God in the flesh was in front of the rich man. What an amazing happening, like no other ever. The rich man did not want to give up his wealth and follow Jesus,
God who was right there in front of him. He did not want to join Jesus’ earthly ministry. We are not all told to leave our homes and give everything away to become traveling ministers. That is nonsense taught by people with no understanding.
Can you imagine Paul preaching to the church of the Ephesians, Galatians, and Corinthians that they had to give away everything they owned and become traveling disciples? There would not be churches in the New Testament for Paul to write too! For the houses of the believers were the churches. No one would be there for Paul to write too and visit, for they would all be gone doing traveling ministries.
Jesus knows everyone’s heart and knew the rich man thought more of his earthly riches than God’s Truth.
Jesus said his teachings are not burdensome, but I am sorry to say you who believe Jesus wants everyone to give away their home and money have made Jesus’ teachings burdensome.
It is not a sin to have money and material possessions. Paul explains that parents save up for their children. How do people save up for their children if they have nothing? Not only that, there are scripture for those who are wealthy in this world, and it is not to give it all away.
1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
2 Corinthians 12:14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
Paul had guidelines for whom Christians were to help. Even a widow had to meet certain guidelines before she would be helped.
1 Timothy 5:9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband,
1 Timothy 5:16
If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
1 Timothy 5:4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
How is the Christians wife keeping busy in her house if her house was sold and given to the poor?
Titus 2:5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
As for Acts 2:45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
The people were not commanded to do this, they wanted to do this.
Read this, it is during the same time:
Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 5:5 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
Peter says that the LAND BELONGED TO HIM TO DO WITH IT WHAT HE WANTED. Then, after the LAND was sold---the MONEY from the land was HIS TO DO WHAT HE WANTED WITH IT.
Ananias' sin is not that he kept money, but that he LIED about it.
