Should we listen or learn from Christians who are millionaires?

Jason0047 said:

It is a problem in the New Testament to be rich.

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It depends on how you define rich.
But money is rarely a problem - everyone needs money to live and for other things. It's what you do with it and whether you hoard, and serve, it that's the issue. It's this that makes it hard for people to enter the Kingdom. Note, hard; not impossible.

Jason0047 said:

So a person has to get over this fact and accept the truth of it.

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There will always be people poorer than we are; so compared with some, everyone is rich.

Jason0047 said:

A person’s net worth that is in the millions is not a description of believers that we see in the Early Church.

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So you obviously define "being rich" as "having millions", then.

Compared to some people, I am poor.
I don't have a job. Even when I was working, I never earned more than £9,000 a year, but I have a home, clothes, food and savings.
Compared with others, who live on benefits, use foodbanks, are homeless on our streets or in debt - that is a fortune and I am wealthy. I consider myself to be rich - in many ways.

It's not how much we have that's the problem, it's what we do with it.
A Christian might indeed have hundreds of thousands of pounds - but also have a large family, look after elderly parents, give a lot to charity and support the church. Or a Christian might have only a few thousand pounds and they are constantly thinking about how to get more/how to afford the latest computer or phone/whether playing the lottery would increase their cash supply, or they refuse to buy presents/cards/drinks for others while accepting both.
The latter is the person who has the problem with money, not the former. Their aim is getting more money, or keeping what they have, instead of using their money for good and to serve God and others.

Yes, the early church shared ALL their possessions and money, living in a community; and some are called to live like that today. Others aren't.

Jason0047 said:

According to Google: Max Lucado's networth is 10 million. How do you think he became a millionaire? Does the Bible want us to be rich? I don't believe so. Please read 1 Timothy 6 several times in prayer if you are in doubt about that.

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did you ever consider that you're rich?

/nvm

/nvm

/nvm

Rich is subjective. One who has all they desire and is content with what they have, never thinking to looking at the possessions of another, Is rich.

Jason0047 said:

Rich:

Having an abundance of material possessions; possessed of a large amount of property; well supplied with land, goods, or money; wealthy; opulent; affluent; - opposed to poor.


Source:
Rich | Definition of Rich by Webster's Online Dictionary

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define: "abundance of material possessions"
define: "possessed of a large amount of property"
define: "well supplied with land, goods, or money"
define: etc...

may I suggest your argument is based inside an American vacuum and doesn't hold up using the rest of the world's perspectives

Jason0047 said:

It’s not strange if you accept Scripture plainly.

“And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:19-21).

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Good dodge!

Jason0047 said:

A person can be saved even from hearing a prosperity preacher on TV or the radio. That does not mean they should stick with that preacher or endorse them once they discover the truth about them.

15 “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” (Philippians 1:15-18).

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Bravo! Another good dodge!

Jason0047 said:

It's not a dodge. I gave you Scripture that condemns those who seek to lay up many treasures or goods for themselves for many years so that they can take their ease in life. This implies that this is not someone who makes 75K a year but it is someone who has amassed great wealth to take their ease (i.e. ease = absence of effort or difficulty).

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If someone makes 75k per year they could conceivably, through stewardship and wise saving and investing, live generously and frugally and also save a lot of money throughout their lives. They could become millionaires later in life and pay for their grandkids college, help their children buy houses, and leave their kids and grandkids a helpful inheritance.

Are you suggesting that this kind of being a millionaire is contrary to Scripture?

Jason0047 said:

Again, it's not a dodge. My answer resolves the apparent problem or contradiction you present. Imperfect tools (like million dollar Christian movies) can lead people to Christ. Paul was happy that Christ is preached even if it is not done with genuine or pure motives always. As I stated before, I seek to love the sinner, but hate the sin. So I am not upset at Kirk Cameron. He will have to answer to God, just as I will, and just as you will. God is fair and just in His judgments. Nobody is going to get away with sin or in ignoring what God's Word plainly says.

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Do you believe that Kirk Cameron is in sin because his net worth is 20 million?

Jason0047 said:

While a person makes 75K they are not a millionaire or rich yet. They still have to work to put food on the table, pay the bills, and to continue to have a roof over their head. This is not like the rich who do not need to worry so as to work.

Yes, I am aware a person can save 1 million dollars for retirement. Is that what God wants us to do? Well, you need to find a Scripture verse that supports that. You also have to re-write all the warnings on the dangers of being rich in the Bible, too.

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I've already quoted many such Scriptures from the book of Proverbs in post #149 where I also refuted your interpretation of 1 Timothy 6. You ignored that post unless I missed something.

I do believe the Bible teaches that God wants us to wisely steward our resources and that accumulating wealth "little by little" (Proverbs 13:11) in order to "leave an inheritance" (Proverbs 13:22) is something that the Bible celebrates.