Blessings blocked by dollars?

What is the number one barricade that people put up against faith in Jesus Christ? Is it the struggle to believe without seeing? Is it the difficulty to admit sin and need? Is it a false faith in the lies of Satan? Is it the difficulties of following the Lord rather than the world?

If Jesus had not said it, I wouldn’t have thought it, but in His judgment, one of the biggest barricades is money. When He was approached by a rich young man who wanted to know how to inherit eternal life, rather than telling him the need for simple faith, Jesus told him that he had to give up all that he had.

And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For 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.” And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:24-27)

A strange reply. The Bible is clear that salvation is not about giving up in order to get eternal life. We don’t earn it much less deserve it. Yet after salvation and receiving eternal life, following Jesus is about just that — being so committed to Him that I am willing to go wherever He takes me and do whatever He asks. If He wants me in Afghanistan or Zambia or any place in between, I need to be willing. If He asks me to unload all that I own and live in a tent, I must also be willing.

The rich young man wanted eternal life, but he was not willing to follow Jesus. He simply didn’t know it. He claimed to have followed all the commandments, but he relied on his own goodness. Little did he know that goodness and obedience cannot earn eternal life or save anyone. Ephesians 2:8-9 is clear, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

The key word is boast. If I could earn favor with God, I would boast about what I had done. I know that is true. By grace, He gave me eternal life and I cannot take credit for that, but as I walk with Jesus and experience His blessing in many ways, I find it difficult to give Him the glory when He does something for me. My sinful self so easily takes the credit that is never mine to take.

Having money results in so easily trusting money, even boasting in money. When I have it, I wear it on my back, or hang it in my closet, or add it to my fabric stash or household improvements. When I have it, I can give it away, and I can be thankful to God, but when money is scarce, I know that my faith is being tested.

It seems to me that faith in Jesus Christ should not be affected by riches or poverty. It is a sin issue. Poor people can trust in money too. The only difference is that they do not have it and want it, while the rich have it and flaunt it. Again, the key word is boast. What is it that I will boast about? Is it the wonder of God? It should be.

Aside from this barricade of being rich is the question asked by those who heard this exchange. They wondered who then could be saved, if not the rich? The attitude of the time was that God favored the rich, so if the rich could not easily enter the kingdom of God, who could?

Jesus hinted at the answer. Salvation is not about what we do, but about what God does. What is impossible for us — earning or deserving salvation — is possible with Him because salvation is from Him, a gift of grace. He does the work in human hearts. He breaks down barricades. He reverses priorities. He gives new life. He can save anyone He chooses to save. Salvation is His gift.

This is the most humbling truth that I know. All the externals, the doing of good, the having or the not having mean nothing. Jesus saves sinners, period.

Illustration by Michael Elins from Time Magazine (10 Sep 2006)