THE RICH AND ETERNITY.......All Men are Redeemable!

RICH MEN AND ETERNITY

Introduction

The gospel of Jesus Christ is to the lost souls. It is good news to all men.  It's such good news that is available for everyone living when the person realizes his need for the creator.  

There are people who think they don't need God to live their lives, but the problem with such a thought is that a day will come when they will realize they need the help of God.

Another problem with such an opinion is that the person is not thinking of eternity and making any contribution toward his eternity.  There is heaven, just as we the earth.  Eternity is spiritual and everyone who dreams can agree with me that eternity is real.  

Heaven and hell are the assigned places for 'retirement' of men after this world. Heaven for those that pleased God, they retire into their rest and enjoyment.  

Hell is a place of torment for those who live and died in disobedience.  But it is not the will of God that anyone should die in their sin, but that all men be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.   In Ezekiel 18:23, 32, the Lord asks: "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD".

Would I not prefer he turn from his ways and live?  For I take no pleasure in anyone's death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!  Say to them: 'As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. 

The Lord is asking such people why they should die in their evil.  He says Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?' - Ezekiel 33:11

Types of Rich men

The rich and wealthy are in a priviledged position.  There are only a few of them in the midst of millions of poor and averagely rich people.  The rich are the envy of millions and because of that, some of them believe all is well with them.  This is the deception of the devil to hinder their salvation.  

This deception is one of the reasons why many of them do not go to church or pray to God.  But, we see few of them, who have realized their need for God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who seek God and serve Him. These are the few who are enjoying their wealth in peace.  The rich that have no time for the things of God shall be tormented in different ways.  These are the rich that commit suicide etc.

Among the different categories of rich men, the best of them are the ones that seek the Lord.  That is the category, the young man  that came to Christ in the book of Mathew belong.  In Mathew 19:16, he came to Jesus Christ to inquiry what he might do to enter the kingdom of heaven. 

Though he seemed to be doing well in obeying the commandments, but when the Lord told him, what he must do to enter the kingdom of heaven, he was offended.

The Rich that seek the Lord

The Lord told him clearly saying: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."  The Lord told him the price for eternal life and the price was too heavy for him.  He knew and kept the Law, but to migrate to grace, he does not have the capacity to handle.

You may be doing well, but when you encounter the Lord, you are expected to do better.  Grace is better than the Law.  The Lord says to him, go, sell all you have and give to the poor, then come follow me.  He did not ask him to sow his wealth into His ministry, as some fake Preachers do today, but He told him to sell his possessions and give to the poor.

But, lol, when the young man heard this saying, the bible says, he went away sad because he had great wealth.  Great wealth is the problem of many rich people why they do not have time to go to church.  The young man went away to enjoy his wealth.  I pray for you that money and wealth will not stand in the way of your eternity.

The problem of Money

There is what the bible calls the deceitfulness of wealth that chokes the word of God and make it unfruitful.  They heard the word and received the Lord as their saviour, but worries about this life nullify their zeal for heaven.  That's what happened to the rich young man, after hearing what he needed to do to advance in his heavenly pursuit, he decided to abandon his interest for heaven.

We have many such rich people today, who have not entered a church or prayed to God for many years.  We even have many people who say there is no God, and have no relationship with the Saviour, though they have heard the gospel of salvation many times.  

For many of them, the reason is the amount of money they have and the comfort they enjoy due to success. They forget the deceitfulness of money that hinders spiritual development.  Here's some of the things the bible say about money, which makes mamoon deceitful:

The bible says:

1. Money is a defence  -  Ecclesiastes 7:12

2. Money answereth all things - Ecclesiastes 10:19

3. Love for money - 1 Timothy 6:10

4. The deceitfulness of riches - Mathew 19:21

5. Where your treasure is, there your money will be - Mathew 6:19-21

Freedom

The message of Jesus Christ is a good message to people in bondage of Satan, people who have compromised their faith and have been captured by the devil can appreciate the freedom that Jesus give them.  Many are tired of the works of darkness, but they are afraid to stop.   Many witches and occultist who confessed to having sold their soul to the devil, are actually afraid the devil will kill them if they rebel against him.
  

We have seen a lot of wise ones among them, who decided to run to the Lord for deliverance and freedom.  Among these categories are the people who the devil made rich at the expense of their happiness and joy, others at the expense of their loves ones and joy in the family.  If you belong to this category, you can be free today, even now.  

Verdict - Only a Few Rich can enter

When the Lord saw the young man went back in pain, He said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  Money or Mamoon is another god that people worship, for the pleasure it gives.

The Lord was saying that money gives people a false sense of protection, that with wealth all is well, but in the real sense, there are many things money will be helpless.  For in the day of trouble, money cannot deliver the rich according to Proverbs 11:4.

The Lord was saying that people who got money through their money without God are likely to put their trust in their wealth.  Those who love money for the good things it can provide to them will find the requirement of 'sell all' very difficult to obey, and so they are going to exclude themselves from the kingdom.

There is Hope

Finally, there is hope for the rich man, who recognize and love the Lord.  Every rich man who honours the Lord is truly blessed.  Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:17 saying " Charge the rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the Living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy". 

The Lord Himself answered to say that "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Mathew 19:18-26.  There are people that God has pre-ordained for the kingdom.  If such people find themselves in wealth and do not remember God,  they will, one day come to repentance and be saved.

This is why the Lord has called all believers to prayer and intercession for souls.  Souls of men who the Lord has destined for greatness, but whom the devil has diverted their attention and destiny.  We to pray as ambassadors of Christ, as people who have received the grace of forgiveness of our sins.  We are to pray for them, rich and poor, because we were commanded in scriptures to offer entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings … on behalf of all men. 

CONCLUSION

Our commission as born-again Christians ought to be for the salvation of all sinners (Rom. 9:3; 10:1). While praying for all men, we should also pray for those whom the Lord has chosen to serve Him, that are not in Christ yet, that the Lord will quicken their heart to respond to the gospel.

This is called evangelistic Prayer, a prayer of understanding and very effective prayer.  All men are redeemable, but the rich man who has no respect for the Lord, neither His Word, to obey nor to trust in His love and power shall perish.  

Everyone trusting in their wealth shall be dissappointed on the last day, and it is my prayer that men would realize this truth in good time and repent.

FIRE...