In the Gospels, the words "how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God" are also repeated in the Gospel of Mark in the form "how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God." This is an important addition that helps us understand the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ...
In the Gospels, the words "how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God" are also repeated in the Gospel of Mark in the form "how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God." This is an important addition that helps us understand the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing inherently bad about money in and of itself; what is bad is that we so easily become slaves to it. We begin to think about how to acquire more and more, which easily becomes a passion, a kind of obsession. And then a person lives only for themselves and their money, which is far too little for a fulfilling life. Furthermore, earning money gradually consumes all of one's time and strength, leaving none for God, for love, for people, or for anything else... Moreover, a person imperceptibly begins to focus entirely on what they can do for themselves with their wealth: I will buy this, and then another... However, you cannot take any of this to the grave. In several places, the Gospel tells us that money is good as a means to do good works, and not only for oneself. In short, having enough money to live a dignified life and to do good for others is not bad at all. But it is important that money does not become the meaning and ultimate goal of life. As a means, however, why not?
It is understandable that if one has very little money, such spiritual problems, if they arise at all, do so on a much smaller scale. We must admit that one can be destitute and yet think only about money (this is often complicated by murmuring: "I am so good, yet I have been deprived of what I deserve"). This, obviously, is no better. Happiness is not found in money (nor in its quantity), but in being generous without murmuring. Perhaps generosity is precisely the key word in defining the Christian attitude toward wealth. Generosity sanctifies the one who has money, while greed defiles even the poor.
Poverty that is not fixated on itself and its meager resources has, perhaps, one significant advantage: one can truly and firmly put their hope in God. In prosperity, this hope gives way to gratitude to God for giving you the strength and ability to earn a living. Gratitude to God ("bundled," so to speak, with generosity) also strips wealth of the taint of sin. And to be grateful in poverty is a mark of true spiritual maturity.
Undoubtedly, poverty is a heavy burden. And every hardship in life can be an opportunity for a person to draw closer to Christ, who voluntarily impoverished Himself for our sake and became a poor man.
Finally, for a Christian, any condition in life is valuable only when God Himself calls them to it. Some (and they are the majority) He calls to be poor and to bear all the burdens of life with gratitude and generosity (even with small means). To others, the Lord directly says: "sell all that you have, and follow Me." And a third group is called to earn much money, and to help the first and the second... It is crucial to find your place and to answer your specific calling. Otherwise, neither poverty nor wealth will bring any spiritual benefit.
As for commerce... The Word of God looks favorably upon any honest human endeavor that is not coupled with sin, that brings benefit to others, and that causes no harm to anyone. Thus, the circle of forbidden occupations is quite limited: banditry, prostitution... Of course, commerce, like politics, can struggle to be entirely honest (especially in certain "exotic" countries, such as ours). But difficult does not mean impossible. I have even encountered honest and believing traffic police officers (admittedly, in the remote provinces and a long time ago, but the roads there were wonderful).
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5:11 Concerning whom - The apostle here begins an important digression, wherein he reproves, admonishes, and exhorts the Hebrews. We - Preachers of the gospel. Have many things to say, and hard to be explained - Though not so much from the subject - matter, as from your slothfulness in considering, and dulness in apprehending, the things of God.
5:12 Ye have need that one teach you again which are the first principles of religion. Accordingly these are enumerated in the first verse of the ensuing chapter.And have need of milk - The first and plainest doctrines.
5:13 Every one that useth milk - That neither desires, nor can digest, anything else: otherwise strong men use milk; but not milk chiefly, and much less that only. Is unexperienced in the word of righteousness - The sublimer truths of the gospel.Such are all who desire and can digest nothing but the doctrine of justification and imputed righteousness.
5:14 But strong meat - These sublimer truths relating to "perfection," Heb 6:1.Belong to them of full age, who by habit - Habit here signifies strength of spiritual understanding, arising from maturity of spiritual age. By, or in consequence of, this habit they exercise themselves in these things with ease, readiness, cheerfulness, and profit.
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6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ - That is, saying no more of them for the present. Let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works - From open sins, the very first thing to be insisted on. And faith in God - The very next point. So St. Paul in his very first sermon at Lystra, Act 14:15, "Turn from those vanities unto the living God."And when they believed, they were to be baptized with the baptism, not of the Jews, or of John, but of Christ. The next thing was, to lay hands upon them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: after which they were more fully instructed, touching the resurrection, and the general judgment; called eternal, because the sentence then pronounced is irreversible, and the effects of it remain for ever.
6:3 And this we will do - We will go on to perfection; and so much the more diligently, because,
6:4 It is impossible for those who were once enlightened - With the light of the glorious love of God in Christ. And have tasted the heavenly gift - Remission of sins, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb. And been made partakers of the Holy Ghost - Of the witness and the fruit of he Spirit.
6:5 And have tasted the good word of God - Have had a relish for, and a delight in it. And the powers of the world to come - Which every one tastes, who has an hope full of immortality. Every child that is naturally born, first sees the light, then receives and tastes proper nourishment, and partakes of the things of this world. In like manner, the apostle, comparing spiritual with natural things, speaks of one born of the Spirit, as seeing the light, tasting the sweetness, and partaking of the things "of the world to come."
6:6 And have fallen away - Here is not a supposition, but a plain relation of fact. The apostle here describes the case of those who have cast away both the power and the form of godliness; who have lost both their faith, hope, and love, Heb 6:10, etc , and that wilfully, Heb 10:26.Of these wilful total apostates he declares, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance. (though they were renewed once,) either to the foundation, or anything built thereon. Seeing they crucify the Son of God afresh - They use him with the utmost indignity. And put him to an open shame - Causing his glorious name to be blasphemed.
6:8 That which beareth thorns and briers - Only or chiefly. Is rejected - No more labour is bestowed upon it.Whose end is to be burned - As Jerusalem was shortly after.