(The Issue of Materialism and Eternal Life)

Richard Hollerman

We need to ask, did Jesus say what He said about material goods? We have probably all heard that our Lord said, “How hard [not easy] it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:23). He also said, “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” (v. 23). Was Jesus right?

Of course, Jesus said much more about wealth than this, but this would be sufficient to make the point. We know that most do not believe this. Most do not agree with it. Most go the opposite direction. But we know that what Jesus said is true. There is no debating the subject for it is true and cannot be gainsaid.

We know that in the United States, this is seldom a matter of contention for most simply don’t believe our Savior regarding wealth. But it is there and either we believe it or reject it. There is no denying this.

Online, we have just seen two items that should be brought to our attention. First, there was a report of a very poor person in a certain country of the world. She had very little. She was old. And we suppose that she had little or no means of income. Maybe your heart goes out to such a person, as mine does, but what can we do? She is part of an evil religion and surely will soon be in Hades awaiting Hell. What are we to do about such a situation and person?

Along with this, we saw several dozen people (mainly political figures) who used to be or are now in places of prominence, places of influence, and in a high station of life. We refer to such dignitaries, personalities, and influencers as Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, George W. Bush, and many others. Then the article showed the fact that they now live in mansions, in various locations, along the beach, in the heartland, and so forth. The article went on to say that the worth of the spread was $1 million or $5 million or higher. Each of the places had 2,000 or 10,000 square feet, and five or 12 bedrooms. I think that you would get the picture that I am drawing.

If such-and-such had or has a mansion, worth ten million dollars, and it has ten or twenty or thirty rooms, and these houses had 30,000 square feet of living space, and it faced the ocean, then what?

We know what Jesus said, don’t we? We have just read this. And it still stands. Of the eight or nine billion people in the world, most live about sixty or ninety years. And if these people above, are average age of fifty or seventy, we know that the owner of these houses, will only enjoy them for a few years! And then?

If this is true, and the average home-owner is perhaps fifty or seventy or eighty years of age, we then need to ask what. Did our Lord speak the truth? We know that he did. Even of the average lifespan is eighty or ninety, and then such-and-such a person dies, what then? If eternity were only fifty or five hundred or five thousand years, we would then need to ask whether it was worth all of the sorrow. Even if the person in our scenario had a mere one or ten million dollars and lived until age eighty, what does this matter?  This would mean that John Doe (an imaginary name) were to “enjoy” his mansion and life for a mere few years.

And then one thousand, one million, or one trillion years from now where to lie out before us, then what?. And bear in mind that the vast majority (is it one tenth, one hundredth, or something else?) would be cast into Hades and soon into Hell. Is it really worth it? In light of what Jesus said, is it worth it at all?

We know that many of these are professing “Christians”—thus supposedly they believe in life after death. (Romney is part of a false cult—the Mormons—we know.) And suppose that many of them are pluralistic (please read our recent article about this false teaching), or atheistic (they mistakenly don’t believe in life after death), but still there would be many who simply don’t believe Jesus on this very important point.

So whether we are speaking of those in the world who have virtually nothing or one of these people who have much, we must all “stand before God” to “give an account” (2 Corinthians 5:10) and then be received or rejected by God. What will it be for you?