Should Christians sell and give away all of their possessions?
The Bible Answer
The story of the rich young man is found in (Mark 10:17-25). As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down , and asked the question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to the young man, “You must not murder, commit adultery, steal, testify falsely, or cheat anyone. You also must honor your father and mother. The man replied, “Teacher, I have obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
It is the next verse that has caused some people to wonder if as a Christian they should sell and give away all of their possessions. The Bible says Jesus looked at the man and loved him. He said to the young man, “There is one thing you lack, go and sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.” (Mark 10:21) According to (Mark 10:22), when the man heard Jesus say this he went away sad because he had great wealth.
Every Christian Is Not Required To Give Away All Of Their Possessions
When Jesus told the rich young man to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, this was something he was asking of this young man only. It is not a biblical requirement to sell all of your possessions and give it to the poor when you become a Christian. While being born again is required for everyone to be a Christian and to make it to heaven, giving up all of your wealth and possessions isn’t.
That’s not to say that God will never ask this of anyone, because he very well may. There is a reason Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God (Mark 10:25). With the love of money being a root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10), being rich becomes a stumbling block for many people. Sadly, the rich young man’s love for his great wealth was more than his love for Jesus.
It’s Okay To Be A Rich Christian
For those seeking assurance that it is okay to be a “rich Christian”, the Bible speaks of great men of God who were also very wealthy, including Abraham and David from the Old Testament. Also consider that Jesus did not ask Zacchaeus to give away all of his wealth, but Zacchaeus did voluntarily say that he was going to give half of his wealth to the poor (Luke 19:8).
A New Testament Charge To The Rich
For the majority of Christians, if you are blessed to be wealthy at some point in your life, (1 Timothy 6:17-19) speaks directly to you. It is a command to the rich. You are told not to be arrogant, not to put your hope in wealth, do good deeds, and be generous and willing to share. By doing so, you will be laying up treasures for yourself as a firm foundation for the coming age.
From this Scripture alone we know it is possible and biblically okay to have wealth as a Christian, as long as our hope is in God and not the money, along with having a willing heart to give.
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