“Poorest Man in Heaven” is an energetic track written by Marty Funderburk and Jeff Silvey, found on the Kingdom Heirs’ outstanding 2005 album Give Me the Mountain. The hook around which the song is based is repeated several times during the song: “I’d rather be the poorest man in heaven than the richest man in hell.” While this entire concept obviously is Scripturally sound, I want to point out just a couple of lyrics in the song that can be specifically found in the Bible.
Jeff Chapman sings the first verse, and in the middle of it, you hear this phrase: “And they may gain the whole world, but one day lose their soul.” Most of you are probably familiar with the famous verse this lyric paraphrases. They are the words of Jesus in Mark 8:36
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul?
Jesus talked often about how true followers of Christ must forsake the things of this world, whether it be fortune, fame, or sometimes even family.
One other specific instance Jesus taught this principle is retold in the second verse, sung by Arthur Rice. Near the end of the verse is the phrase “Just like that rich young ruler, you gotta be willing to sell.” This subtle lyric is based on a Bible passage in which a rich young ruler asks Jesus a very important question. This is from Luke 18:18-25
18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
25For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus’ point was not that giving money to the poor is how you get to heaven. The point was for someone to be saved, he has to be willing to make Jesus Lord over all his life. Jesus tested this young man to see if he really wanted to make the worldly sacrifices necessary to be a Christian. Unfortunately, he failed the test, and unless God did a work not recorded in Scripture, that young man might just be the one of those “richest men in hell” today.
Even though it is a fun and fast-paced song, Funderburk and Silvey are delivering an important message in “Poorest Man in Heaven”. We all need to be willing to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. (Mark 8:34)
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