Sell Your Possessions and Properties

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aspen

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I am glad I do not own a car or a house.....I could lose most of my possessions and be ok. Nothing really owns me
 
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justbyfaith

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It's His kindness that leads men to repentance.

That being said, having wealth isn't necessarily going to put you out of the kingdom.

It is trusting in wealth that will exclude you from the kingdom.

He gives us richly all things to enjoy.

That means that if you have a degree or measure of wealth, God wants you to enjoy it.

One way of enjoying wealth is being able to give of it to those in need.

For, as the Lord is quoted as saying in the book of Acts, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
 
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friend of

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1 Timothy 6:10

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
 

justbyfaith

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1 Timothy 6:10

"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
It is important that we not covet after money; however, if we already have it, the Holy Spirit is a gentleman and will not require it of us that we give it all up in one fell swoop. It is written,

1Ti 6:17, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
1Ti 6:18, That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19, Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
 
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biloqewu

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It is important that we not covet after money; however, if we already have it, the Holy Spirit is a gentleman and will not require it of us that we give it all up in one fell swoop. It is written,

1Ti 6:17, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
1Ti 6:18, That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19, Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

You may keep your money but you must sell your possessions and properties.
 

biloqewu

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To the OP only,

Define "poor." I believe your definition is much, much different from that of Scripture.

Having little or nothing. Give to the "poor" does not mean give food to a millionaire who has food, it means go to the homeless person who has no food. Understand what poor means.
 

biloqewu

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I'm afraid I have to take issue with your study on a couple of points. First of all, selling one's possessions is not a 'law' in the same sense that the Torah was law for the Israelites. It's a calling, not a rule.

Second, if you read the book of Acts carefully, you find that the first Christians didn't immediately sell all their possessions. "From time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them" (Acts 4:34) - capital assets were converted into cash only as and when there were needs that could not be met out of income.

There's also no way of knowing whether the houses that the Christians met in were owned or rented. We are not given any indication that Lydia (for example) sold her house - she simply put it at the disposal of Paul and his colleagues.

It is Law, because the Torah itself says, "I am raising a prophet among you, and anyone that does not listen to him I will require it of him." In which case, that prophet was Yeshuah, the Messiah, who commanded "sell your possessions", which was a binding command that even the Torah itself said, "do what he says", so by not doing what the Messiah said, you are in fact transgressing against the command of Yeshuah. And that is another reason why whoever does not lower themselves in this way commanded by Yeshuah will not inherit the kingdom of God, because he has required it from all his disciples, no one is exempted from this rule. Also, you misinterpret the passage of the book of Acts, it is "from time to time" not because the believers did not sell all their properties, it was from time to time because new believers were joining themselves to the assemblies who had properties.
 

biloqewu

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sorry that changes nothing, to do with inheritance we get that we we come to Christ. As I said, it can become a form of self righteousness. You make God look bad.

The Messiah told us to sell our possessions. Obedience to this is not evil as you just claimed it to be by calling it "self-righteous", simply because you yourself do not want to do it.
 

biloqewu

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The Ten Commandments taught us not to steal. But if we are to love others as our own self, we steal when we withhold any of our possessions from them. The solution is to live as close to this ideal as we can and trust that we are clothed in Jesus' perfect righteousness and not in our own.

This is not correct, not giving is evil not because it is in itself stealing, but because it transgresses the commands of the Torah that say, "love your neighbor as yourself" and "if you see your brother in need, give him sufficient to his need". We are commanded to give, it is not optional as many believers think it is.
 

mjrhealth

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The Messiah told us to sell our possessions. Obedience to this is not evil as you just claimed it to be by calling it "self-righteous", simply because you yourself do not want to do it.
We where put on this planet to have a life. now you say you dont have one, so many run around beating them selves up trying to look Holy yet all God sees is the outside of the cup being cleansed. If that is what you want to do fine, it will not change how much God loves you and it wont add one dot, to your salvation.
 

biloqewu

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We where put on this planet to have a life. now you say you dont have one, so many run around beating them selves up trying to look Holy yet all God sees is the outside of the cup being cleansed. If that is what you want to do fine, it will not change how much God loves you and it wont add one dot, to your salvation.

Foregoing wealth for your dog years of your life in this body is not a long time to endure being poor. God wants us to be wealthy, but to have much, we must first have little. To become exalted, first we must lower ourselves. The Messiah laid an example of this, not even having a pillow to lay his head, becoming poor so that others could become rich, and dying so that others can live. The least you can do is lower yourself to necessities as he commanded. If you cannot fulfill this, you will not enter the kingdom of God. At the second coming of the Messiah is then when he will exalt his people who have lowered themselves.
 

mjrhealth

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If you cannot fulfill this, you will not enter the kingdom of God.
See here you are adding to salvation, see it is, by grace we are saved by faith it is a gift, and a gift is not a gift if it is earned. All you are doing is laying stumbling blocks before men as so many religious people do, As I said it will not add anything to you salvation not one dot, and it will not make you any more pleasing to God,
 
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biloqewu

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See here you are adding to salvation, see it is, by grace we are saved by faith it is a gift, and a gift is not a gift if it is earned. All you are doing is laying stumbling blocks before men as so many religious people do, As I said it will not add anything to you salvation not one dot, and it will not make you any more pleasing to God,

