in the nineteenth chapter we find these words from the lips of jesus: “it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of god.” he is stating a thing that is impossible and the disciples ask in amazement, “who then can be saved?” their question calls forth his answer, “with men this is impossible; but with god all things are possible.” men can be reconstituted but this requires divine assistance. as canon westcot has said, “jesus established fresh foundations for society and a fresh standard of individual worth.”
is it still hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven? as hard as ever and absolutely impossible as long as he makes riches his object in life, as long as he compromises with evil for a consideration, as long as he ruins competitors in business in order to create a monopoly. but does the church know what jesus meant to teach? yes, if it knows itself and its duty, which is “to show to the world its 13 chief concern is morality, not money; principles, not profits; the faith of the crucified christ, not the favors of men who have accumulated fortunes without righteousness.”
six words contain the solution of the whole problem, “with god all things are possible.” god can so completely transform a rich man that he can forget he is rich. he can think of himself as a man and as a servant of god. he can see himself as a sinner before god and also as saved by grace thru faith in jesus christ. he enters the kingdom not as rich but as believing. in the simple life we read: “if there are people at once rich and content, be assured that they are content because they know how to be, not because they are rich.”
god can trust saved men with money, to possess it, to invest it and to use it in the interest of his kingdom. but he cannot permit men who worship wealth to enter his kingdom. this is impossible. an unchanged nature cannot enter the kingdom of god and could not find happiness there because it is out of harmony with the laws and the life of the kingdom.
