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To address this question and establish the Lord's truth, we would simply like to start by restating in its entirety the story of Christ's encounter with the young rich man as told in Matthew:
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:16-29)
The above passage alone is sufficient to establish the truth of this question. Christ specifically told this man to dispose of his "great possessions," and to donate the proceeds to the poor. Although this man was otherwise righteous, he was jealous and covetous of his own great possessions, to the point where they were more important to him than the Kingdom of God. Retaining his possessions did not bring him joy, but great sorrow, according to verse 22.
We submit to you that this story gives us a description of the Law of Consecration. In this law, we dispose of all of our material possessions to the Lord, and then we retain as our Stewardship that which is "sufficient for our needs" to live and perform our labors. In this description from Matthew, the "poor" may be considered to be those who receive according to their needs from the substance and goods contributed by other consecrated members of the society. All members of the consecrated society would then be equal in their material goods, as the Lord has so clearly stipulated to us in the D&C as a requirement for Latter-day Israel and in order to build a true Zion society:
But it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin. (D&C 49:20)
That you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things.
For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things; (D&C 78:5-6)
The above verses describe the Law of Consecration and its critical importance. Confusion (in reality sophistry and untruth) arises from the above story in Matthew from those who took it upon themselves to redefine the meaning of the "eye of a needle" to be something that a camel could actually pass through, albeit with some difficulty-a fictitious low portal in the wall of Jerusalem through which a camel was supposed to be able to pass by crouching down or crawling.
Observe the following remarks by Hugh Nibley on the importance of the Law of Consecration, as well as his remarks on this story of the rich man in Matthew, which also debunk the notion of a camel actually being able to go through the proverbial "eye of the needle:"
This law [consecration], the consummation of the laws of obedience and sacrifice, is the threshold of the celestial kingdom, the last and hardest requirement made of men in this life. It is much harder to keep than the rules of chastity and sobriety, for those temptations subside with advancing age, while desire for the security and status of wealth only increases and grows through the years. Yet none may escape the law of consecration, none are exempt from it in the Church (D&C 42:70-73; 70:10); none may outlive it, for it is "a permanent and everlasting" law (D&C 78:4; 72:3), a "covenant and a deed which cannot be broken" (D&C 42:30), even by transgression--there is no escaping it (D&C 78:10-11). It cannot be put off until more favorable circumstances offer (D&C 70:16); it was given to the Saints because the time was ripe for them. One cannot move into it gradually to ease the shock (D&C 78:3), or observe it partially (D&C 42:78), or even grudgingly (D&C 70:14). It is so fundamental that the early leaders of the Church (Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, Parley P. Pratt, and others) declared that their first impulse after being baptized was to give away all their property to the poor and trust the hand of God to supply their wants in the mission field, for in any case they could take no money with them. Was that a hard choice? Let us recall the case of the righteous young man who had kept every point of the law and asked to become a disciple of Christ: "Yet lackest thou one thing," the Lord told him (Luke 18:22), "if thou wilt be perfect" (Matthew 19:21). There was yet one thing--the law of consecration, which crowns all the others. But the young man could not take that one step because he was very rich, and for that the Lord turned him away sorrowing: he did not call him back to suggest easier terms but turned to his disciples and pointed out to them by this example how hard it is for a rich man to enter heaven--only a special miracle could do it, he explained; it is as impossible to enter the celestial kingdom without accepting the celestial law as it is for a camel to get through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:24). The disciples marveled greatly at this, for they had never heard of that convenient postern gate, invented by an obliging nineteenth-century minister for the comfort of his well-heeled congregation--the ancient sources knew nothing of that gate, and neither did the baffled apostles. (That is another "para-scripture.") If I keep all the other commandments, says Amulek, and ease up on this one, my prayers are vain, and I am a hypocrite (see Alma 34:28). Tithing is merely a substitute--a very different thing; once we start making concessions and explanations, the whole thing becomes a farce. If business expenses and necessities are deducted from tithable income, nothing is left. God takes a serious view of any attempt to cut corners: he struck Ananias and his wife dead not for failure to pay anything, but for "holding back" part of what they should have paid (Acts 5:2, 5, 10). The free-wheeling interpretation of "stewardship" offers no way out, for example, piously announcing that the stuff is only mine during this lifetime (a generous concession indeed!), or admission that I must dispose of it in a responsible way (as if others had no such responsibility). One is "a steward over his own property," namely "that which he has received by consecration, as much as is sufficient for himself and family" (D&C 42:32). That is "his own property" to which he has exclusive right, and that is the limit of his stewardship--and it is all consecrated, whether given or received. One does not begin by holding back what he thinks he will need, but by consecrating everything the Lord has given him so far to the Church; then he in return receives back from the bishop by consecration whatever he needs. (Hugh Nibley, "Approaching Zion," p. 169)
In the above Biblical story, Christ then promised rich blessings to those that indeed had "forsaken all," and promised a recompense of an hundredfold for those who had "forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands," for His name's sake. This caliber of sacrifice is almost totally foreign in present Latter-day Israel, although it was an absolutely regular thing for our ancestors in the former days of the LDS church. No such sacrifices are called for nor preached in the present day LDS church, only the modern "prudent man" concept of living, which calls in less measure for trusting in the Lord and in great measure for trusting in worldly Babylonian wisdom of the "arm of flesh," the stock market, investments, retirement funds, and real estate.
