Should we listen or learn from Christians who are millionaires?

timothyu · Feb 25, 2019

Consider those who work to provide for family and anticipate a day when work is no longer feasible. They end up with a pension after years of setting aside for self and others. Now consider those who handled the savings to provide a pension. Parasites who not only keep the original amount but only pay out half of the yearly interest as a pension. This while putting a limit on the time that pension will be paid out. Is money the problem or how it is managed?

Tree of Life · Feb 25, 2019

Jason0047 said:
Not really. You can do a survey if you like. Ask people to picture what a rich person is like to them and then have them describe what that person is like. Ask them: Do you think that this kind of person that you envision who is rich does not have to ever work again? I betcha most of them will say.... "No, they don't ever have to work again." In other words, this is how most people defining being rich because dictionaries, books, movies, and life all teach them this truth. Only a select few who are trying to justify being rich being okay with God try to deny this basic truth (kind of like how Flat Earthers deny the basic truth that the Earth is round). Many in your survey that you interview will say that rich people have limos, mansions, private jets, and they are able to go to super expensive fancy restaurants whenever they want, etc.

Perhaps many middle class white people will say that. It's "just obvious" to middle class white people that "rich" means you own a jet.

But if you ask a poor urban black kid what it means to be rich he'll probably point at you and say you're rich. If you ask a Guatemalan subsistence farmer what it means to be rich he will also point at you and say you're rich. You own land? You own a car? You make more than 10 dollars a day? That's rich.

Methinks you have some blindspots.

Tree of Life · Feb 25, 2019

@Jason0047, what do you think about this guy - Social Worker Led Frugal Life To Leave Nearly $11 Million To Children's Charities

He left $11 million dollars to children's charities when he died. What a sinful man!

timothyu · Feb 25, 2019

Tree of Life said:
He left $11 million dollars to children's charities when he died. What a sinful man!

That guy last week left $300 million to his cat. How humane.

Tree of Life · Feb 25, 2019

timothyu said:
That guy last week left $300 million to his cat. How humane.

You see no difference?

timothyu · Feb 25, 2019

Tree of Life said:
You see no difference?

My sarcasm was the same as your sarcasm.

RaymondG · Feb 25, 2019

There is no rich or poor, bond nor free, male or female in Christ Jesus......but all are one......all equally having everything.....all that the father has. There is no possession in the world greater than what those in Christ have........Those with the millions and the jets and the mansions should be looking at us in envy trying to get us to give up what we have to them and not the other way around.

And one in the bible did. He asked one in Christ to tell him how much money he would have to give up to possess the power that those in Christ Have. He was told to repent of that thought lest he be struck dead for thinking that the gifts of the spirit could be bought with silver and gold.

Be weary of the thought that implies that we must give money or not receive money to be saved or in favor with God. The earth is the Lords. And in the flesh no one can please God. Forget your money and give to God what belongs to Him.

Bible Highlighter · Feb 25, 2019

Tree of Life said:
@Jason0047, what do you think about this guy - Social Worker Led Frugal Life To Leave Nearly $11 Million To Children's Charities

He left $11 million dollars to children's charities when he died. What a sinful man!

Not everyone can do this. The Bible says to flee being rich and to follow after righteousness and godliness because most pierce themselves through with many sorrows as a result of being rich. The thing is that we don’t hear about too many Christians who do what this guy did and for good reason.

Tree of Life · Feb 25, 2019

Jason0047 said:
Not everyone can do this. The Bible says to flee being rich and to follow after righteousness and godliness because most pierce themselves through with many sorrows as a result of being rich. The thing is that we don’t hear about too many Christians who do what this guy did and for good reason.

So did this guy do something sinful or something good? And the Bible does not say to flee from being rich.

Aldebaran · Feb 25, 2019

Tree of Life said:
So did this guy do something sinful or something good? And the Bible does not say to flee from being rich.

Yeah, I was going to say that too. From what I've read, we're told not to pursue riches. Some people live to get rich. When asked what their goal is, they'll say "I want to make a million dollars by the time I'm X years old", or something like that. At the same time, you can ask someone else their goal, they'll say, "Having a career doing what I love to do". They could very well get rich doing so too, even if that wasn't the goal itself.

RaymondG · Feb 25, 2019

I wonder what advice some of you would give to children......"Make sure you do your very best in school....so that you can never make more money than you need after you finish?"

Tree of Life · Feb 25, 2019

RaymondG said:
I wonder what advice some of you would give to children......"Make sure you do your very best in school....so that you can never make more money than you need after you finish?"

Jason is just being indelicate and overstating his case as he often does. It seems he's obviously fine with people making a living. He has already admitted that he's fine with people making 75k a year and saving money. He just doesn't want Christians to own jets, I guess.

RaymondG · Feb 25, 2019

Tree of Life said:
Jason is just being indelicate and overstating his case as he often does. It seems he's obviously fine with people making a living. He has already admitted that he's fine with people making 75k a year and saving money. He just doesn't want Christians to own jets, I guess.

I guess the only thing that matters is "The truth of the Word."

"Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full." If it is a jet you desire, I see no fault in it. I, personally, do not want a jet ......but this does not make me any better than those who do.....
Man judges by outward appearances, but God judges the heart.....

Bible Highlighter · Feb 25, 2019

Tree of Life said:
So did this guy do something sinful or something good? And the Bible does not say to flee from being rich.

Well, he is not acting biblically. I would be more inclined to question his motive of why he did not set up all that money to run a charity while he was alive instead of when he dies. There are no guarantees on controlling your assets when you are dead. Maybe a greedy corrupt law firm may decide to quitely take his money when he is gone. God is concerned about what kind of fruit we can produce in this life while we are alive as apart of our faith and he is not concerned about the money. God wants hearts and not filthy lucre to run his kingdom. Remember, the poor widow gave more than all the rich men did.

My guess is that the millions he had while living frugal served as a security blanket. He could secretly buy anything he wanted without anyone knowing. He could live super wealthy any time he wanted. Sure. He may have lived frugal, but did he slave at a job? He could help people with the talents or resources he was given but he buried his talent instead and only had faith in lawyers or this world to keep their word in helping others. He did not actually help the poor for God Himself on a massive scale with all that money. Therein lies the problem.

Aldebaran · Feb 25, 2019

Tree of Life said:
Jason is just being indelicate and overstating his case as he often does. It seems he's obviously fine with people making a living. He has already admitted that he's fine with people making 75k a year and saving money. He just doesn't want Christians to own jets, I guess.

It seems that everyone has their own view of what "rich" is. A homeless person who can't afford to even rent a motel room or apartment to get out of the cold would think a person who owns an entire house to be rich. The homeowner then thinks that a millionaire is rich (although that may also be relative to where they live), and the millionaire would think the billionaire is rich.
It's all relative. What matters is whether the money is controlling the person.

Aldebaran · Feb 25, 2019

Jason0047 said:
My guess is that the millions he had while living frugal served as a security blanket. He could secretly buy anything he wanted without anyone knowing. He could help people with the talents or resources he was given but he buried his talent instead and only had faith in lawyers or this world to keep their word in helping others. He did not actually help the poor for God Himself on a massive scale with all that money. Therein lies the problem.

If it helped the poor, does it matter whether or not the guy was alive or not? It helps them the same either way.

Tree of Life · Feb 25, 2019

Jason0047 said:
Well, he is not acting biblically. I would be more inclined to question his motive of why he did not set up all that money to run a charity while he was alive instead of when he dies. There are no guarantees on controlling your assets when you are dead. Maybe a greedy corrupt law firm may decide to quitely take his money when he is gone. God is concerned about what kind of fruit we can produce in this life while we are alive as apart of our faith and he is not concerned about the money. God wants hearts and not filthy lucre to run his kingdom. Remember, the poor widow gave more than all the rich men did.

My guess is that the millions he had while living frugal served as a security blanket. He could secretly buy anything he wanted without anyone knowing. He could live super wealthy any time he wanted. Sure. He may have lived frugal, but did he slave at a job? He could help people with the talents or resources he was given but he buried his talent instead and only had faith in lawyers or this world to keep their word in helping others. He did not actually help the poor for God Himself on a massive scale with all that money. Therein lies the problem.

What an evaluation! Didn't Jesus teach that it's sinful to judge intentions like that?

Matthew 7:1-2 -
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you."

But since that's the Sermon on the Mount it probably doesn't apply to you.

Heavenhome · Feb 25, 2019

Going to the OP, when I think about should I take advice from a millionaire, I voted know for this reason. Whilst I don't think it sinful to live reasonably ie house, car and have some nice things and be thankful to God for this. (it does not mean we are better or blessed more than anyone else either), having money in the millions while so much need in the world is just wrong.
So, no I would not take advice from a Christian who has millions sitting accumulating, no matter how nice they seem (Max Lucado included).
Shame on them.

Aldebaran · Feb 25, 2019

Heavenhome said:
Going to the OP, when I think about should I take advice from a millionaire, I voted know for this reason. Whilst I don't think it sinful to live reasonably ie house, car and have some nice things and be thankful to God for this. (it does not mean we are better or blessed more than anyone else either), having money in the millions while so much need in the world is just wrong.
So, no I would not take advice from a Christian who has millions sitting accumulating, no matter how nice they seem (Max Lucado included).
Shame on them.

Maybe those people that you're shaming had many millions that they rightfully earned, and are only holding about 5 million. Billy Graham is an example of this.

Heavenhome · Feb 25, 2019

Tree of Life said:
@Jason0047, what do you think about this guy - Social Worker Led Frugal Life To Leave Nearly $11 Million To Children's Charities

Why didn't he use it for the charities while he was alive?
He would have seen a lot of need in his job.
Of course any money for charities is good but even if he had banked it, it would have made more for the charities with interest.
What if a dishonest person had found the money?

Should we listen or learn from Christians who are millionaires?

Should we take advice from Christians who are millionaires?

Yes.

No.

Maybe, it depends.

Other - Please explain.

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