Is wanting to be rich a sin?

[Zhivko]

I recently bought a book called "Thou shall prosper" by orthodhox rabbi Daniel Lapin.
He says there is moral and dignity in being a businessman. There is nothing wrong to want to be wealthy and to strive for it as long as your business is honest.
However, there are a lot of verses in the bible against the rich men:
Mark 10:25
1 Timothy 6:9-12
Is striving for wealth a sin? How much money is making a man rich?

 

[RDKirk]

Striving to care for others is not a sin, and if it takes a lot of money to do that, gaining a lot of money to care for others is not a sin.

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.

The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. -- 2 Corinthians 8

 

[rockytopva]

Timothy had the same question for Paul....

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; - 1 Timothy 6:17

 

[mama2one]

why do many want to be rich?
to buy a bigger house, for more stuff

but Bible says:
Luke 12:15

 

[com7fy8]

Paul says the ones who "desire" to be rich are in trouble.

All you have to do is "desire" and already you have done it in your heart, right?

1 Timothy 6:9

But we have examples of ones who were godly and rich people. Were they acceptable to God? I think it is very clear that Abraham and Zacchaeus and Philemon were approved by God. But their character is what mattered to God. May be, then, He is no respecter of persons. But the quality of the heart, not the quantity of a person's money, is what God is concerned about . . . the most.

And in case a person is of God and is well-to-do, possibly this person is like a city on a river > there is a rich supply of water which keeps flowing to the city; but they are wise not to dam up the river and hoard the water; so they keep getting more than enough water for themselves, but while they keep passing water on to others.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I recently bought a book called "Thou shall prosper" by orthodhox rabbi Daniel Lapin.
He says there is moral and dignity in being a businessman. There is nothing wrong to want to be wealthy and to strive for it as long as your business is honest.
However, there are a lot of verses in the bible against the rich men:
Mark 10:25
1 Timothy 6:9-12
Is striving for wealth a sin? How much money is making a man rich?

If money becomes your idol, then you have a problem.
Blessings

 

[section9+1]

I think it's alright to want enough money to function comfortably in your society, but to pursue being rich, you are flirting with sin.

 

[durangodawood]

Mark 10:25

It does seem like youre in the wrong religion if you want to strive to be wealthy AND are concerned for the fate of your soul.

 

[exitstageright]

I think it's alright to want enough money to function comfortably in your society, but to pursue being rich, you are flirting with sin.

When I visited Seattle, Washington ,every museum ,that I visited, had Bill Gates's name on the donator's wall. He did a lot good with his money .Bin Laden, on the other hand ,spent his money to blow up things and to kill people.
My point is that money,in and of itself is not good or evil .It is what you do with you money, that can be good or evil.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I recently bought a book called "Thou shall prosper" by orthodhox rabbi Daniel Lapin.
He says there is moral and dignity in being a businessman. There is nothing wrong to want to be wealthy and to strive for it as long as your business is honest.
However, there are a lot of verses in the bible against the rich men:
Mark 10:25
1 Timothy 6:9-12
Is striving for wealth a sin? How much money is making a man rich?

Rabbi Daniel Lapin is Jewish not Christian. He would not give credence to either Mark's or Paul's views on the subject.

 

[grasping the after wind]

When I visited Seattle, Washington ,every museum ,that I visited, had Bill Gates's name on the donator's wall. He did a lot good with his money .Bin Laden, on the other hand ,spent his money to blow up things and to kill people.
My point is that money,in and of itself is not good or evil .It is what you do with you money, that can be good or evil.

What one does with money may cause good or evil but what happens with one's money it may not end up being what one intended. Additionally, wanting to be rich is not a laudable goal even if one rationalizes to oneself that one wants to be rich so one can do good things with the money. One first must want to do good and then, should one acquire financial resources, one would be able to do good with them as well as with the more important things one possesses for doing good.

 

[durangodawood]

When I visited Seattle, Washington ,every museum ,that I visited, had Bill Gates's name on the donator's wall. He did a lot good with his money .Bin Laden, on the other hand ,spent his money to blow up things and to kill people.
My point is that money,in and of itself is not good or evil .It is what you do with you money, that can be good or evil.

Thats not the whole story tho.

Even people who do tons of good things with their money can make themselves into awful people in the pursuit of wealth.

 

[exitstageright]

Thats not the whole story tho.

Even people who do tons of good things with their money can make themselves into awful people in the pursuit of wealth.

Well,that may be true. But, I cam only and truly speak for myself. When I was in the U.S. Navy,I gave a certain amount of offering. When, I got out of the Navy, I was making about six times more,as I did in the Navy. However, I gave ten times the offering than I did when I was in the Navy. And, of course, I paid my tithes. So, in my case, making more money did not change me.

 

[durangodawood]

Well,that may be true. But, I cam only and truly speak for myself. When I was in the U.S. Navy,I gave a certain amount of offering. When, I got out of the Navy, I was making about six times more,as I did in the Navy. However, I gave ten times the offering than I did when I was in the Navy. And, of course, I paid my tithes. So, in my case, making more money did not change me.

But none of these money amounts are indicators in-themselves of what kind of person you are.

 

[exitstageright]

But none of these money amounts are indicators in-themselves of what kind of person you are.

They indicate that I am a faithful person when it comes to offerings and tithes. Well, I just have to agree to disagree.

 

[com7fy8]

If money becomes your idol, then you have a problem.

should one acquire financial resources, one would be able to do good with them as well as with the more important things one possesses for doing good.

Ones can make money an idol, by boasting how much good money can do, and by mainly depending on money for the good someone wants to do.

 

[vinsight4u]

/nvm

 

[Whyayeman]

Billionaires who give away millions seem to be doing more good than the poor who give away everything they have. But which are morally better? In the Christian tradition I grew up in the answer was unequivocal; the poor.

 

[Whyayeman]

I should clarify that last. I mean the poor who give everything they have.

Bill Gates gave vast amounts away to causes he believed in or was persuaded by. I think much of the resources to find a cure for malaria originated from him. This, like his other causes, is a moral good for everybody whether we are at risk from malaria or not. My point here is that I do not think morally good actions can be quantified in the same way as material wealth. This is a position I expect is shared by Christians.

 

[Sketcher]

Depends on why you want to be rich, how badly you want to be rich, and what you are willing to do to get and stay rich.