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Moral LifeIntermediate

Does God want us to be wealthy?

Moral Life

The short answer

No. Jesus told a rich young man to sell what he had and give to the poor, and said it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter God's kingdom. The Gospels show God's favor focused on the poor; the "gospel of the full stomach" is not the gospel of Jesus.

Jesus on riches

Jesus told a rich young man seeking eternal life to sell his possessions, give to the poor and follow him (see Matthew 19:20-21). He then said it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24).

God's favor for the poor

The Gospels are full of God's favor toward the poor, not the rich. Jesus was born in a stable and lived in a working-class family; Joseph was a laborer.

A false gospel

Many have preached a "gospel of the full stomach," but it is not the gospel of Jesus. Most saints born into wealth renounced it sooner or later.