Very few realize the strength of their love for money until the test is brought to bear upon them. Many who profess to be Christ’s followers then show that they are unprepared for heaven. Their works testify that they love wealth more than their neighbor or their God. Like the rich young man, they inquire the way of life; but when it is pointed out and the cost estimated, and they see that the sacrifice of earthly riches is demanded, they decide that heaven costs too much. The greater the treasures laid up on the earth, the more difficult it is for the possessor to realize that they are not his own, but are lent him to be used to God’s glory.
(CS 150.1)
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Jesus here improves the opportunity to give His disciples an impressive lesson: “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.”“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”Matthew 19:23, 24.
(CS 150.2)
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Here the power of wealth is seen. The influence of the love of money over the human mind is almost paralyzing. Riches infatuate, and cause many who possess them to act as though they were bereft of reason. The more they have of this world, the more they desire. Their fears of coming to want increase with their riches. They have a disposition to hoard up means for the future. They are close and selfish, fearing that God will not provide for them. This class are indeed poor toward God. As their riches have accumulated, they have put their trust in them, and have lost faith in God and His promises.
(CS 150.3)
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The faithful, trusting poor man becomes rich toward God by judiciously using the little he has in blessing others with his means. He feels that his neighbor has claims upon him that he cannot disregard and yet obey the command of God, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31. He considers the salvation of his fellow men of greater importance that all the gold and silver the world contains.
(CS 151.1)
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Christ points out the way in which those who have wealth, and yet are not rich toward God, may secure the true riches. He says: “Sell that ye have and give alms;”(Luke 12:33) and lay up treasure in heaven. The remedy He proposes is a transfer of their affections to the eternal inheritance. By investing their means in the cause of God to aid in the salvation of souls, and by relieving the needy, they become rich in good works, and are “laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”1 Timothy 6:19. This will prove a safe investment.
(CS 151.2)
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But many show by their works that they dare not trust the bank of heaven. They choose to trust their means in the earth, rather than to send it before them to heaven. These have a great work to do to overcome covetousness and love of the world. Rich poor men, professing to serve God, are objects of pity. While they profess to know God, in works they deny Him. How great is the darkness of such! They profess faith in the truth, but their works do not correspond with their profession. The love of riches makes men selfish, exacting, and overbearing.—The Review and Herald, January 15, 1880.
(CS 151.3)
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Jesus only required him [the rich young ruler] to go where He led the way. The thorny path of duty becomes easier to follow when we trace His divine footsteps before us, pressing down the briers. Christ would have accepted this talented and noble ruler, if he had yielded to His requirements, as readily as He accepted the poor fishermen whom He bade to “follow Him”.
(CS 151.4)
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The young man’s ability to acquire property was not against him, provided he loved his neighbor as himself, and had not wronged another in acquiring his riches. That very ability, had it been employed in the service of God in seeking to save souls from ruin, would have been acceptable to the divine Master, and he might have made a diligent and successful worker for Christ. But he refused the exalted privilege of cooperating with Christ in the salvation of souls; he turned away from the glorious treasure promised him in the kingdom of God, and clung to the fleeting treasures of earth....
(CS 152.1)
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The young ruler represents a large class who would be excellent Christians if there was no cross for them to lift, no humiliating burden for them to bear, no earthly advantages to resign, no sacrifice of property or feelings to make. Christ has entrusted to them capital of talents and means, and He expects corresponding returns. That which we possess is not our own, but is to be employed in serving Him from whom we have received all we have.—The Review and Herald, March 21, 1878.
(CS 152.2)
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A consistent faith is rare among rich men. Genuine faith, sustained by works, is rare. But all who possess this faith will be men who will not lack influence. They will copy after Christ in that disinterested benevolence and interest in the work of saving souls that He had. The followers of Christ should value souls as He valued them. Their sympathies should be with the work of their dear Redeemer, and they should labor to save the purchase of His blood at any sacrifice. What are money, houses, and lands, in comparison with even one soul?—The Review and Herald, February 23, 1886.
(CS 152.3)
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Man will never be tried by temptations as powerful as those which assailed Christ; yet Satan has better success in approaching him. “All this money, this gain, this land, this power, these honors and riches, will I give thee”—for what? The condition is seldom as plainly stated as it was to Christ,—“If Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” He is content to require that integrity shall be yielded, conscience blunted. Through devotion to worldly interests he receives all the homage he asks. The door is left open for him to enter as he pleases, with his evil train of impatience, love of self, pride, avarice, and dishonesty. Man is charmed, and treacherously allured on to ruin.
(CS 210.1)
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The example of Christ is before us. He overcame Satan, showing us how we also may overcome. Christ resisted Satan with Scripture. He might have had recourse to His own divine power, and used His own words; but He said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”Matthew 4:4. If the Sacred Scriptures were studied and followed, the Christian would be fortified to meet the wily foe; but the word of God is neglected, and disaster and defeat follow.
(CS 210.2)
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A young man came to Christ, and said, “Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?”(Matthew 19:16) Jesus bade him keep the commandments. He replied, “All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?”(Matthew 19:20) Jesus looked with love upon the young man, and faithfully pointed out to him his deficiency in keeping the divine law. He did not love his neighbor as himself. His selfish love of riches was a defect, which, if not remedied, would debar him from heaven. “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.”Matthew 19:21.
(CS 210.3)
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Christ would have the young man understand that He required nothing of him more than to follow the example that He Himself, the Lord of heaven, had set. He left His riches and glory, and became poor, that man, through His poverty, might be made rich; and for the sake of these riches, He requires man to yield earthly wealth, honor, and pleasure. He knows that while the affections are upon the world, they will be withdrawn from God; therefore He said to the young man, “Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.”Matthew 19:21. How did he receive the words of Christ? Was he rejoiced that he could secure the heavenly treasure? Oh, no! “He went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”Matthew 19:22. To him riches were honor and power; and the great amount of his treasure made such a disposal of it seem almost an impossibility.
(CS 211.1)
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This world-loving man desired heaven; but he wanted to retain his wealth, and he renounced immortal life for the love of money and power. Oh, what a miserable exchange! Yet many who profess to be keeping all the commandments of God are doing the same thing.
(CS 211.2)
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Here is the danger of riches to the avaricious man; the more he gains the harder it is for him to be generous. To diminish his wealth is like parting with his life; and he turns from the attractions of the immortal reward, in order to retain and increase his earthly possessions. Had he kept the commandments, his worldly possessions would not have been so great. How could he, while plotting and striving for self, love God with all his heart, and with all his mind, and with all his strength, and his neighbor as himself? Had he distributed to the necessities of the poor as their wants demanded, he would have been far happier, and would have had greater heavenly treasure, and less of earth upon which to place his affections....
(CS 211.3) 2 I
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