Heaven not for the rich?

Is wealth incompatible with the Kingdom of God? In other words, do rich people have a place in God’s heart? Bright Mhango tries to answer these and other questions on the issue of wealth and religion.

The Bible speaks at length against riches and wealth. In fact, if one reads it often enough one gets scared about acquiring wealth.

Jesus told somebody that apart from mastering the commandments, he needed to sell his belongings and give the money to the poor.

Jesus said (Mathew 19:24): “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.”

Verses such as James 5:1-5, Luke 16:13, Psalm 62:10, Psalm 49:20, Psalm 49:16-17 and Ecclesiastes 2:21 also generally speak in the spirit of Mathew 19: 24

Everyone in the world is trying to hustle and trying to fulfil what American rapper 50 Cent said that one has to “get rich or die trying.” Does God, therefore, literally discourage humanity from getting rich? What should humanity do then?

Nation on Sunday invited two men of God to roundtable to take on the issue. The men were Pastor Mark Phiri co-founder of Sweet Saviour Ministry, and Pastor William Njobvuyalema, resident pastor of Faithful Christians Pentecostal Church in Ndirande.

Phiri said one can have wealth but enter the kingdom of heaven.

“The problem comes when you start trusting, believing and bowing down to your riches. Because most people who get rich get obsessed with their wealth, that is why Jesus issued that warning,” he said.

Phiri said the mere idea of being called bwana (boss) corrupts and tends to make one feel like a little god which contradicts the Bible.

He said there is need to balance wealth and faith.

“The world tells us that enjoyment is in money and the Lord says enjoy via his word… God is the owner of the riches as he says in Haggai 2 verse 8. In Philippians 4: 4- 6, God says we should trust and ask him and he will give us what we lack. He didn’t say trust in wealth,” said Phiri.

He added that unlike worldly wealth which is enjoyed by a few, heavenly wealth is enjoyed by everyone.

On his part, Njobvuyalema said the camel in the simile Jesus used represents the righteous while the rich represent bad-minded people.

He said the duty of the rich is to be just and trust the lord

“John 13: 15 says we should live like Christ and he should always be the guiding force for humanity,” said Njobvuyalema.

Asked if the Bible’s attitude towards riches might encourage laziness, the two pastors chorused in saying that the Bible actually encourages hard work and condemns laziness.

They cited Proverbs 6:6 which portrays ants as models: “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise.”

The two, however, warned those that have riches to desist from being obsessed by it, to give to the poor and obtain their wealth honestly.

Islam is also not far from Christianity in terms of its attitude towards wealth. It has been written in the Hadith that Prophet Muhammad said: “The most beloved places on Earth to Allah are its mosques, and the most despised places on Earth to Allah are its markets.”

Some interpreters say Allah does not hate trade per se but rather the fraud and abnormal profits that men pile upon themselves.

Abû Hurayrah said Muhammad said “Richness is not having many belongings, but richness is the richness of the soul (contentment).”

That means to be truly rich is not about belongings.

But it is also said elsewhere in Islam that “…And do not forget your share of the worldly life.” (Sûrah al-Qasas: 77)

Mandy Pondani of Namiyango in Blantyre gave a layman’s face to the debate.

Said Pondani: “God wants us to be rich so that we reflect his glory…he is not a God of poverty. The scriptures do not warn against getting rich, but rather against the idea of keeping the riches to ourselves and having no heart to share with those who are less privileged than us.”