I think that you’ll find he didn’t actually
Jesus told one (1) rich person to give away all his possessions to the poor. As a test. To see if he loved God or money more. The answer was money. He failed the test. It was not a message to all believers to give away all their money.
I was going through the notes on this post to see if anyone had my favorite quotes from the bible about this, and I saw this reply so I’m going to add it in myself,
Matthew 6:24 ESV
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money
Luke 18:25 ESV
For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Revelation 3:17 ESV
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
James 5:1 ESV
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
More quotes here:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/rich_people
To chase money is to run from god.
Yes, to chase money is to run from God. However, inherently possessing money is not a sin.
To possess money without giving a significant amount to charity is, you cannot be rich and watch others suffer and get into heaven. You must give everything and put faith in god that you will be rewarded in death. That’s literally what Christianity is. To suffer on earth, and be rewarded eternally in heaven.
Luke 16:19-31 ESV
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. …
Luke 12:33-34 ESV
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 19:21 ESV
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Proverbs 14:31 ESV
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
Proverbs 22:16 ESV
Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
Also Jesus cares about the percent you give,
Luke 21:1-4 ESV
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Proverbs 29:7 ESV
A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
Proverbs 28:27 ESV
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Ezekiel 16:49 ESV
“Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy.”Luke 12:15- ESV
“And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness [greed], for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully,
and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’
And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’
But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
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