Class Warfare in the Church
There seems to be a simmering class warfare between Christians these days.
On one side there are folks who say that God wants you to be rich and healthy. “Come follow Jesus and leave your pain behind!” they shout as they gather followers like a kid hunting Easter eggs. They pull verses out of scripture like Proverbs 10:22
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
The God-wants-you-rich crowd tends to look down on poor people because they believe the poor must be far from God because they don’t have His material blessings.
On the other side are the folks who say that the rich are just greedy and selfish. “Don’t you know?” they holler, “Jesus said it is hard for a rich person to get into heaven. Give all your stuff away and that will prove that you are on the team because God loves the poor.”
So which side’s right?
The short answer, for those of you with short attention spans (and want to skip past a long explanation), is neither extreme is right.
But didn’t Jesus say that stuff about rich people and heaven? Yep. He sure did. But let’s look at the scripture passage in context.
The story that the God-loves-the-poor-and-hates-the-rich crowd clings to so much is actually found three different times in scripture in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It is repeated three times so it must be important. Let’s look at the story in the book of Matthew.
Jesus just had an encounter with a rich guy who wanted to know what he needed to do be acceptable to God. He was asking Jesus how he could be good enough to get into heaven on his own merit. At the end of the conversation Jesus tells him to sell everything he had, give to the poor, and then follow after Jesus. The guy wasn’t willing to do that and went away sad.
Apparently he was very rich.
Now let’s pick up the story in Matthew 19:23-26
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. I say it again–it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
In each of the three versions of the story Jesus repeats the line about it being hard for a rich person to get into heaven. That makes at least 6 times the bible records Jesus saying it. The idea must be important!
On the surface it sounds a lot like Jesus is firmly in the poor, God-hates-the-rich camp. But that quick superficial look misses Jesus’ point entirely.
The people Jesus was actually speaking to at the time had a slightly twisted view of God. They were at the extreme end of the God-wants-you-rich spectrum. They firmly believed that wealth was proof that people were favored by God. They looked at the whole of scripture through a lens like the example from Proverbs I mentioned. Through out the gospels you see time and time again that the followers of Jesus had that view of God.
Jesus had to do some radical communicating to break through all of their misunderstandings. It wasn’t time for pruning back the branches. He had to cut down the tree all together.
He completely removed financial status from equation as far as what it took to please God. His point was not that being rich is bad in God’s eyes. His point was that being rich (or being poor) was totally irrelevant and completely missed what was important.
What God wants is for people to put Him first. The rich guy Jesus was talking to right before that story wanted to keep all his stuff ahead of God. Jesus said that didn’t cut it. Jesus was crystal clear throughout his teaching: God first. Everything else comes after that.
When he was asked what the single most important thing was for people to do, Jesus could have answered, “Sell all your stuff, give the money to the poor and become poor yourself.”
But he didn’t.
Instead he answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
That’s it.
You do that, Jesus said, and love other people as much as you love yourself, then you are covered. Everything else is secondary.
All the junk that Christians bicker over is incredibly petty. Rich or Poor? Makes no difference. Christians need to get over themselves, their need to be right, and get out of God’s way.
The bottom line is simple. Do you love God? Do you love others?
Where do you stand?
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19 comments
You are certainly correct in stating that God does not hate the rich. God is love, after all and hates no one.
But a fair and balanced reading of the whole bible, and especially Jesus and the New Testament, ought to give us pause when it comes to the wealthy side of the equation.
I’m sure you’re aware of the consistency and power with which the lure of wealth is condemned, but sometimes it helps to review some of those words. From Mary, mother of Jesus:
“”The Lord has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. God has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.”
To John the Baptist:
“What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.”
And when John asked Jesus who he was, remember Jesus’ answer?
“Tell John about the outcasts being healed and that I’m preaching good news to the poor.” To the poor specifically!
To Jesus’ own explanation of what his ministry was:
“God has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favor.”
To Jesus’ instruction to the rich man who asked how to be saved:
“Sell all you have and give it to the poor and come, join my community (My translation).”
To Jesus repeated instructions about the dangers of wealth (I wonder what the number of those warnings about wealth is…?)
To the rest of the New Testament, such as James:
“Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you dishonored the poor person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you?…”
And:
“Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries. Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded, and that corrosion will be a testimony against you; it will devour your flesh like a fire. You have stored up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure; you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter….”
HOLY WEALTH-HATERS, BATMAN! If anyone could be accused of Class warfare, it would include Jesus, James and Mary right at the top.
You are certainly correct in stating that Jesus told us the most important thing is love. And yet, we can’t forget or ignore direct commandments such as found in Luke 12:33:
“Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.”
