When Is Enough Enough? When Is Enough Enough? When Is Enough Enough?

Ever so often I am asked about the enigma of the camel and the needle's eye (we won't get into its definition), about the difficulty of a rich man entering God's Kingdom. You will find this teaching of Jesus in Matthew 19:24, Mark 10:25 and Luke 18:25, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.". I would also include with Jesus' words those of James 5:1-9,

1. Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

Keep in mind James' reasons for such a strong condemnation. Look back throughout his letter at his indictment of them, not the least of which is seen in chapter 5, verse 4: "Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.". (Read my summary of this letter.)

The question often is: "When is enough, enough?"

The rich man, as referred to in scripture (often called an evil man-Matthew 12:35), is intended to mean those who are proud of their riches, who love them, whose heart is upon them. Their riches stand between them and their righteousness with God and justice with their fellowman. It is the doorway through which much temptation and evil enters and tragedy befalls that man (Gen.4:7). James is vivid in his exposure of the nature and character of the rich man as meant in scripture. Do not mistake this reference to mean one who possesses much riches can not enter the kingdom. Scripture speaks to many who were rich who were paragons of faith and virtue, Abraham being just one. It is for this purpose this brief study-to delineate between the rich man and the good man of great riches.

No where in scripture are riches forbidden, condemned or considered in themselves to be evil. From the beginning, one of the first commandments of God to man, and has not been rescinded, was to take dominion and subdue His creation (Gen.1:28, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.". It is in this process, in being obedient to His command toward the natural world around us, come His natural blessings. Man is never to forget to whom all these things belong and everything derived through His grace, including the strength of man's own labor (Psalms 24:1).

In contrast, the man who recognizes the Creator in all that he puts his hands to and sanctifies them unto His Creator, keeping them holy and for the purpose He gave them, this man is called in scripture a good man. The quantity of his gifts from God are irrelevant to him. He is a good man in that he is a good steward of all that is put into his hand, great or small, for the purpose of God for all men (Matthew 12:35). There are numerous examples of good men who were men with great possessions in both Old and New Testaments.

Remember, it is not money nor riches that is the root of all evil, but the fixation of man's heart upon it (I Timothy 6:10).

Now, more to the point of the question about acquisitions. Let me begin with these few questions. To what purpose are we obedient to His command to "subdue", to work? For what purpose are our desires to acquire? In what spirit do we receive that which comes into our hands? To what ends do we use that which is given? To what degree do we separate or segregate in our minds, but especially our hearts, what we possess? Do we view the secular and spiritual as being distinct? In other words, do we view six days of the week when we work as being secular and only the seventh holy? Do we see that in one instance we do unto ourselves and another unto God? How many times have you heard the erroneous cliché" God only helps those who helps themselves, even falsely attributing it to scripture?

How you answer those questions will determine where you stand before God. Carefully consider each.

The good man is one who sees God in all and sanctifies all unto Him, even in the smallest things, matters and details in his everyday life--seven days a week. To man it may appear secular in his natural endeavors during the first six days but he is reminded on the seventh they are not. The seventh is to sanctify the other six. Neither his work (labor) nor his possessions gained in them make him distinct from any other man in the eyes of the Creator. His grace is common to all without distinction. What makes him distinct is what he does with them. Are they sanctified unto God, recognizing He is the source from which they came? Or, does his heart swell with pride at his own accomplishments? (This helps one understand the distinction God made between the sacrifice of Abel and that of his brother, Cain. It also helps in understanding the condemnation of the rich man who decided to build bigger barns for his bountiful crops--Luke 12:20.)

As you read and study scripture you will find this requirement scattered all throughout. It is universal and eternal. Consider the first instance of this practice of man's labor and its resulting fruit. If you understand this principle of God, you will come to understand better the distinction God made between the sacrifice of Abel and that of his brother, Cain (Gen. 4:4).

Next, consider the man whose servant came to him with the good news of an over-abundance of crops in his annual harvest. What was the first thing he did upon hearing of the great blessing? He applied his own wisdom and decided to build bigger barns to horde it (Luke 12:18). This revealed the nature of his heart and what brought about his scathing condemnation. (See Romans 1:21, Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.)

