Is Owning Stuff Sinful?

[HarveyHouston]

The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; where do I still fall short?”Yeshua said to him, “If you are serious about reaching the goal, go and sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!”But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was wealthy.Then Yeshua said to his talmidim, “Yes. I tell you that it will be very hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.Furthermore, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” - Matthew 19:20-24

It is this very set of verses in the Bible that has led some to believe that this means in order to follow Jesus, we all should just give up our stuff and then do good deeds. Umm, okay? I'm pretty sure that's not what Jesus is actually saying here. Here is why I say that:

Jesus often was using his words to prove a point, not merely as commands on how to live life. It would be very much like if I was to tell someone who had a lot of money "Give it all away to those who need it!" When they refuse, my point is made. Same situation here - It's not that Jesus actually wanted the rich man to "go and sell your possessions", for being God, he knew the rich man would not do it. Instead, he was showing those around them that, in order to be committed to what God wants, you have to be willing to lay down your life and do what he asks.

So, unless God is actually giving you the Word to sell everything you own, keep what God has blessed you with here on Earth, and use those things to make God happy!

What do YOU think? Is your worldly possessions helping you follow God, or is it truly a crutch in your life? Would getting rid of everything you own help you live better, or would it hinder you? Let me know in the comments below!

 

[godreborn]

I joined this group for this, but I'm not Christian. I'm agnostic. anyway, all I personally want to do is live comfortably. money or wealth doesn't interest me at all. if I had millions of dollars, I'd give all that I had to those less fortunate, and only keep what I need to survive or live okay. I don't need a big house or drive a fancy card. I think those things miss the point of doing good for the sake of itself.

 

[HarveyHouston]

I don't need a big house or drive a fancy card.

Which card are you driving? The Ace of Spades, I hope. Good thoughts on your part, BTW; I agree also.

 

[godreborn]

oh, I meant car, lol. I once visited los angeles, where my uncle lived, and I've gotta say that one thing that sickened me was how all the money for that place was funneled and trapped in the center. I was going to try going to USC, but I walked about two blocks from campus, and everything was rundown, and it seemed dangerous to stay in the area. do people even believe in what they preach? the reason I stopped worshiping Christianity is because I can't imagine God agreeing with people, in my case, who live in the bible belt. so much hatred and intolerance. I can't imagine that was Jesus' plan.

 

[Chary]

t is this very set of verses in the Bible that has led some to believe that this means in order to follow Jesus, we all should just give up our stuff and then do good deeds. Umm, okay? I'm pretty sure that's not what Jesus is actually saying here.

Given that idolatry is also a big sticking point in the Bible, I think it's one of those things that you can interpret moreso as not being held down by your worldly possessions. That can become an obsession, and get in the way of your focus on God, or just how you approach life. Or maybe it's just that you can't take it with you, so if you're rich and just hoarding money and refusing to help the poor, why would you do something like that when Jesus is all about helping everyone.

oh, I meant car, lol. I once visited los angeles, where my uncle lived, and I've gotta say that one thing that sickened me was how all the money for that place was funneled and trapped in the center. I was going to try going to USC, but I walked about two blocks from campus, and everything was rundown, and it seemed dangerous to stay in the area. do people even believe in what they preach? the reason I stopped worshiping Christianity is because I can't imagine God agreeing with people, in my case, who live in the bible belt. so much hatred and intolerance. I can't imagine that was Jesus' plan.

LA is a terrifying place to be. I wouldn't even walk alone around the "safe" city center part of it--sketchyyyyy.

 

[HarveyHouston]

I once visited los angeles, where my uncle lived, and I've gotta say that one thing that sickened me was how all the money for that place was funneled and trapped in the center. I was going to try going to USC, but I walked about two blocks from campus, and everything was rundown, and it seemed dangerous to stay in the area. do people even believe in what they preach? the reason I stopped worshiping Christianity is because I can't imagine God agreeing with people, in my case, who live in the bible belt. so much hatred and intolerance. I can't imagine that was Jesus' plan.

Believe me, it isn't. There are many who will claim to be Christian, and Jesus will say "Depart from me! I never knew you!" For all have sinned, and fallen short... I never was exposed to the religiosity of Christianity, and thus was able to see how each functions - their flaws, their rules, their beliefs. I can honestly say that there isn't one religion I believe wholly in. It isn't people who follow Jesus - it's people pretending to know Jesus, when in fact what they profess as "God" is actually a reflection of themselves and their "holier-than-thou" attitudes. God is love, but these people do not know love.

Given that idolatry is also a big sticking point in the Bible, I think it's one of those things that you can interpret moreso as not being held down by your worldly possessions. That can become an obsession, and get in the way of your focus on God, or just how you approach life. Or maybe it's just that you can't take it with you, so if you're rich and just hoarding money and refusing to help the poor, why would you do something like that when Jesus is all about helping everyone.

Yes, precisely. What matters is the things of the Spirit, not what's on Earth. That's the point Jesus was making, that there are people who go to both extremes - the "do-gooders" who give to look good, and the greedy who hold on to worldly possessions. Both involve pride, not love and kindness. Jesus doesn't like people who are greedy or boastful; He prefers the humble, the meek, and the caring. That's the whole point with the encounter with the rich man.

 

[Luke94]

Well I don't think so. More like stealing it. With exception of liking something very much...etc. But well owning something also sounds like greed/lust. One of seven dealy sins...etc.

 

[Spring_Spring]

There's no doubt in my mind that its absolutely sinful, and the church began to stray from what Jesus truly meant in order to attract more followers, since it was easier for them to do that if they were allowed to live comfortably. The beliefs of very early christians were too radical to really go mainstream, which is why they kept letting more and more and more things slide in order to get more popular.

Post automatically merged: Oct 15, 2023

The end result is a faith that is mostly interested in superficial rituals and keeping up fake appearances and their own power and influence, not real spirituality.