Desiring to be rich is a snare.

[RaymondG]

This is a teaching from our catechism. It includes a paragraph quoting Cardinal John Henry Newman:

1723 The beatitude [happiness] we are promised confronts us with decisive moral choices. It invites us to purify our hearts of bad instincts and to seek the love of God above all else. It teaches us that true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement - however beneficial it may be - such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love:

All bow down before wealth. Wealth is that to which the multitude of men pay an instinctive homage. They measure happiness by wealth; and by wealth they measure respectability. . . . It is a homage resulting from a profound faith . . . that with wealth he may do all things. Wealth is one idol of the day and notoriety is a second. . . . Notoriety, or the making of a noise in the world - it may be called "newspaper fame" - has come to be considered a great good in itself, and a ground of veneration.

Wealth cant make you happy and is not a wise tool to measure anything that is of importance. Doing so, would show the importance wealth is to the one doing the measurements.

In your excerpt, The homage paid to wealth, allowed for it's use as a measurement tool for happiness, success, respectability etc... Would say that the same homage is being paid when you use it to measure another's spirituality, carnality, worldliness etc?

 

[W2L]

Wealth cant make you happy and is not a wise tool to measure anything that is of importance. Doing so, would show the importance wealth is to the one doing the measurements.

Or perhaps how important scripture is to them. Whos doing the judging now?

 

[RaymondG]

Or perhaps how important scripture is to them. Whos doing the judging now?

I guess the person who wrote the excerpt I was referencing, from the previous post, was judging, according to you. I saw no judgement in it, however, and I agreed.

The quote stated that the people used wealth to measure happiness and respectability....are you saying that they did this because scripture was important to them or do you just feel the need to oppose every post next to my name simply because I didn't agree with one of your interpretations of scripture?

 

[claninja]

The wordkeeper's reply was to explain why people didn't know what I was talking about. But we are getting side tracked. The point of this thread to make people realize that if you are rich, you are carnal minded and worldly and maybe bound for hell. And if you are poor, you are blessed and doing the right thing. All the other talk moves us away from the message. What do you have to say about this message?

No, the point of this thread was that the DESIRE to be rich (worldly possessions) is harmful and a snare.
To which I agree, as Christians are to desire Christ and his kingdom (heavenly treasures).

 

[W2L]

I guess the person who wrote the excerpt I was referencing, from the previous post, was judging, according to you. I saw no judgement in it, however, and I agreed.

The quote stated that the people used wealth to measure happiness and respectability....are you saying that they did this because scripture was important to them or do you just feel the need to oppose every post next to my name simply because I didn't agree with one of your interpretations of scripture?

Your posts seem passive aggressive to me.

 

[W2L]

No, the point of this thread was that the DESIRE to be rich (worldly possessions) is harmful and a snare.
To which I agree, as Christians are to desire Christ and his kingdom (heavenly treasures).

Yes, thank you.

 

[RaymondG]

No, the point of this thread was that the DESIRE to be rich (worldly possessions) is harmful and a snare.
To which I agree, as Christians are to desire Christ and his kingdom (heavenly treasures).

If you read all my posts, you would see that I am against desiring to be rich myself as well. If you read the op'ers post, you would see that he feels being rich is wrong. You can't have a big house and big bank account and be saved. This is what i disagree with. I don't advocate having a lot of money, or a little, I advocate everyone getting the desires of their heart and not being made to feel ashamed about whatever their desires are. Im speaking to the Christian here, whose desires are given by the Lord.

Seek first the kingdom, then all will be added.

Our father is rich, so by default you are as well...If you are a Son. Believeth thou this?

 

[W2L]

If you read all my posts, you would see that I am against desiring to be rich myself as well. If you read the op'ers post, you would see that he feels being rich is wrong. You can't have a big house and big bank account and be saved. This is what i disagree with. I don't advocate having a lot of money, or a little, I advocate everyone getting the desires of their heart and not being made to feel ashamed about whatever their desires are. Im speaking to the Christian here, whose desires are given by the Lord.

Seek first the kingdom, then all will be added.

Our father is rich, so by default you are as well...If you are a Son. Believeth thou this?

Food and clothing will be added to us. Not a mansion, and other such luxuries.

