He had everything most people dream of: wealth, youth, authority, and moral character. He'd kept the commandments since childhood and was genuinely seeking spiritual truth. Yet when Jesus offered him the chance to join the greatest mission in history, the rich young ruler walked away sad. His story reveals one of the Bible's most sobering warnings: wealth can become an idol that prevents us from following God wholeheartedly.
This encounter, recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, isn't just about one man's tragic choice. It's a diagnostic tool for anyone accumulating wealth, revealing how money can subtly shift from tool to master, from blessing to barrier, from servant to savior.
The Rich Young Ruler's Profile
Understanding what made this man remarkable helps us recognize similar patterns in our own lives:
His Strengths
- Wealthy: "Great wealth" – substantial financial resources
- Young: Peak of life with energy and potential
- Powerful: "Ruler" suggests political or religious authority
- Moral: Kept commandments since youth
- Spiritual seeker: Came to Jesus asking about eternal life
- Respectful: Approached Jesus with honor and humility
His Fatal Flaw
- Identity tied to wealth: Wealth defined who he was
- Security in possessions: Money provided sense of safety
- Status from riches: Social position dependent on wealth
- Control through money: Wealth gave him power and options
- Conditional obedience: Would follow Jesus, but not at any cost
- Divided heart: Wanted eternal life and earthly wealth
Jesus' Test: The Idol Reveal
Jesus didn't condemn the man's wealth immediately. He first affirmed the commandments the young man claimed to follow. But when the man insisted he'd kept them all, Jesus exposed the one commandment he was breaking:
"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
This wasn't arbitrary cruelty. Jesus identified the one thing standing between the man and wholehearted discipleship: his wealth had become an idol.
Signs That Wealth Has Become an Idol
Wealth Idolatry Warning Signs
Emotional Signs
- Anxiety about money: Constant worry about financial security
- Identity from wealth: Self-worth tied to net worth
- Comparison obsession: Constantly measuring wealth against others
- Fear of loss: Paralyzed by potential financial setbacks
- Greed despite abundance: Never feeling like you have enough
Relational Signs
- Strained relationships: Money issues damaging family/friendships
- Transactional thinking: Viewing relationships in terms of financial benefit
- Isolation from need: Avoiding people with financial struggles
- Conditional generosity: Giving only when it benefits you
Spiritual Signs
- Compromised obedience: Avoiding God's call if it costs money
- Reduced giving: Declining generosity as wealth increases
- Prayer focus: Most prayers about financial concerns
- Biblical resistance: Uncomfortable with Scripture's money teachings
- Ministry avoidance: Skipping service opportunities that might cost money
Behavioral Signs
- Lifestyle inflation: Spending increases faster than income
- Risk aversion: Avoiding any financial uncertainty
- Hoarding tendencies: Difficulty spending or giving money away
- Work obsession: Sacrificing everything for earning more
The Cost of Wealth Idolatry
The rich young ruler's choice reveals the devastating cost of making wealth an idol:
Missed Opportunity
He could have been one of the twelve apostles, experiencing miracles, learning directly from Jesus, and helping establish the early church. Instead, history records only his sad departure.
Spiritual Stagnation
Despite his moral lifestyle and spiritual seeking, he couldn't move beyond surface-level religion to transformational discipleship because his wealth held him back.
False Security
His wealth provided temporary security but prevented him from finding eternal security in Christ. He chose the temporary over the permanent.
Isolation from Purpose
Jesus offered him purpose greater than any earthly achievement – but he chose personal wealth over global mission.
Breaking Free from Wealth Idolatry
The good news is that wealth doesn't have to become an idol. Many biblical figures – Abraham, Joseph, David, Solomon (in his earlier years), and Joseph of Arimathea – maintained healthy relationships with wealth. Here's how:
Strategy 1: Regular Wealth Audits
Periodically examine your relationship with money to catch idolatry early:
- Monthly heart check: Ask yourself "What am I trusting for security?"
