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When Jesus said, "Sell everything and give to the poor..." it doesn't mean what you were told it means.... Here's the context 👇

When Jesus entered Judea a rich young ruler approached him and asked how to inherit eternal life. Jesus told Him,

"You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” (Mark 10:19)

The rich young man said, "I have kept these from my youth!"

Then Jesus looked at him and LOVED him and said, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the POOR, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)

The man went away sorrowful because he was very rich. Jesus then says,

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25)

People were astonished asking, "Who then can be saved?" Now that's a peculiar question, did the people think rich people enter the Kingdom before poor people? No, this is where context matters.

The rich young ruler was not just a rich guy. He wasn't a builder who made his wealth contributing to the regions economy. He was a "ruler," part of the Sanhedrin, the religious ruling elite in Jerusalem. The people were astonished because Jesus said, THESE rich people have difficulty entering the kingdom.

But this rich young ruler was a religious elite, inheriting his seat of religious esteem from familial lineage! How can HE not enter the kingdom???

Jesus told him to "NOT DEFRAUD" and "NOT STEAL." Why? Because that is PRECISELY how his wealth was acquired. A sophisticated religious racket had formed which this young ruler became wealthy on.

When Jesus told him to sell everything and give to the poor, essentially what He said was, "Sell everything you gained by fraud, and give it BACK to those you stole from!" He was calling him to REPENT!

This is not a blanket condemnation of wealth, but a specific condemnation of fraud, especially fraud perpetrated by ruling elites and those who become wealthy without adding real value.

Jesus never condemns wealthy people who WORKED for their wealth, only those who were societal leeches.

Fiat money amplifies this sort of fraud with an infinite money printer. #Bitcoin    mitigates this with finality of supply and value creation incentives!!!