2. READ: LUKE 18:18-30
c. What is hard for a rich man to do?
Answer: It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. In fact, Jesus compared this to a camel trying to go through the eye of a needle, (verses 24 and 25).
The camel was the largest animal found in Palestine. Jesus uses this vivid contrast between the largest animal and the smallest opening to represent what, humanly speaking, is impossible.
Salvation is totally the work of God. Every attempt to enter the kingdom on the basis of achievement or merit is futile--empty and worthless. Apart from the grace of God, no one can be saved.
Riches in and of themselves are not evil, but they are usually a stumbling block for those who possess them because those who possess wealth (riches) put all of their trust in what these riches can get for them, do for them, influence for them, etc. And riches can open the door for the entrance of all kinds of evil:
Matthew 6:24: [Jesus said,] "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
1 Timothy 6:10: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Proverbs 30:8-9 put this into the proper perspective: "Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the Name of my God."