- Decision analysis: Review major financial decisions for underlying motivations
- Prayer evaluation: Notice how much of your prayer life focuses on money
- Obedience assessment: Identify areas where money concerns prevent obedience
- Generosity tracking: Monitor whether your giving increases with your income
Strategy 2: Intentional Generosity
Generous giving is one of the best antidotes to wealth idolatry:
- Percentage giving: Give a percentage that requires some sacrifice
- Progressive giving: Increase giving percentage as income grows
- Anonymous giving: Give without recognition to check your motives
- Sacrificial giving: Occasionally give an amount that impacts your lifestyle
- Responsive giving: Be ready to give when God prompts you
| Income Level | Comfortable Giving | Sacrificial Giving | Anti-Idolatry Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | 5-10% | 12-15% | Forces dependence on God's provision |
| $75,000 | 10-15% | 18-25% | Prevents lifestyle inflation, builds generosity habits |
| $150,000 | 15-20% | 25-40% | Demonstrates wealth is tool, not master |
| $300,000+ | 20-30% | 50%+ | Prevents wealth accumulation from becoming life purpose |
Strategy 3: Purpose-Driven Wealth Building
Build wealth for specific kingdom purposes rather than general accumulation:
- Family provision: Clearly define what "providing for family" means
- Ministry funding: Set aside wealth specifically for kingdom purposes
- Emergency generosity: Build funds to help others in crisis
- Legacy giving: Plan for charitable giving through estate planning
- Mission support: Accumulate resources to support missions and ministry
Strategy 4: Community Accountability
The rich young ruler faced Jesus' challenge alone. Build community that helps you maintain perspective:
- Financial mentors: Learn from Christians who handle wealth well
- Accountability partners: Regular check-ins about money and spiritual health
- Diverse friendships: Maintain relationships across economic levels
- Service involvement: Regular hands-on ministry to those with less
- Study groups: Regular Bible study about money and stewardship
Strategy 5: Wealth Worship Prevention
Actively prevent wealth from taking God's place in your heart:
- Gratitude practices: Regular thanksgiving for all blessings, not just financial
- Sabbath observance: Regular rest that doesn't depend on earning money
- Simplicity disciplines: Periodically choose less expensive options
- Risk taking: Occasionally make faith-based financial decisions
- Identity anchoring: Regularly remind yourself who you are apart from wealth
The Rich Young Ruler Test for Modern Christians
Jesus' challenge to the rich young ruler can help us identify our own potential wealth idols:
Your Personal "Sell Everything" Test
Consider these questions honestly:
- If God asked you to give away 50% of your wealth for ministry, how would you respond?
- What possessions would be hardest for you to sell if God asked?
- How much of your identity comes from your financial status?
- What financial changes would make you seriously question God's goodness?
- Are there ministry opportunities you've avoided because of potential cost?
Use the GenesisBudget goal tracker to set specific targets for generous giving and spiritual growth.
Positive Examples: Wealth Without Idolatry
Contrast the rich young ruler with biblical figures who handled wealth well:
Abraham
- Left wealth in Ur when God called
- Gave Melchizedek 10% of war spoils
- Offered to sacrifice Isaac despite inheritance implications
- Used wealth to serve God's purposes
Joseph of Arimathea
- Wealthy member of the Sanhedrin
- Secret disciple of Jesus
- Used wealth to provide tomb for Jesus
- Risked status and position for Christ
Barnabas
- Sold field to support early church
- Used wealth to encourage others
- Funded Paul's missionary journeys
- Generous without seeking recognition
Lydia
- Successful purple cloth merchant
- Opened home to Paul and missionaries
- Used business wealth to support ministry
- Converted wealth into kingdom impact
Your Anti-Idolatry Action Plan
30-Day Wealth Idol Prevention Challenge
Week 1: Diagnosis
- Complete honest wealth idolatry assessment
- Identify areas where money controls your decisions
- Confess any wealth worship to God and trusted friend
- Begin daily prayers about your relationship with money
Week 2: Detox
- Practice contentment with current possessions
- Give away something valuable to someone in need
- Choose service opportunity that costs time/money
- Reduce lifestyle spending in one area
Week 3: Realignment
- Increase giving percentage for one month
- Make one financial decision based on faith, not fear
- Spend concentrated time with people who have less
- Study Bible passages about money and discipleship
Week 4: Commitment
- Set long-term goals for generous giving
- Create accountability system for wealth decisions
- Plan specific ways to use wealth for kingdom purposes
- Write personal mission statement including money's role
The Choice That Defines Us
The rich young ruler's story ends with one of Scripture's saddest phrases: "he went away sad." But his story doesn't have to be our story. We can choose differently.
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
The choice isn't between having money and not having money. The choice is between serving money and using money to serve God. The rich young ruler chose to serve his wealth. We can choose to make our wealth serve God's kingdom.
Unlike the rich young ruler, we don't have to choose between eternal life and earthly wealth. We can have both – as long as we keep them in proper order. When God comes first and wealth serves His purposes, we can build wealth without building idols.
The question isn't whether you're wealthy. The question is whether your wealth owns you or whether you own your wealth. The difference determines not just your financial future, but your spiritual destiny.
Ready to ensure wealth serves God instead of becoming an idol?
Set Kingdom Goals Plan Generous Living