The Bible, read honestly, will make the rich squirm.
It does me, anyway.
So which is it, Dan? Does God love the rich as well as the poor, or did He declare an open class war against the rich?
It can’t be both. The mental gyrations required to get there don’t work.
It seems to me the position you bring forth misses the point just as blatently as the view people had in Jesus’ day, but in the opposite direction.
The issue is not are you rich or poor. The issue this: Is God your first priority?
Otherwise, why did Jesus bother with Zacchaeus? He was pretty stinking rich.
Far too many Christians today have the mindset that God will only love me if I’m poor. And they use that twisted belief as an excuse to be lazy because lazy is comfortable.
The issue is pretty straightforward if you read the Bible and watch for what it says about money. Namely: Money, wealth and power are all traps and are warned about frequently and vehemently. If you have them, you’re likely trapped by them. No mental gyrations necessary. Why is that complicated?
It’s not black and white (sorry for those of you who don’t like shades of gray). Some wealthy folk have stayed within God’s favor and will. But the norm is, when you’re wealthy, you’re likely to be tainted by it.
You are correct that your priorities are crucial, but Jesus and the writers of the Bible consistently and decisively and aggressively warn the wealthy not to exploit the poor and they did so because the wealthy tend to do exactly that.
I never said that God declared class war, I simply offered God’s own words and let them do the speaking. I’m sorry God speaks so harshly towards the wealthy (which face it, includes you and me), but those words say what they say. If you want to accuse God of class warfare, knock yourself out.
God’s words are pretty harsh but I reckon we deserve it way too often.
(And, “far too many christians think they have to be poor?” I haven’t met them. Not a one of them. We’d certainly be better off with that mindset than the opposite.)
Further, “which is it?” Why can’t it be both? Why can’t God love the wealthy and, because God loves them, God warns them away from wealth’s trappings?
Isn’t that exactly what Jesus did with the rich young man?
Now, Chris, don’t go and misrepresent me. Thou shalt not bear false witness, ya know? Poor conversation practice as well as being against one of the big Ten.
I did not say that God declared “open class war against the rich.”
God without a doubt loves us all, the rich and the poor.
Jesus demonstrated love for the rich young man when he told him that he needed to go and sell all he had, give it to the poor and follow him. When the rich man couldn’t do so and walked away, Jesus was saddened.
What compassion!
And if you want to call that class warfare, okay, but it’s your wording, not mine.
Jesus obviously thought it okay to both love the rich and condemn the trap of wealth.
No, all I did were quote a few of the many harsh criticisms God speaks towards wealth and the wealthy in God’s word. You want to accuse God of class warfare, knock yourself out.
There are no “mental gyrations” to perform, the Bible is clear on this.
1. God loves us all.
2. Some wealthy people have followed God.
3. But the norm in the Bible is that wealth is a trap, and that the wealthy tend towards oppression, greed and away from Godliness.
The Word says what it says and does so quite unequivocally and with pulling no punches.
And, finally, “far too many Christians think God will only love me if I’m poor”??!! Really?
I haven’t met the first one. And your associating being poor with being lazy does not speak well to your knowledge of the life of the poor (who tend to work more and harder than wealthier people), nor of your respect for those whom God has identified as God’s chosen.
Chris, are you deleting my comments or is it your system some how?
Twice now I’ve posted a response here and seen that it was there, a third comment, and twice now it’s gone. What’s happening?
Hey Chris,
I was having difficulties posting from home. It’s like it accepts my post and then it disappears. You know what’s going on?
I’ll try it from here with another name to see if that makes a difference.
======
Now, Chris, don’t go and misrepresent me. Thou shalt not bear false witness, ya know? Poor conversation practice as well as being against one of the big Ten.
I did not say that God declared “open class war against the rich.â€
God without a doubt loves us all, the rich and the poor.
Jesus demonstrated love for the rich young man when he told him that he needed to go and sell all he had, give it to the poor and follow him. When the rich man couldn’t do so and walked away, Jesus was saddened.
What compassion!
And if you want to call that class warfare, okay, but it’s your wording, not mine.
Jesus obviously thought it okay to both love the rich and condemn the trap of wealth.
No, all I did were quote a few of the many harsh criticisms God speaks towards wealth and the wealthy in God’s word. You want to accuse God of class warfare, knock yourself out.
There are no “mental gyrations†to perform, the Bible is clear on this.
1. God loves us all.
2. Some wealthy people have followed God.
3. But the norm in the Bible is that wealth is a trap, and that the wealthy tend towards oppression, greed and away from Godliness.
