“A third reason why so many are no more than almost Christians, is a reigning love of money. This was the pitiable case of that forward young man in the Gospel who came running to our blessed Lord and, kneeling before Him, inquired what he must do to ‘ inherit eternal life’; to whom our blessed Master replied, ‘Thou knowest the Commandments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal’; to which the young man replied, ‘All these have I kept from my youth.’ But when our Lord proceeded to tell him, ‘Yet lackest thou one thing; go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor’; he was grieved at that saying, and went away sorrowful, ‘for he had great possessions!’
Poor youth! He had a good mind to be a Christian, and to inherit eternal life, but thought it too dear, if it could be purchased at no less an expense than of his estate! And thus many, both young and old, nowadays, come running to worship our blessed Lord in public, and kneel before Him in private, and inquire at His Gospel, what they must do to inherit eternal life: but when they find they must renounce the self-enjoyment of riches, and forsake all in affection to follow Him, they cry, ‘The Lord pardon us in this thing! We pray Thee have us excused.’
But is heaven so small a trifle in men’s esteem, as not to be worth a little gilded earth? Is eternal life so mean a purchase, as not to deserve a temporary renunciation of a few transitory riches? Surely it is. But however inconsistent such a behaviour may be, this inordinate love of money is too evidently the common and fatal cause why so many are no more than almost Christians.”
George Whitefield in Selected Sermons of George Whitefield (Philadelphia: Union Press, 1904) 106-108.