Wealth as an Obstacle

Jesus warned against greed, saying that one’s life does not consist of the wealth one has (Luke 12:15). And that wealth is fundamentally unrighteous, and that it will fail in the end (Luke 16:9).

Jesus also said it is difficult—impossible for any but God to do—for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom. (Mark 10:23-25; Matthew 19:23-24; Luke 18:24-25). He claimed that the rich among his followers would not receive comfort on the final day (Luke 6:24)—possibly meaning that they would not inherit the kingdom of God, since this is in opposition to the poor of his disciples who would.

Serving wealth is given as a display of having an idol in one’s heart and thus being unable to serve God (Matthew 6:24). Jesus warned that worry for the things of this life, the deceitfulness of riches and the desire of things causes one to no longer abide in the gospel (Mark 4:19). Jesus commanded not to store up wealth on earth, but to rather send it up to heaven (Matthew 6:19-20; Luke 12:21).

The principle behind this is that where ones treasure is, there will the heart be (Matthew 6:21; Luke 12:34)—meaning that one’s commitment is indicated by what one pours his resources into. A man putting his wealth into his future comfort on earth is condemned as a fool because he is not prepared for his death (Luke 12:16-21). The rich man was punished after death, while the poor Lazarus was given comfort (Luke 16:19-21).

Other passages outside of Jesus indicate the difficulty of wealth: James condemns the rich in his epistle (James 1:11; 2:6; 5:1-6). The Psalms at times indicate that the rich are among the wicked and will be condemned (Psalm 37:16; 49:16-20). The one who gains wealth through oppression is condemned throughout Scripture (Deut. 14:14-15; Psalm 62:10; 73:8,12; 107:39-40; Proverbs 22:16; 28:16; Isaiah 30:12-13; Ezekiel 22:12; Hosea 12:7-8; Micah 6:10-14; James 2:6). See also Baruch 3:16-19.