Blessings from God are not of this World

This blog post originates from the response (mostly positive) to a message I wrote on Facebook about idolizing the rich and wrongly thinking they must be very holy and have many blessings from God.

Matthew 19:21:"Jesus said to him, "If thou at willing to be perfect, go and sell thy possessions, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and keep on following Me."

If you are very rich and live in extravagance, these are not the blessings of God. This is not the sign of a blessed person who is very good. This is what the televangelists of watered down "Christianity" will tell you, but this is because of their greed, love of money, and pride. Now should you think Christ's teaching on how to be perfect was only for that one rich man, let us continue on in to this chapter after the rich an had left being grieved.

Matthew 19:23-24:And Jesus said to His disciples, "Verily, I say to you, that a rich man, with difficulty, shall enter into the kingdom of the heavens. "And again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."

This has two meanings, the first very obvious, the second less so. As there was supposedly a gate in to Jerusalem called the "Needle's Eye" which would only allow a camel in with great difficulty after it unloaded itself of any people and every possession it carried. Not unlike what Christ told the rich man, eh?

So do not covet your neighbor's ass, your neighbor's wife, or any of his possessions, and do not think he is blessed or lives a holy life if he has any possessions, a huge house, or many entertainments. For these things show how much he is of this world, which as Christians, we are called not to be of.

1 Timothy 6:7-11: For we brought nothing into the world, and it is manifest that neither are we able to carry anything out; but having sustenance and coverings, we shall be satisfied with these. Now they who wish to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires, which sink men into destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evils, by which some, reaching out for themselves, were led astray from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But thou, O man of God, be fleeing these things; and be pursuing righteousness, piety, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Being rich is not a sin, but neither is it necessarily a blessing, as it may lead to our perdition. Being a responsible rich person who does not live like the outlandishly rich, is a great thing, however. Let us give thanks for whatever we have, whether great or small!

To be continued at http://orthodoxscouter.blogspot.com/2011/11/be-not-of-this-world-love-of-world-is.html