No. Jesus was saying it is IMPOSSIBLE for a rich (self righteous) man to enter heaven, not that it is more difficult.
Amy, you are missing the point of my question completely. We are all sinners, it is impossible for any of us to enter heaven on merit.
But in the non-Cal view a man can be saved if he chooses to submit to God and trust in Christ. In the non-Cal view it makes sense that a poor man would trust Christ before a rich person would. Rich people tend to be much more confident in themselves than a poor person. They tend to be more self-reliant.
Prov 11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
Deut 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest
when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt
therein;
13 And
when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Psa 52:7 Lo,
this is the man
that made not God his strength;
but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.
As you can see, the scriptures warn against riches. It is not sinful to be rich, but there is a tendency for rich people to forget God and trust in their own abilities. Riches will tempt a man to sin and oppress the poor.
Poor people tend to look to God for help.
1 Tim 5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed,
and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
There was no Social Security in bible days, a widow, especially if she had no children to help her, had a very difficult time surviving. She would trust and pray to God constantly to sustain her.
Psa10:14 Thou hast seen
it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite
it with thy hand:
the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
So Amy, it is a theme of the scriptures that rich men tend to forget about God, while the poor and fatherless look to God.
Now, the point of my question. In the Calvinist view, being rich or poor should make no difference whatsoever. Most Calvinists believe that before a person was even born that God chose who would be saved and who would not. This is Unconditional Election, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the man himself. It doesn't matter if he is rich, poor, good, or evil. God makes his choice for whatever reason, but his reason is always
outside the man.
Most Calvinists also believe in Irresistible Grace. If God has elected a man for whatever reason, he will effectually draw that man and he will irresistibly believe in Christ. It doesn't matter if he is rich, poor, good, or evil.
So, why would it be more difficult for a rich man to enter heaven than a poor man? If God chooses whom he will, and irresistibly causes that person to believe, it would make no difference whether he were rich or poor. No difference whatsoever. If Calvinism is correct, it should be just as easy for a rich man to be saved as a poor man.
Do you understand the question now?
So why did Jesus say "
How hardly (difficult) shall they
that have riches enter into the kingdom of heaven"?
