The Socialist Jesus?

     More and more each day  I keep hearing from people of how Jesus was all about helping the poor and hating the rich.  How Jesus came to save the poor from the rich.  Some even claim that Jesus was a socialist and therefore, what's needed in today's society is a socialistic state.  They sight Bible passages that seem to suggest that,  but is this accurate? 

     Lets take a look at Abraham.  He was wealthy before God called him, and after surviving a famine in Egypt, he was even more wealthy with cattle, silver & gold.  God did not care about his  net worth.  He didn't instruct Abraham to get rid of  1/2 or everything he had.  

     Then we have Job.  Job was a hard working man, and that hard work paid off, as we see in verses 9-11 in the Book of Job, Satan is holding a conversation with God about him.  And in verse 10, Satan tells God,  "You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land."  " But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." This to me sounds like Job was pretty well off.  Yet God never mentioned Job's wealth. Satan did.  God was not the one who wanted to test Job.  Satan did.  Yet, as we know, harrassed by Satan, Job did curse God and lost everything he had.  Only to find his way back to God and being blessed all over again.

     Next we'll move into the New Testament and lastly we find Joseph of Arimethea.  When they crucified Jesus at the cross, Joseph asked for Jesus' body to bury him in a tomb he had prepared.  Looking at the historical settings, its easy to see that Joseph was well off. 

     When Jesus told the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22) to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor in order to have eternal life,  Jesus was aware that the young ruler couldnt let go of his money.  He knew that something more important than God was occupying this young man's heart. 

     The point to all these stories is  that God did not care whether Abraham, Job, or anyone else was poor or rich.  So to say that Jesus, who being  God in the flesh was a Socialist is to contradict his teachings. Jesus didn't/doesn't care whether you are/were rich or poor.  Jesus is not interested in your possessions, status in society, politcal agenda's, or wealth.  He's interested in your heart.

Was Jesus a Socialist?  Not even a smidget!