Should we listen or learn from Christians who are millionaires?

RaymondG said:

Actually the poverty gospel and the prosperity gospel, I believe, are the same. They both seek to take your eyes off God and, instead, focus on the amount of money you make and have. Both aim to make you feel more saved and better than the one who doesnt have the amount of money you have....be it a rich amount or poor amount. Both equally destructive......Both believing that they are right and the others are wrong.

If we would be saved.....we must forget about the cares of the world.....and Go to God, were he is. I serve not a high priest who is concerned with the amount of monies one has in the bank.

But this High priest found me.....therefore I cannot fault anyone else for believing other gospels for I to once believed them. So we must pray and wait patiently on the Lord.

Plant seeds and wait for God to increase....

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We are to follow the example of Jesus, right? The Bible says,

"For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:" (1 Peter 2:21).

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1).

"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." (1 John 2:6).

Jesus said this about his living:

"And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20).

There are those who live the nomadic life already.


Surely, it is not always easy, but people do it and they find it to be satisfying.


A family decided to live minimalistic in beautiful land in New Mexico.


Life does not have to be according to the standard suburban lifestyle.
In this one particular video above, I would see their quality of life as being improved by their focus in not being on money, stuck in a house all the time, and focused on a computer, but it being more focused on each other as a family and nature.

christine40 said:

if we add up our house, 401 K, and savings for child's college, we do just make the one million mark

so we are one of "the terrible people" of this thread

can my husband stop working and we sit back and live off our house?
no we cannot

should you suggest we downsize, the housing costs have exploded where we live
we've looked and the smaller houses we can afford have holes in the floor and asbestos

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The current savings APY interest rates I have seen online is 2.35%. For 1 million, this would be $23,777.52 a year to live off of for the rest of one's life (if that current rate stays the same). If a person had 1 million, they could then buy a Green Cottage Kit House (with some land) in 3-6 years (living with no mortgage).

Bienvenue Cottage House Kit
(Note: I am not saying it is wrong to own a house).

But here is the problem: A person could then live life modestly without worrying about a job. Take inexpensive vacations the rest of their life and enjoy life. In other words, they essentially have much goods or money (in their bank) laid up for many years, and they can then take their ease on life and be merry.

But is that what God calls us to do? I think if we saved that money to use it to live so as to do missions the rest of our life (in spreading the gospel and helping the poor), then that would be different. What you have to understand with my point here is that the Bible says we are to not chase after riches, but we are to chase after righteousness. Many seek money as the answer to life's problems. If they had this much money, or this much money, or even this much money:.... then they would be happy. But money does not bring happiness. Only God can bring happiness in this life.

I see the definition of being rich as not having to work ever again, and not really worrying about money troubles in any way. But even with stashing away money so as to take one's ease is not something I believe the Lord wants us to do. For Jesus says this:

19 "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.
20 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?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
(Luke 12:19-21).

Then what should we do?

To live like Christ.
For to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).
We should not seek after riches, but seek after the Lord more and His righteousness.

Jesus said this:

31 "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; ) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
(Matthew 6:31-34).

timothyu said:

When one is not in debt to man they are not beholden to fellow man. This frees them to focus on their debts to God and paying them off loving neighbour as self.

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I agree.

@christine40:

If a person has 1 million, they can own 4 beautiful new houses that cost 250,000 each (debt free). They could then rent out these 4 homes for 1,500 a piece and make 6,000 a month. That is 72,000 a year to live off of. Or you can save that 72,000 each year for another 11 years, and get another three houses at 250,000 each. You now have 10,500 dollars to live off of each month. That is 126,000 annual (generally passive) income in 11 years all from having 1 million. This person would have also almost doubled their million in 11 years with an added 750,000 dollars by renting out new beautiful homes.

But here is the thing. The focus. It's all wrong. It's money, money, money, money, money, money. God tells us to follow after righteousness and not riches.

I would rather be a nomad with no possessions and be rich towards God instead. For this life is temporary and passes away like a vapor. My goal and dream is not to rely on the riches of this world, but solely on God and his guidance by faith. To be rich in good works by loving God and my neighbor to it's fullest without filthy lucre. Is it easy? No. I struggle with trying to follow the path the Lord has set out for all of us. But little by little God can change our hearts and make opportunities available if we constantly pray. To live in service to God and the simple life and not a life focused on money, possessions, and things, etc.

timothyu said:

Was not the mission in Jesus' time to send out disciples to all nations using the shared resources rather than just set up communes alone. Today most Christians don't go anywhere except maybe to church, and that is a maybe. So has the need for communal wealth shifted to supporting a human institution and business? That was the result of the church returning to the world and ways of man.

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I don't believe the church today as we know it is a biblical concept. Men put themselves into debt to go to a bible school (unbiblical), and they put themselves into even more debt by having a big building (unbiblical), and they invite both believers and unbelievers to this big building (Note: unbelievers are invited so that they can do altar calls) but the problem is that the unbelievers who have not accepted Christ yet can worship God, and tithe, etc (unbiblical). But what fellowship does light have with darkness? Fellowship in the early church was in believer's homes and it was only believers there. Evangelism was done by two going out door to door.

I think the problem of why things are so backwards is that we are living in the last days and things have gotten darker spiritually in the world we live in. Sure on the surface of the water, it might look calm and fine, but underneath the depths of that water are sharks and deadly things waiting to devour a person.

RaymondG said:

Let's say that a person has 10million dollars in the bank. Would you say that they would have to pay or give away 9+ million to gain eternal life?

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If a person has 10 million, at the current APY interest rates on bank rates at 2.35%, this would be 237,775.16 a year. That is $19, 814. a month. That is a crazy lavish amount to live off of with doing absolutely nothing with that money but letting it sit there in the bank. If you invest in buying new homes and rent out those homes, it will yield even a more crazy amount. But yes. Having 10 million is too much. Nobody needs 19,000 a month to live. It is too excessive and it ignores the needs of those neighbors who are suffering in your area who need honest and good help.

But yes. A person needs to give up that amount of great wealth to follow Jesus so as to have life. Read to the end of Matthew 19.

Also, nowhere did Jesus live lavishly. He did not even have a place to lay his head according to Scripture. He was essentially a nomad and he lived very frugal. Jesus was not carried around in expensive chariots and nor did He buy the best clothes. He did not wear expensive jewelry, either. He served others and He was not being served (Which is unlike the rich). Jesus was simple. We are told to follow His example. Granted, some disciples owned homes, so it appears that there is some leeway in having at least a house. But great riches? The whole of the New Testament speaks against it, and even says that being rich can be a loss of salvation.

To all:

There are many warnings to the rich in the New Testament. Unfortunately, many ignore these warnings at their own peril.

timothyu said:

Instead of the rituals on Sunday, perhaps they should make a day of it, take a friend and go out and love all neighbours as self. Take the fruits to the street and make new friends that will play it forward. Create the movement first then explain where it came from later to anyone who is interested. The focus is backwards.

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Well, I would never leave out the gospel. The gospel is how we are initially and ultimately saved. Yes, I believe works of faith play a part in the salvation process, but without God's grace through faith, there would be no salvation to begin with. Jesus and salvation in Him needs to be the gospel that is spread to all nations.