Welvaart / Rijkdom
"Toen Jezus dat hoorde, zei hij: 'Nog één ding ontbreekt u. Verkoop alles wat u hebt en verdeel de opbrengst onder de armen, dan zult u een schat in de hemel bezitten. Kom daarna terug en volg mij!' Toen de man dat hoorde, werd hij diepbedroefd. Hij was namelijk zeer rijk. Toen Jezus zag dat de man zo bedroefd werd, zei hij: 'Wat is het moeilijk voor rijken om het koninkrijk van God binnen te gaan. Het is gemakkelijker voor een kameel om door het oog van een naald te gaan dan voor een rijke om het koninkrijk van God binnen te gaan.’" Luk. 18:22-25
"Verzamel geen schatten voor u op de aarde, waar mot en roest ze verderven, en waar dieven inbreken en stelen; maar verzamel schatten voor u in de hemel, waar geen mot of roest ze verderft, en waar dieven niet inbreken of stelen; want waar uw schat is, daar zal ook uw hart zijn."
Matt. 6:19-21
"Beveel de rijken in deze tegenwoordige wereld dat zij niet hoogmoedig zijn, en hun hoop niet gevestigd houden op de onzekerheid van de rijkdom, maar op de levende God, Die ons alle dingen in rijke mate verschaft om ervan te genieten; ook om goed te doen, rijk te zijn in goede werken, vrijgevig te zijn en bereid om samen te delen. Zo verzamelen zij voor zichzelf een schat: een goed fundament voor de toekomst, opdat zij het eeuwige leven verkrijgen." 1 Tim. 6:17-19
Zie ook:
Luk. 16:13-15
1 Tim. 6:9-12
2 Tim. 3:1-5
Hebr. 13:5,6
Luk. 12:20,33
1 Joh. 2:15,16
Mark 4:19
Kol. 3:4-7
../..
But do not let it trouble your understanding, that we see the unrighteous having riches and the servants of God in need. . . . For if God immediately gave the reward to the righteous, immediately we would be engrossing ourselves in business, not in godliness. Second Clement (c. 150), 7.523.
But who are those persons who are white and round, and yet do not fit into the building of the tower? . . . These are the ones who have faith indeed, but they also have the riches of this world. As a result, when tribulation comes, they deny the Lord on account of their riches and business. . . . So also those who are rich in this world cannot be useful to the Lord unless their riches are cut down. Hermas (c. 150, W), 2.15.
Give heed, therefore, you who glory in your wealth, lest those who are needy should groan, and their groans should ascend to the Lord, and you should be shut out with all your goods beyond the gate of the tower. Hermas (c. 150, W), 2.16.
Christ has not merely related to us a story about a poor man and a rich one. Rather, He has taught us some things: In the first place, He has taught that no one should lead a luxurious life. No one should live in worldly pleasures and perpetual feasting. No one should be the slave of his lusts and forget God. Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.464.
The good man, being temperate and just, treasures up his wealth in heaven. He who has sold his worldly goods and given them to the poor, finds the imperishable treasure “where there is neither moth nor robber.” . . . It is not jewels, gold, clothing, or beauty of person that are of high value, but virtue. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.280.
The Scripture vouches “that the true riches of the soul are a man’s ransom.” In other words, if he is rich, he will be saved by distributing his wealth. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.281.
For example, it is a sin to live luxuriously and licentiously. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.361.
Wealth is of itself sufficient to puff up and corrupt the souls of its possessors and to turn them from the path by which salvation is to beattained. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.591.
I doubt that the leg that has rejoiced in the anklet will allow itself to be squeezed into the shackle. I fear that the neck beset with pearl and emerald nooses will give no room to the broadsword. For that reason, blessed ones, let us meditate on hardships, so we will not feel them. Let us abandon luxuries, and we will not regret them. Let us stand ready to endure every violence, having nothing which we may fear to leave behind. It is these things that are the bonds which retard our hope. Tertullian (c. 198, W), 4.25.
How can they follow Christ, who are held back by the chain of their wealth? . . . They think that they possess, but they are possessed instead. They are the bond-slaves of their money, not the lords of their money. They are slaves of their profit. Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.440.
Zie ook:
Tertullian (c. 207, W), 3.368.
Mark Minucius Felix (c. 200, W), 4.181, 195, 196.
Novatian (c. 235, W), 5.648.
Commodianus (c. 240, W), 4.207.
Origen (c. 248, E), 4.619.
Cyprian (c. 250, W), 5.433.
Lactantius (c. 304–313, W), 7.151, 177, 182.