Not enough? OK, in contrast let me direct you to another parable of Jesus, in both cases men receiving much wealth. Consider in this case usury or profit. What did Jesus say of the matter of a man who invested his money? Did He say anything that we may learn from it? But you will say on the one hand one man is condemned for building bigger barns for greater acquisitions yet on the other He may say something in contradiction? Never! It may only seem so to someone who hasn't consider how God looks upon a man. Listen carefully to His teaching. For your convienence, here is the parable:

12. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
14. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
15. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
17. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
18. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
19. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
20. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
21. For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
22. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
23. Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
24. And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
25. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
26. For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

Look carefully how Jesus addresses this man: a "nobleman". Contrast that with the example in His parable of Luke 12:16 mentioned above: "a certain rich man". You say, but what is the difference? Did not both men obtain great wealth? Indeed they did. Is there one thing we can identify to understand how and why Jesus (God) makes the distinction? Without doubt! Try this. Before I give you a quick answer do just a New Testament search for the word "heart". It is enlightening. In your search you will find and see how God looks upon man. I wish we had the time and space to delve into this great find. Because it is limited, I will give you just a couple that I think you will find sufficent for your answer.

1. Acts 15:8, And God, which knoweth the hearts....
2. Luke 9:47, And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart,...
3. Matthew 12:35, A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
4. Mark 12:33, ...love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
5. Matthew 15:19, For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:...
6. Matthew 15:8, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
7. Matthew 5:8, Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

I add only one more. (You will find many other examples in your own study.) Look at what God stated was the repetitive condition of Israel's heart during times of God's blessings to them and their labor. Listen to his indictment in Jeremiah 5:19-29, key vs. 24: "Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.". Their repetitive judgments were always due to one thing, their failing to put God first, in everything!

At this point these questions should be considered. What should I do when the heart desires more than possessed at any given time? Is there a practical answer? Can I find a verse anywhere I can say: ah ha? No. For just as soon as you think you might have for general practical application, likely, the very next time it won't fit, no matter how hard you may try. All scripture has to be interpreted as a whole. It has to agree. James clearly puts forth the case that makes clear the reason for God's blessings being turned away from one who fails to sanctify them unto Him, James 4:2., "Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.".

So, when is enough, enough? Let's conclude by looking at some Biblical lessons. Remember the exodus (Ex.16), God's presence and promise, the manna and His instructions concerning its collection (Ex.16). Study the life of Job--a good man with much possessions (Job 1:1), the method of his testing, the revelation of his character, and his end. Look also at the encounter of the "rich young ruler" with Jesus (Lk.18:18). Next look at the beginning days of the church in Jerusalem and the disciples' instructions for its people for the common good, or God's will how they were to live toward each other (Acts 4:32). Consider the case of the rich couple Ananias and Sapphira who withheld from God (Acts 5:1). Contrast those with the lives of another rich couple, Aquila and Priscilla, who were devoted to God (Acts 18:2). Study all these with Gen.4:7; Ps.23:1,2; Ps.37:3,4 and James' teaching regarding temptation and the reason for our failure to receive from God.

Finally, this whole teaching can be summarized in this simple reference of Jesus for our consideration as He concludes His parable of a certain rich man, Matthew 6:33, "...seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.". Draw nigh to me, He says, and see if I will not draw nigh unto you! Is this not the admonition of James? (James 4:8, Hebrews 7:19) One of the greatest Biblical examples of this principle is found in the life of one of the wisest and richest men of all mankind, King Solomon. Read his humble selfless prayer he prayed in solititude after learning he was to succeed his father as ruler over all the united kingdom of Israel (I Kings 3: 3-14).

What greater treasure can we have in this earthen vessel, our own bodies, than the very presence of God's Spirit? (II Corinthians 4:6-7) To be rich unto God that one can say as Peter to the beggar by the Temple, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." (Acts 3:6) If we only have God, we have everything! Paul said, because he possessed so great a treasure, he had learned to be content, whether rich or poor. (Philippians 4:12)