1 Timothy 6:8-10New King James Version (NKJV)
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 

[Phil 1:21]

Food and clothing will be added to us. Not a mansion, and other such luxuries.

Deuteronomy 8:18
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Job 42:10-16
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lordhad brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

 

[W2L]

Deuteronomy 8:18
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Job 42:10-16
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lordhad brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

I'll follow the apostles.

1 Timothy 6:8-10New King James Version (NKJV)
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 

[Phil 1:21]

I'll follow the apostles.

I'll follow God.

 

[W2L]

I'll follow God.

Me too.

2 Corinthians 12:10New King James Version (NKJV)
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

[claninja]

If you read all my posts, you would see that I am against desiring to be rich myself as well. If you read the op'ers post, you would see that he feels being rich is wrong. You can't have a big house and big bank account and be saved. This is what i disagree with. I don't advocate having a lot of money, or a little, I advocate everyone getting the desires of their heart and not being made to feel ashamed about whatever their desires are. Im speaking to the Christian here, whose desires are given by the Lord.

Seek first the kingdom, then all will be added.

Our father is rich, so by default you are as well...If you are a Son. Believeth thou this?

So it appears that we are all in agreement with the original post, that the desire for worldly wealth is harmful.

Money is not the problem, but wanting to be rich is a problem.

I do not see where the OP said that having a "big house" and "big bank account" means one cannot be saved. I do not see where the OP said that being rich is wrong. I see time and time again, the OP saying the desire for worldly riches is wrong. The only difficult part appears to be where another poster (Phil) asks the OP to define a mansion (aka define what being wealthy is). Phil is correct in saying that this can be subjective. Someone will always be wealthier than the me and someone will always be poorer than me. But again, it all comes down to desires, which is the main point of the post. I was born in America to a middle class family (which is worldly richer than most in the world). This, I cannot help. It is where God placed me. But now, knowing Christ, do I pursue more worldly riches: bigger house, nicer car, newest phone, larger bank account? The American Dream?

The rich dont desire to be rich....because they already are. Only the poor can desire to be rich...... so it seems that you wish for the poor to stay poor.

I don't agree with this at all. The rich desire more and more. Most companies are for profit and must continue to grow profits every year for the benefit of the share holders. Shareholders are not happy when the shares do not grow.

 

[RaymondG]

Food and clothing will be added to us. Not a mansion, and other such luxuries.

1 Timothy 6:8-10New King James Version (NKJV)
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

I totally understand how you feel about this from this and four other threads you started......It is others who dont fully understand.

They feel you believe it is ok to live in a mansion and have a lot of money and big cars as long as you dont continue to desire more..

I find no fault in you believing what you believe. I want for you, too, to have what you desire.

 

[W2L]

I totally understand how you feel about this from this and four other threads you started......It is others who dont fully understand.

They feel you believe it is ok to live in a mansion and have a lot of money and big cars as long as you dont continue to desire more..

I find no fault in you believing what you believe. I want for you, too, to have what you desire.

You repeatedly try to make this about me instead of the OP.

 

[RaymondG]

You repeatedly try to make this about me instead of the OP.

You stated that God will only give us food and clothes and not mansions and luxuries. The bible doesnt directly state this. This is your interpretation, which is what I addressed. As far as the OP, It is a quote from Scripture and is 100% true.

It seems that you are offended that I am ok with your interpretation and dont wish to try to make you change it.

I try making my posts smaller to lessen the likelihood of you finding offense and you still find it:

I believe you. Good luck to you.

So you just insult me instead of explaining your post?

Then if I try to explain....you find aggression. This is a no win situation.. So I'm bowing out.

And again, I hope you dont find this insulting but, I find nothing wrong with anything that you have said nor any of your interpretations, nor anything you believe.

 

[W2L]

You stated that God will only give us food and clothes and not mansions and luxuries. The bible doesnt directly state this.

Exactly, it doesn't say God will give us a mansion, thats my point.

 

[Phil 1:21]

I do not see where the OP said that being rich is wrong.

Rich folks who live in mansions are carnally minded.

 

[Phil 1:21]

Exactly, it doesn't say God will give us a mansion, thats my point.

Deuteronomy 8:18
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Job 42:10-16
10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lordhad brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

 

[claninja]

That doesn’t say being rich is wrong.