NIV)
Luke
The Rich Ruler
18A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to
inherit eternal life?"
19"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one
is good--except God alone. 20You know the commandments: 'Do not
commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony,
honor your father and mother.'[2]
"
21"All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one
thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of
great wealth. 24Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is
for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, 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."
26Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?"
27Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with
God."
28Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow
you!"
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one
who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of
the kingdom of God 30will fail to receive many times as much in this
age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
How can we pass through the eye of the needle? We can avoid greed by obeying God’s stewardship commands.