Who are the monetarily rich among us?

The bible speaks much about those who are monetarily rich, mostly bad. Who today in the United States could be equated to those spoked of in the Bible? Do you consider yourself to be monetarily rich as defined by bible standards?

I don't think God has a problem with the Monetarily Rich -----otherwise He would not have Chosen Abraham to make His Covenant with ---Abraham was a rich dude --God Blessed Him Greatly ----as He did Job ----David and others ------

God has no problem with people being Monetarily Rich as long as they understand that God gives them their wealth and they are to use it in the right manner -----God blesses you with Monetary wealth so you can Bless others -----not yourself----

It is the Love of having wealth which leads to greed that God has a problem with ------storing up your Monetary wealth for yourself is the part that God finds bad ------

I guess I am. I had $17 left in my account after paying all my bills this month.

Yuppers! The bible never says money is the root of all evil. It says the "love of money"....i.e. idolization of money. The sweet verse I love is in a contrary place - Ecclesiastes 5:12 "Sweet is the sleep of the laborer whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep".

Donald Trump!

It is hard to measure who is considered rich, especially when you take into account cost of living variations in the different regions and cities in the United States. A person may make a much higher salary but it may be too difficult to buy a home in his city, whereas in a person in a rural place may be easily able to afford a home. A lot of people moving from New York and California to South Carolina may be considered "rich" when they are not. A lot of "rich" people may also not feel wealthy. I would consider the rich the upper level of wealthy people, those who can easily afford what may be considered foolish or unreasonable by many (such as sports cars, first class tickets, etc.). If they are buying nice things on credit, they are not rich.

Many Christians have a big problem with this word Prosperity ------which is definitely in scripture ---they think that to be a true follower of Christ you need to be broke --sick ----busted and discussed ----

they use what Jesus told the rich man ------Go sell all your stuff and give it to the poor and then follow me ----and also this piece of scripture -----Foxes have holes but the Son Of Man has nowhere to lay His head -----

Famous Scripture for people to make their case for Christians to be in lack ------

Shows their ignorance and lack of understanding of what the true meaning of these passages are saying -----

This word Prosperity ---refers to both Spiritually prospering and Material Prospering ------

Strong's Concordance
euporeó: to prosper
Usage: I have means, am prosperous, enjoy plenty,have pecuniary means ,
riches, means, wealth , gain, plenty.

When one becomes Born Again they are then under the Blessings of God -----the Curse has been defeated for Born Again People ----

So what does the Blessing say ----Deuteronomy 28 ---God will bless everything you put your Hand to ----so in your Workplace you will Prosper ----you will be promoted ---which gives you more money to use for God's Kingdom -----you will have the means to give to others and give God the Glory ------while having enough for yourself and your family to live on -------



So this word blessing ---what does it means Folks IN THE GREEK

Wait for it ----To Cause to prosper -----To Make You Happy --

Not anything about causing you to lack in anything your in need of

Transliteration
eulogeō

1. to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on

I say
The mainstream Churches Hate this word Prosper -----they bury this word as deep as they can in the dirt--They would rather preach on Jesus being poor AND ---they would rather complain and criticize the mega churches for what they do and buy with their wealth instead of Preaching Rightly about how God's prosperity works and what is the Proper use for it and that it is God's will for His Children to prosper ---to Glorify Him ---not ourselves -----

Job was wealthy and had plenty of Material goods ----and God restored Him with Twice as much in the end -----so God has no problem with His Children having More than enough ----both in money and material ---as if we Agape God ---we will use what is His for His good ------

Christians who have a problem with this word Prosperity -----need to do as they believe ----live in poverty and have no resources to be a Blessing to others -----which goes against what God wants for His Children -as per Scripture ----

I have been very Blessed by God and have been able to serve others in their time of need financially and otherwise ----and all Glory is God's ----The Holy Spirit directs who I am to help -----offering to help others by our own direction could possibly end up with a hand or door slammed in your face ---as not every person is receptive to help even when they might need it ----Pride gets in the way -----the Holy Spirit knows who will be receptive of the help and who won't ----

Giving to the poor is a command from God and God promises to replenish was you give out ---so you can keep giving out of your finances to Glorify Him and His Kingdom ----

If you have a roof over your head, running water, and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner; you are richer than 75% of the world.

As a person becomes more Christ-like they do not care about material prosperity as much (riches and such). It is one thing to pray for food and shelter, but something else to pray for increased wealth when you don't really "need" it (like a bigger/nicer house or car, etc.). Of course God may provide wealth. I could be wrong but I don't think Abraham, Job, etc. prayed for material/excessive wealth. I think there is a difference between the Old Testament and New Testament in that regard, where there is more of a praise for material wealth in the Old Testament but not so in the New Testament.

The prayer of Jabez begins this way...Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast...
This was a plea for material blessing. And God granted him that which he had requested.

I love how CSLewis approached this.

“I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. If our giving habits do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we want to do but cannot do because our giving expenditures exclude them.” – C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

This is the sin of pride.