I’m sorry God is so rough on the rich (after all, his warnings are directed towards me and you, being as wealthy as we are), but the Word says what it says and does so quite unequivocally and with pulling no punches.
And, finally, “far too many Christians think God will only love me if I’m poor�?!! Really?
I haven’t met the first one. And your associating being poor with being lazy does not speak well to your knowledge of the life of the poor (who tend to work more and harder than wealthier people), nor of your respect for those whom God has identified as God’s chosen.
Sorry, that post was from Dan, I never identified myself. Will it take with my name and email in there?
Dan, Jeff,
My sincerest appologies about the whole comment thing. For some reason Askimet flagged both of your comments as spam. I guess I just learned I need to keep an eye on that so that I can turn loose any legitimate comments!
The system was “protecting” the blog and the operator (me) wasn’t doing his job.
I’m at work now, but when I get a chance I’ll read through your comments and respond.
Thanks for your patience with me as I learn this whole WordPress thing.
No problems. I actually like the feel of this setup (my endless repitition above notwithstanding - sorry about that!)
And again, I apologize for the many posts, feel free to delete some of them as they’re rather repetitive.
I had a thought that I’d run past you: Have you done any research on wealth and poverty and what the Bible says? How many warnings ARE there in the Bible about wealth? How often does God “choose sides” with the poor? Are money issues the most common topic in the Bible (I think, actually, The Kingdom of God is most common, but economic issues are second, if I remember correctly).
What about the Jubilee laws, what are they and how often do those concepts reappear throughout the Bible? How do they apply to us today?
You seem to have an honest thirst for biblical knowledge, would you be interested in doing the research on this topic (or referencing/reviewing some of those who’ve already done so)? Wealth and poverty are extremely common topics in the Bible and they’re discussed in often quite strong and exacting language and I always find the topic interesting and still surprising in what God says about it.
Dan, as far as comments go here at CREEations, the only reason I plan to delete comments is because of profanity usage. I think we’re OK with the comments as they stand because someone coming along later might learn from my mistake. Besides, it’s a good reminder for me too.
Reading through your comments, I get the feeling that you are firmly established in the “God wants us to be poor” camp. I see that as an extreme viewpoint which, as I stated in the post, I respectfully disagree with, just as I disagree with those who espouse the opposite extreme view, “God wants us to be rich.”
Both sides can pick out just as many individual scriptures to push forward their views. But when I read through it all I believe they are both missing the point.
The problem I have with the “God wants us to be poor†camp is the hypocrisy I see when I look at that viewpoint. Folks with that view point have a tendency to rail against what others are doing, or not doing, with their money. But they generally don’t stop to think about the logical extensions of what they espouse.
If they truly believed that being poor was a virtue and that wealth was intrinsically corrupting then they would give away everything they had, live in a mud hut somewhere, do all their work for free, and never accumulate any possessions of any type.
But pretty much they don’t. Especially those who live in America.
To me it seems more often a rationalization for why they haven’t gotten where they wanted to in life. If others have more of what deep down they want for themselves, then the wealthy must have acquired it because they are bad people. Often times it goes even further to “The rich should be punished (because they are really bad people anyway). Let’s take their money (via taxes) and have the government give it to the poor.â€
Like I said in the post, often times it is just an excuse for laziness. It is more comfortable and easier to rail about the evils of wealth than to get up and get busy working.
Now as for what the Bible has to say about wealth, I have taken a pretty good look at it over the years. Please understand that I don’t subscribe to the “God wants us to be rich†viewpoint either.
Again, like I said in the post, bickering over this issue is a colossal distraction.
Love God. Love others.
The rest will take care of itself.
Ah, but you’re greatly mistaken. I fall in the “God wants us to be outrageously wealthy” camp. It’s just that I define “wealthy” differenly than those who love money.
You said:
“Both sides can pick out just as many individual scriptures to push forward their views.”
And here’s another area where I suspect you’re tremendously mistaken.
I don’t think you can find nearly as many scriptures that seem to endorse material wealth and the few that do so will not do so in nearly so strong a language as the vast number of passages that strongly criticizes the oppression of material gain and those who have the material gain.
“To me it seems more often a rationalization for why they haven’t gotten where they wanted to in life.”
And forgive me for pointing this out, but I suspect that most folk in the US make an argument like this as a rationalization for being wealthy. Make no mistake, I AM wealthy. Making over $20,000/year as I do puts me in the top (I forget exactly) 10%-ish wealthiest people in the world. This is not a criticism of others.
It is a criticism of wealth. Wealth, as the bible clearly and repeatedly tells us, is a trap and oppression is inherent in obtuse material gain. By having the lifestyles that you and I and the vast number of us do in the west causes great social injustice.
And that’s why “bickering over this issue is NOT a colossal distraction.” Dealing with social injustice is CENTRAL to loving others and God, which you’ve correctly identified as the primary concern.
Here’s an analogy.
I imagine we both believe the bible teaches us to live rather chaste lives, that sexuality is a wonderful thing within the committed bonds of marriage, right? It’s a fairly consistent teaching in the Bible.
However, there are exceptions found in the Bible. Holy men with great harems and concubines. Lot offering his daughter to be raped. Abraham offering his wife to the ruler of the foreign land (I forget where). Don’t these examples offer up alternative visions of healthy sexuality? Aren’t we waging sex wars to claim that folk must only marry an individual?
Well, no, both you and I might say. There are a few exceptions found in the Bible, but the RULE is: sex within two individuals in marriage. In the exceptions, it’s not necessarily endorsing the exception, just noting it. But the general and consistent rule is sex is for marriage between two individuals.
Same with economics, only the case for what I’ll call Sabbath Economics (Ched Myers’ label) is SO MUCH stronger than the case for marriage. Sure, some people can be wealthy. No, God doesn’t hate wealthy people. BUT THE GENERAL RULE found throughout the Bible is “Beware of materialistic wealth, join in solidarity with the poor and find the wealth of Enough for everyone.”
THAT is the rule.
I don’t expect you to take me at my word, but as you re-read the Bible, I only ask that you keep an eye out and your heart open for all the messages about economics, solidarity with the poor, warnings to the wealthy and about wealth.
To acknowledge that this is the Word of God is not to engage in class warfare, but it is to honor God’s word and take it seriously. To discount God’s warnings about wealth and God’s admonishment to join in solidarity with the poor is to listen for only that which tickles our ears.
Dan, I’m sorry but I cannot follow you.
You say that you believe God “wants us to be outrageously wealthy.†Then you say, “Wealth, as the bible clearly and repeatedly tells us, is a trap and oppression is inherent in obtuse material gain.†That is a contradiction that makes no sense to me.
Instead of changing definitions of words to fit my beliefs (i.e. “It’s just that I define “wealthy†differenly than those who love money.â€) I prefer to change my beliefs to fit the words I find in the Bible as they are commonly defined.
Also your analogy falls flat and does not apply at all to the subject at hand. The Bible calls sexual relations outside of marriage immoral and, as you point out, has quite a bit to say about it. However the Bible does not classify either the acquiring of wealth or the giving of wealth away as immoral. Wealth in and of itself is not a moral issue. (For example look at the lists such as the one in Galatians 5:19-21. Wealth is not addressed at all.)
I’ve found that folks of your persuasion tend to believe that the Bible says that money is the root of all evil. What it says is “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.†Even when the “God wants us to be poor in material possessions†crowd will admit that those are the words the Bible uses, they tend to come back with “but what that really means is…â€
It is easier to make a rule about money than it is to make a rule about the love of money. Rich is easy for folks to define. Usually they take it to mean “people with more money than me.â€
Using a definition like that takes the pressure of conviction off their beliefs so they don’t feel they should give away everything they have, live in a mud hut somewhere, do all their work for free, and never accumulate any possessions of any type.
But if they truly saw poverty in material possessions as a virtue then they would. It is only by playing with definitions that they can make the mental gymnastics work there.
The rich guy I referred to in the post didn’t miss out on getting to know God because he was wealthy. He missed it because he valued his money more than he valued getting to know God. It is a critical distinction.
Honestly, I don’t relate to God through a set of rules. I relate to Him as a person relates to another person, by spending time with Him and having dialogue and conversation with Him.
A set of rules would be easier to describe and explain. Interpersonal relationships are by nature complicated and at times confusing. And they certainly are not so easy to explain. And then I could rail against anyone who didn’t follow the rules because they would be wrong.
I’ve been down the rule path. It was easier to get my head around as far as what was required on my end. And it felt good when I could show other people they were wrong. But I found that ultimately it sucked and left me feeling empty inside.
Now I know there are consequences to my actions in my relationship with God just as there are in any relationship. The cool thing is that God felt it was important that I understood how to best relate to Him so he gave me a manual. It’s the only relationship I’ve got one for. (I certainly didn’t get a manual like that when I got married! It would come in handy, though!
)
And again, please don’t get me wrong. I’m not advancing the position that “God wants us to be wealthy in material possessions†either. As I’ve said repeatedly, I see both extremes as missing the mark.
