Dear Wealthy Roman Catholic: Your Material Wealth Does Not Guarantee You Are Right with God!
During the loss of Manny Pacquiao, many Roman Catholics tend to say something like that his loss was a result of leaving the Roman Catholic institution. They also warn, "If you leave Rome the Holy Mother Church, you are certainly going to lose your blessings. Look at Pacquiao - he has lost his blessings and Marquez's Catholic fists beat him in boxing." It is a tragedy that so many people tend to think that one's material wealth is a guarantee that you are right with God. Likewise, many of you may think that you have all your material wealth proving you are blessed by God. Many of you refuse to leave the Roman Catholic institution because it is good for business. What is good for profit may sometimes be bad for your soul.
May I first address the problem of thinking that material wealth is an indicator you are right with God. If it was truly an indicator of being right with God, may I remind you that in Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:36 and Luke 9:25 warns you can gain the whole world and lose your soul. Let me remind you of the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Some people might say that the rich person is right with God and the poor person is not right with God. Luke 16:16-31 tells us the tragic story that the rich man landed in Hell and the poor man went to Heaven.
Some of you tend to misunderstand the story of Jesus and the rich young ruler as found in Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-27 and Luke 18:18-23. It is hypocritical to quote from that story in order to prove that salvation is not by faith alone yet many of you think that material wealth equals God's blessings. While having much material wealth can be a blessing from God but not everyone who has much material wealth has it as a blessing from God. Many crime syndicates are still operating and prospering in their Christ-rejecting lifestyles while those who are true Christians are suffering and impoverished. If you want to further understand the rich young ruler the situation was to show to the rich young ruler he was not capable of keeping the whole Law.
Some of you tend to misunderstand the story of Jesus and the rich young ruler as found in Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-27 and Luke 18:18-23. It is hypocritical to quote from that story in order to prove that salvation is not by faith alone yet many of you think that material wealth equals God's blessings. While having much material wealth can be a blessing from God but not everyone who has much material wealth has it as a blessing from God. Many crime syndicates are still operating and prospering in their Christ-rejecting lifestyles while those who are true Christians are suffering and impoverished. If you want to further understand the rich young ruler the situation was to show to the rich young ruler he was not capable of keeping the whole Law.
Many of you can be like that rich young ruler. Many of you were witnessed to time and time again and you think you are alright with God. Maybe you have said, "I have kept the Law since youth." and maybe some of you think your material wealth is evidence you have kept the whole Law. As some of you actually fear receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and salvation is by faith in Him alone may be bad for your finances that makes you like that rich young ruler. I have observed how some of you wealthy Roman Catholics may say, "Well if I leave the Holy Catholic Church, I will lose my blessings and it will be bad for business. Look at Pacquiao. I do not want to be like him... a loser born again Christian." That just sounds like the rich young ruler whom Jesus said to sell all his possessions, give it to the poor and follow Him. Also, do you really even know there are also poor Roman Catholics so what are you going to tell them that they are poor?
As a former Roman Catholic I really am writing this letter not out of hate as many of you accuse us born again Christians of hating you but we love you enough to tell you the truth that you are misled by the unbiblical traditions of men and you reject the Word of God to keep them. You may be still too comfortable with your religion because it may give you popularity. You may go ahead and tell us born again Christians are losers because they are not popular or that Pope Francis is the man of the year last year, this year or whenever. Pope Francis or any of the Popes appearing as man of the year on Time Magazine is no guarantee he is a man of God. Many of you can go ahead and get mad, many of you might be hypocritically saying no born again pastor is ever suffering for god while boasting of the Pope's popularity. I really am so sorry for you that you would rather obey the Pope and his Council as the final authority than study your Bible properly.
You might be fuming right now while reading this, you might again accuse me of hate but as said I love you in Jesus' name to tell you the truth. I really know a lot of you will hate me for writing this open letter to you wealthy Roman Catholics. I am afraid that many of you are now saying, "Do not judge me." and you may consider me your enemy and a Pharisee. But I hope that your current hostility against this letter does not result to where many of you will soon be told by many other Christians in Heaven during the Great White Throne Judgment, "We told you about the truth but you said... DO NOT JUDGE ME!" When do you want your fire? Now or later?