CHRIST’S CONTRASTS

“Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.” Matt.23:24

“And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Matt.19:24

     Jesus gave certain statements that to most sound like absurd exaggerations. But these words of Christ were no exaggeration. They were given in flawless precision to the dangers threatening the souls of men. He addressed the depths of every threat to the souls of men while providing every remedy to spare them the fate of the unrepentant: "everlasting destruction" where "they shall be as though they had never been" (II Thess.1:9; Ob.16).

     Why did the Father instruct Jesus to give such statements? “For the hardness of their hearts” most throughout history have refused the convictions of their conscience concerning right and wrong (Mk.3:5; Rom.2:13-15). This is due to man’s insatiable lust for gain: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” I Tim.6:10.

     Many in the church today gloss over these words of Christ, converting the weight of their warning into some calming platitudes that Christ did not intend. The “doctrines of devils” that Paul warned would enter the church, have infected the church with the corrupt notion that great wealth proves GOD’S blessing in the life and thus guarantees one's salvation.

     Wealthy church ministers who live in the lap of luxury, preach this “doctrine of prosperity,” and display their luxurious lifestyle as proof of GOD’S blessing those who strive to imitate their luxuriant ease-loving lives. But what did Jesus say to all who live by this cruel doctrine that blatantly displays life’s indifference to the needs of the poverty stricken? “Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” Mk.10:21. There is a huge difference between enabling the selfish to continue on in their evil course vs. those who are genuine in their practical needs.

     When the entire human race stands before the Throne and “all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matt.25:41-46.

(Let it be clearly understood that "everlasting fire" specifies eternal punishMENT, not punishING, as defined in Ps.37:10,20,36; Eze.28:16-19; Mal.4:1-3.)

     Of these “false apostles, deceitful workers” Jesus said: “Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.” II Cor.11:13; Lu.20:46,47.

     The standard of care that Jesus lived by, most, even in the church deny with a belligerent spirit. But to deny the standard of heaven is to deny its Author.

“Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.” Prov.19:4.

     There have been powerful men in every church denomination that whenever they hear of a wealthy patron in their church, they give a personal visit to this wealthy individual, to compliment their great success, and then give the sales pitch of building "the kingdom of GOD," and how the money of the wealthy patron can do great things for the kingdom. But in the end, its all proven to be a sham. This is because the motivation is fundamentally immoral and denies "Christ and him crucified." Then there are the church fundraising activities and ingathering where after the money is raised, great attention is paid to those who gave more than others. Jesus addressed this flattery to the neglect of those with less: “And he [Jesus] looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.” Lu.21:1-4.

     How little attention is paid to those with less, whether in the vigor of youth, the power of wealth, or the influence of government! Those of us who are the “have-nots” in this generation and who live to serve GOD and benefit our fellow man are given certain encouragements from the LORD that the world will never give. “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.” “Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” “He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.” Prov.16:8; 28:6,8. GOD commanded strict obedience to the needs of the poor (Deut.15:7-11). And any neglect on this command and/or the Gospel commission displays a cruel indifference to the things of infinite and eternal value.

     Because of man’s instinctive propensity to evil, many verses of Scripture have been perverted in such a fashion so as to excuse those with wealth. But there are far too many examples of Christ addressing these issues of the soul’s danger when it comes to personal greed for power and money. But what does Scripture say of “the lifestyle” of those who stood faithful to GOD’S commands throughout the ages? These “had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Heb.11:36-40.

     History is also filled with Spirit-led men and women with great wealth whose unselfish hearts led them to give their all to uplift the downtrodden. Among them includes Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea. They were the multimillionaires of their day. When the church was in its infancy the wealth of these men established churches and evangelism that spread far and wide. And there was no prodding of these men to get them to give! No personal ingathering from Peter or Paul! For they understood the Standard of Christ, and with tears and thanksgiving they spent their fortunes for the salvation of men; and they, with pure hearts, died in the most modest surroundings. “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Prov.13:7.