The presence of numberless rich men in Christian pews leads one to wonder
if the gospel of Jesus has been kicked out of the church. Such men do not,
and cannot, respect the person to whom every church is dedicated. The
gospel of Jesus is not the gospel of the rich, but of the poor; not of the
banker, but of the beggar. It is impossible for the wealthy man to be a
Christian. If he had any faith in the doctrines of Jesus he would “sell
what he has and give to the poor.” And not only this, but he would be poor
himself.
Jesus never said a kind word of the rich. He never uttered a word that
contains any consolation for the millionaire. He never gave any command
that encourages the “laying up treasures upon earth.” What is a rich man
in the Christian church for? He has no business there, if he is an honest
man. He is living exactly opposite to the life Jesus commanded. He is
doing what Jesus told men not to do. He refuses to do what Jesus said a
man must do in order to be his disciple.
Either the rich man who joins the church is a hypocrite, or the minister,
that receives such a man into the church, is. There is a hypocrite
somewhere. You do not find that Jesus went into the temple to flatter the
money-changers; he went in there to drive them out with a whip.
The rich man’s gospel is not found in the New Testament. That is sure. It
may be preached from a Christian pulpit by a so-called Christian minister,
but the man who preaches this gospel denies his professed Lord and Master.
Jesus did not say, “Lay up treasures upon earth.” Take all you can from
the poor. Form trusts and combinations to enrich yourselves. Worship
Mammon. There is a misunderstanding evidently on the part of the rich man
who joins the Christian church. If he would read the New Testament he
would learn his mistake, and see that he was in the wrong place. He does
not seem to be aware what Jesus preached. There is one thing certain, the
Christian church that receives into fellowship a millionaire, has more
reverence for the millionaire than for Jesus.
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The beating of humanity’s heart cannot be felt by placing the finger on
the church’s pulse.
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What a queer thing is Christian salvation! Believing in firemen will not
save a burning house; believing in doctors will not make one well, but
believing in a savior saves men. Fudge!