Are All Rich People Going to Hell? What the Church Won’t Say About Wealth, Favoritism, and Fake Generosity

Mark 10:25 – “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.”
James 2:1–4 – “Have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
I Corinthians 13:3 – “If I give all I possess to the poor… but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Let’s just go there: Are all rich people going to hell? No—but many are walking that way without knowing it.

Not because they’re rich. But because their wealth has become their god, their identity, their standard of worth. Even worse? The church has helped them feel comfortable in that delusion.

James 2:1–4 calls out favoritism—how we give status to the rich and ignore the poor.

We say we worship Jesus, but we cater to whoever gives the biggest check. We treat wealth as blessing, instead of responsibility. I think we actual see a lot of this today in churches. Many churches, whether knowingly or subtly, can fall into this trap:

• Money shapes influence: Those who give the most often end up having more say in decisions or are treated with extra honor.

• Blessing gets mis-defined: Wealth is often equated with God’s favor, instead of being seen as a tool for stewardship and service (Luke 12:48, "to whom much is given, much will be required").

• The poor are sidelined: Sometimes unintentionally, churches focus resources, attention, and even leadership opportunities toward those who "look successful" in worldly terms.

Behind closed doors, you may see decisions swayed to avoid upsetting a big giver, or special treatment given to people with status. But in the Kingdom of God, the ground is level at the foot of the cross—Christ shows no favoritism (Romans 2:11).

And when Jesus met a rich young ruler in Mark 10, He didn’t say, “Good job, you’re financially blessed.”
He said: “One thing you lack… Sell it all, and follow Me.”
The man walked away sad—because he had great wealth. But the truth? His wealth had him. He was revealing that wealth competes with our devotion to God when it becomes our security, identity, or source of meaning.

In America, the cultural message is relentless: “More is better. Your value is in your net worth. Status equals success.” So naturally, many people—including Christians—cling to their possessions because:

• We’re discipled by culture before we’re discipled by Christ. Ads, social media, and even church environments teach us that prosperity = blessing = God’s approval.

• We mistake ownership for identity. What we drive, wear, or earn tells the world—and ourselves—who we are.

• We fear losing control. To give it all up feels like losing ourselves because our worth is tied to wealth.

The rich young ruler’s sadness wasn’t about losing stuff; it was about losing the false god that gave him power and purpose. Today, many Americans would walk away just as sad because our culture worships wealth while claiming to worship God

Being Rich Isn’t a Sin—But Being Unwilling to Surrender Is

There’s nothing wrong with having money. But if your money can’t be touched, shared, or redirected for God—it owns you.

Mark 10:22 – “Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
I Timothy 6:17–18 – “Command those who are rich… not to put their hope in wealth… but to be rich in good deeds, generous and willing to share.”

God isn’t asking you to give it all up to be holy—He’s asking you to hold it all loosely.

The Church Must Repent for Favoring the Rich

James doesn’t mince words. Showing favoritism to the wealthy is evil—because it twists the gospel.
When we value the rich more than the poor, we’re saying net worth = spiritual worth. And that's a lie.

James 2:3-4 – “If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes… have you not become judges with evil thoughts?”
James 2:5 – “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith?”

The gospel gives no VIP passes. Just a cross for everyone to carry.

Giving Without Love and Purpose Is Spiritually Worthless

You can tithe faithfully and still miss heaven. You can give millions to missions and still be full of pride.
Because if your giving isn’t motivated by love for God and purpose for His Kingdom, it means nothing.

I Corinthians 13:3 – “If I give all I possess to the poor… but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
Matthew 6:1 – “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.”

God doesn’t just want your generosity—He wants your heart behind it.

Want to know where you stand with your money? Try this:

• Ask: Would I still follow Jesus if He asked me to give it up?

• Give something that hurts—not out of extra, but out of love.

• Sit with someone this week who can’t repay you and love them like Jesus would.

• Audit your giving: Is it Kingdom-driven or ego-driven?

Prayer:

Father, check my heart.
Strip away any love of money, any pride in my possessions, any favoritism in how I see others. Make me generous not just in action—but in love, humility, and Kingdom purpose. Teach me to live richly by living surrendered. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Call to Action:

This week, stop asking, “Is it a sin to be rich?”
Start asking: “Am I rich in love, in surrender, and in Kingdom purpose?”
Because you can give without loving…
But you can’t love without giving.