Belief comes through favor because of predestination, because God chose who he will deliver before the foundations of the earth before anyone did any works, not because works are not necessary after coming to the belief. You err in your understanding of God, which is why your belief is null of actually doing the will of God, which is why it is written, "not all who call me lord lord will enter into the kingdom of God, only those who DO the will of God", "DO" means works. We must lower ourselves, then we must do good works. If you fail in any of these two, among various other things, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not fool yourself.
 

mjrhealth

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Belief comes through favor because of predestination, because God chose who he will deliver before the foundations of the earth before anyone did any works, not because works are not necessary after coming to the belief. You err in your understanding of God, which is why your belief is null of actually doing the will of God, which is why it is written, "not all who call me lord lord will enter into the kingdom of God, only those who DO the will of God", "DO" means works. We must lower ourselves, then we must do good works. If you fail in any of these two, among various other things, you will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not fool yourself.
But you see I know God even received my "testimony ' form Him, this one,

Joh 3:32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
Joh 3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

as for the lord lord bit, exactly.
Belief comes through favor because of predestination

doesnt stop people from turning form Him, there is one or two on this forum who have refused there calling.
 

friend of

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See here you are adding to salvation, see it is, by grace we are saved by faith it is a gift, and a gift is not a gift if it is earned.

Right, but what does Ephesians 2:10 immediately say:

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

James 1:22-25

James 2:18
 

justbyfaith

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You may keep your money but you must sell your possessions and properties.

Works trip.

You err in your understanding of God, which is why your belief is null of actually doing the will of God, which is why it is written, "not all who call me lord lord will enter into the kingdom of God, only those who DO the will of God", "DO" means works.

The doing that is spoken of in Matthew 7:21 is the doing that is the result of salvation; it is not done in order to obtain it.

If I give $5 to the poor, or even $5,000,000, it is not going to enact the transformation in me that we call salvation. Only faith in Christ and what He did for us on the Cross will accomplish that.

1Co 15:1, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2, By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3, For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4, And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Rom 4:1, What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Rom 4:2, For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Rom 4:3, For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom 4:4, Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Rom 4:5, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Rom 4:6, Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Rom 4:7, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Rom 11:5, Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
Rom 11:6, And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Tit 3:4, But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6, Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7, That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
 
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justbyfaith

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Right, but what does Ephesians 2:10 immediately say:

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

James 1:22-25

James 2:18
The transformation of character that we call salvation cannot be accomplished by doing any good work. It comes only by receiving Christ into the heart and through faith in His blood.

Once it is accomplished, it will result in doing good works, because you have been regenerated and renewed: the love of the Lord is shed abroad in your heart; and love in the Bible is not in word or in tongue only, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18).
 
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mjrhealth

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Right, but what does Ephesians 2:10 immediately say:

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

James 1:22-25

James 2:18
His works not ours, anything we do of ourself is not of Him as Christ put it,

Joh_14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

There are plenty of muslims and none christians our there who do good works. means nothing.
 

Enoch111

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All believers are called to sell their possessions and properties.
Apart from the Lord's instructions to the Rich Young Ruler (Mt 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk 18:21) whose primary idol was his wealth, the only Scripture about selling your possessions is found in Luke 12:33,34:

Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

We need to note the context and the last sentence. This is primarily about where your heart is, meaning whether your heart is focused on your wealth or on the Kingdom of God and His righteousness: But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.(v 31)

So this Scripture not about divesting yourself of all your possessions so that you cannot even maintain yourself or your family. It is about covetousness (which is idolatry): For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Wealth (money, cash) is basically neutral. But it can be applied by a Christian in two ways (1) self-indulgence, self-aggrandizement, selfish accumulation for the sake of hoarding wealth or (2) investing it in the Kingdom of God without anyone knowing about it.

Which means investing it in missionaries and those who faithfully minister the Word, Bible distribution, Gospel literature distribution, Christian education, and charitable works (giving alms), primarily for Christian widows, orphans, and destitute brothers and sisters worldwide, and then for any needy person.
 
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justbyfaith

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Apart from the Lord's instructions to the Rich Young Ruler (Mt 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk 18:21) whose primary idol was his wealth, the only Scripture about selling your possessions is found in Luke 12:33,34:

Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

We need to note the context and the last sentence. This is primarily about where your heart is, meaning whether your heart is focused on your wealth or on the Kingdom of God and His righteousness: But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.(v 31)

So this Scripture not about divesting yourself of all your possessions so that you cannot even maintain yourself or your family. It is about covetousness (which is idolatry): For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Wealth (money, cash) is basically neutral. But it can be applied by a Christian in two ways (1) self-indulgence, self-aggrandizement, selfish accumulation for the sake of hoarding wealth or (2) investing it in the Kingdom of God without anyone knowing about it.

Which means investing it in missionaries and those who faithfully minister the Word, Bible distribution, Gospel literature distribution, Christian education, and charitable works (giving alms), primarily for Christian widows, orphans, and destitute brothers and sisters worldwide, and then for any needy person.
Definitely. It is not wrong to have a substantial income; especially if you are using a great portion of it to contribute to the work of the Lord.
 
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