Observe the following statements by Brigham Young as well as by the Prophet Joseph Smith, on the subject of sacrifice:
Elder Maginn had an ivory cane. I asked him for it, but he declined making me a present of it. Not long after, he had it stolen from him in a crowd, and it now does neither of us any good. Perhaps your purse may slip through your pocket, or you may lose your property; for the Lord can give and take away. Jacob, with his faith, obtained all the best cattle his father-in-law had.
If I had a wife and ten children, I would give all my money to build the Temple and Nauvoo House, and I would trust in God for their support. Yet I will be richer for it; for God would prosper me in business. Men are apt to serve God on Sunday, and neglect Him all the week. Who blesses you and all the people? God. But do the people acknowledge the hand of God in all these things? No; they turn away from Him, and do not acknowledge Him, or realize from whom their blessings flow. They know not who blesses them. It never comes into their hearts. So with the farmer. The blessings are constantly flowing to him, and he considers not whence they come.
Let me tell you a secret. When the Lord shakes the earth, and every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, He will bring gold for brass, silver for iron, brass for wood, and iron for stones. Then you will have no use for gold, for money and goods as you now have. You will not care so much about it; but the Lord will think as much of it then as now.
But now we want some of the goods of the Gentiles--some of the gold and silver to build the Temple and Nauvoo House for the accommodation of the kings, princes and nobles of the earth, when they come to inquire after the wisdom of Zion, that they may have a place for their entertainment, and for the weary traveler to be refreshed. Let us have your gold to take to Nauvoo for this purpose.
Is there wisdom in Zion? We think so, and the world begins to think so. Let the world come forward and translate the plates that have of late come forth, if they have wisdom to do it. The Lord intends to take away the gods of the Gentiles: He pulleth down and He buildeth up at His own pleasure.
Sacrifice your goods for the building up of Zion. Administer of your substance. Send our missionaries to the islands of the seas. Don't be afraid of a dollar, or a hundred dollars, or even a thousand dollars. I would not. I have made a sacrifice of all I possessed a good many times, I am richer the more I give; for the Lord has promised and does reward me a hundredfold; and if I sacrifice all for the cause of God, no good thing will be withheld from me. I have taken this course to get rich. I have given all I had, and God has given many blessings in consequence. If I am too bold in asking, be too bold in giving. I ask, expecting to receive. Put your shoulders to the wheel with all your might. Give your all, and become rich by receiving a hundredfold. (Brigham Young, DHC, 6:15)
The sacrifice required of Abraham in the offering up of Isaac, shows that if a man would attain to the keys of the kingdom of an endless life; he must sacrifice all things. When God offers a blessing or knowledge to a man, and he refuses to receive it, he will be damned. The Israelites prayed that God would speak to Moses and not to them; in consequence of which he cursed them with a carnal law. (Joseph Smith, DHC, 5:555)
5. For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also-counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ --- requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when these sufferings are ended, he will enter into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God.
8. It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtain faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they, in like manner, offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him.
9. It was in offering sacrifices that Abel, the first martyr, obtained knowledge that he was accepted of God. And from the days of righteous Abel to the present time, the knowledge that men have that they are accepted in the sight of God is obtained by offering sacrifice. And in the last days, before the Lord comes, he is to gather together his saints who have made a covenant with him by sacrifice. Psalm 50: 3, 4, 5: "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, 6:5, 8-9)
Do you actually suppose that you can, contrary to the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, inherit the same reward as those who have consecrated and sacrificed and their all for the "building up of the Kingdom of God on the Earth and for the Establishment of Zion" unless you actually do accomplish the same? When was the last time such demands were made upon the LDS people? However, it is too late for most LDS people to consider whether or not they should have these obligations, as they have already solemnly covenanted to do these things in the endowment ceremony. If we do not live up to every covenant made at the altars during the endowment, we will be in Satan's power, that is so plain. So why is the LDS leadership preaching an easier gospel than our forefathers had to live, and failing to have the members live up to all of their covenants?
The above notion that "a rich man may inherit the Celestial Kingdom if he is kind, generous, and benevolent" flies in the face of two of the five main endowment covenants. It is also against the teachings of Christ in the New Testament. True Zion can not be built "unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom" (D&C 105:5); it can only be done in the Lord's way. In 2 Nephi 26:31, this is reaffirmed:
But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish. (2 Nephi 26:31)
By not "seeking the welfare of Zion" (among other things) in the pursuit of religions ends qualifies one as being guilty of Priestcraft:
He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; (2 Nephi 26:29-30)
The notion of gaining personal riches above another and multiplying investments or "Mammon" is contrary to the principles of the Celestial Kingdom, and of the order of Zion, and is therefore a mark of apostasy when it occurs among who should otherwise be the Lord's people.
We sincerely hope that you can recognize the truth of these principles, and make the necessary changes and take the courageous steps in your life to gather to Zion, and to make the correct commitments to the Lord that will result in reaping the riches of eternity. We hope that you will approach and consider these things most carefully and prayerfully.