[...] How Do You Relate to God? Published June 24th, 2006 in God, Religion, Jesus Tags: No Tags. No TagsI’m having another long discussion with Dan Traube back at my Class Warfare in the Church post. We pretty much disagree (again) but that’s OK. The whole discussion has got me thinking. [...]
Chris said:
“You say that you believe God “wants us to be outrageously wealthy.†Then you say, “Wealth, as the bible clearly and repeatedly tells us, is a trap and oppression is inherent in obtuse material gain.†That is a contradiction that makes no sense to me.”
There are two sorts of wealth discussed in the Bible, it seems to this amateur Bible student. Material wealth, the wealth most often spoke of (and negatively) in the Bible. The wealth of Gold, Mammon, Stuff.
There are some folk in the Bible who have all this wealth and they’re spoken of as Men of God (as in David). But, as in my analogy, David also had a harem, wives, concubines and mistresses. Is that an endorsement of harems? I think not.
I’ll state it again and plainly so you’ll understand what I think: God does not hate wealthy people. People can be wealthy and godly, but it’s difficult, Jesus tells us quite frankly.
The other type of wealth I find in the Bible is the Wealth of Enough. God gave the Israelis in the desert manna, just enough to make it through the day - no matter how much they gathered.
God has given us this great creation to tend and for it to tend to us within the moderation of Enough. We can’t ALL consume like Donald Trump. God did not design the world to support that kind of wealth - which I’ll call “materialism” to separate it from the Wealth of Enough - true wealth.
And perhaps this is the crux of where we’re not communicating. If I say that I’m talking about the dangers of materialism and overconsumption, maybe you can see more clearly what I’m talking about and even agree with me. I used the word “wealth” to describe it because that is the biblical word used.
Dan, you seem to be demonstrating the point of my original post here.
I don’t claim that you believe that God hates rich people. But rather that you believe that poverty in material possessions is inhearently virtuous and that wealth in material possessions is inherantly immoral.
In my original post I said that I see this view in scripture to be just as flawed as the view that says material wealth is proof of a virtuous life and material poverty is proof of God’s disfavor because of sin.
The issue, as with the rich guy in the post, isn’t even about money. It is about people putting Jesus first, ahead of everything else, including their financial position. If you hold too tight to your possessions and value them more than you value God then he may very well ask you to unload your things. If, on the otherhand, you value your impoverished position more than you value God, he may very well ask you to get off your butt and get busy to earn some excess so that He can bless someone else through you. Because Jesus wants to be first priority.
Besides, since it isn’t spelled out in scripture, where do you draw the “wealth line of virtue”? Is the person living in a mud hut in Africa somewhere inherantly more viruous than you? How about someone on welfare here in the states? What about the guy at work that earns about a dollar an hour less than you?
In the other direction, who earns too much? Apparently it is someone who’s income falls between yours and Donald Trump’s.
And who gets to decide where it is drawn? Do you? Do you want me to? Or should we leave it up to some priest somewhere?
God may not hate rich people, but the way you’ve gone on and on here you sure seem to.
You appear to be waging a class war against rich people. You feel the Bible justifies your position.
I dissagree with you, just as I would disagree with anyone who said poor people’s suffering is proof of their disfavor with God. The whole of scriptural evidence supports neither extreme.
But the fact that you are so intent on fighting that war effectively proves the point of my post - class warfare is alive and well in the church.
“But the fact that you are so intent on fighting that war effectively proves the point of my post - class warfare is alive and well in the church.”
No, the fact that many are intent on dealing with the Western church’s sin of materialism and her willful ignorance of what the Bible says about proves we love the church and God’s word.
Surely you believe in the prophetic voice? Would you have wished that Isaiah had not condemned all those kings and the wealthy oppressors? Would you have called that class warfare? Would you have wished that Mary had not talked about God sending the “rich away empty”? Was that class warfare? Was James brutal treatment of the wealthy a sign of class warfare?
Why is what they’ve done acceptable (and they were much more harsh than I have been) and what those who do so today doing it NOT acceptable. THAT’S what I’m not understanding about your position and haven’t really seen you address.
And just to address one point you made that I didn’t address earlier, you said:
“I’ve found that folks of your persuasion tend to believe that the Bible says that money is the root of all evil.”
Well you’ve found the wrong folk. I know exactly what that passage says and agree with it exactly as it is stated. For what it’s worth, I’ve found that many folk have latched on to that phrase (”OOOH, it’s the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil. Well, I have no intention of marrying my money, so I’m good.”) as a loophole to endorse their greed.
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