Absolutely, and I was guilty of it, caught red handed in this. If anyone had a word to describe me it was “nice guy” even as unbelieving. This kind of pride became a very large area of repentance for me which is why it stuck with me after reading -Mere Christianity.-

Any millionaire or billionaire would qualify, and there are plenty of those. But disclosing personal financial standing to the world is not a wise thing at all.

A million isn't what it used to be, at least not in the USA. I'd say at least 20 million and up to be considered wealthy. When I was a kid we quantified a wealthy person by weather or not they had a million. That would be 20 million or more today.

WOW ---this is all about YOU ---no mention of being able to help others ---if you only have enough for yourself --and your satisfied with that then your not following what God wants from His Children which is to be a Blessing to others ---who are in need ----Can't give out what you need yourself -----so sad ----

I answered the OP. You are saying weird things. Did expect me to do a dissertation on the woes of the world. I made a statement plain and simple, but apparently you read all about yourself instead.

This is where people have the wrong concept of How God's Kingdom Works when it comes to God Law of Sowing and Reaping --You don't have to pray for God to Bless you so you can be a Blessing to others ----you need to sow into God's Kingdom from what you have already and God promises to give you back what you give out ------so you can keep helping others ------

If you have a CAR and God told you that you need to give that car away to a certain person who was in great need of a car ----would you give that vehicle away to help your neighbour -----and trust God to provide you with a way to get to your job -----what about God telling you to give 1,000 to a homeless person ----would you do it and trust that God would look after your needs ------


I find it so funny that many say -----I'm a Christian --- I believe the Scriptures --I trust God ---etc ----and then when a Scripture pops up that one doesn't think is appropriate for true Christians to be believing ---they say -----OH if I only have enough to live on I am rich and I am content with what I have -----WELL FOLKS -----Good for you -----But the True Christian will want to be a blessing to others and will TRUST GOD TO HONOR HIS PROMISES ------and God has a Law of sowing and reaping ----

So this ------WILL Reap -in this Scripture -----is a PROMISE from God ---it doesn't say ---may reap ---or might reap --it says WILL Reap -----Promise =Faith and trust without action is dead Faith and no trust -----


2 Corinthians 9:6-9

Amplified Bible

6 Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [a]generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap [b]generously [and be blessed].

7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].

8 And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity.

9 As it is written and forever remains written,
“He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever!”

I say
The Widow Sowed all she had into God's Kingdom --------it doesn't say what happened to her but Jesus certainly took notice of her ----and I personally believe she would have been very blessed because of her Faith and trust in God to provide for her ------

Riches in the OT:

Leviticus 19:13 You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 You may say in your heart, “The power and the strength of my hand has made this wealth for me.” But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Deuteronomy 24:12-15 If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before the LORD your God. You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns.

Deuteronomy 32:15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior.

Nehemiah 9:25-26 They captured fortified cities and a fertile land They took possession of houses full of every good thing, Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, Fruit trees in abundance So they ate, were filled and grew fat, and reveled in Your great goodness. "But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them So that they might return to You, And they committed great blasphemies.

Job 31:24-28 If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust, If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much; If I have looked at the sun when it shone or the moon going in splendor, And my heart became secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above.

Job 20:17-20 He does not look at the streams, the rivers flowing with honey and curds. He returns what he has attained and cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them. For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built. Because he knew no quiet within him, He does not retain anything he desires.

Psalm 52:6-7 The righteous will see and fear, and will laugh at him, saying, "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire."

Psalm 62:10 Do not trust in oppression and do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

Proverbs 11:4 4Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

Proverbs 11:24-26 24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. 26 People curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.

Proverbs 13:7-8 One pretends to be rich, but has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. Riches may ransom a man’s life, but a poor man hears no threat.

Proverbs 13:11 Dishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.

Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Proverbs 15:6 Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, but trouble is in the income of the wicked.

Proverbs 18:11 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own imagination.

Proverbs 18:23 The poor man pleads for mercy, but the rich man answers harshly.

Proverbs 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

Proverbs 23:4-5 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.

Proverbs 28:11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding sees through him.

Proverbs 28:20 A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 30:8-9 Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal and profane the name of my God.

Ecclesiastes_5:10–13 He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes? The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner

Isaiah 1:23 Your rulers are rebels and companions of thieves; Everyone loves a bribe And chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, nor does the widow's plea come before them.

Jeremiah 22:13 Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness And his upper rooms without justice, Who uses his neighbor's services without pay And does not give him his wages,

Jeremiah 49:4 How boastful you are about the valleys! Your valley is flowing away, O backsliding daughter who trusts in her treasures, saying, 'Who will come against me?'

Ezekiel 28:5 By your great wisdom, by your trade You have increased your riches and your heart is lifted up because of your riches

Hosea 13:6 As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me.

Micah 6:12 For the rich men of the city are full of violence, her residents speak lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

Haggai 1:3-5 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?" Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways!

Malachi 3:5 Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts.