What does Mark 10:30 mean?
When Jesus promises a hundredfold houses, He doesn't mean all Christians will become real estate magnates. He is referring to the community of the church which is designed to share (Acts 2:45) and show hospitality (3 John). When Jesus promises an extended family, He means fellow believers. When Jesus' mother and brothers want Him to stop teaching and return to Nazareth, He turns to His followers and says, "For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:35).The last bit of Jesus' promise puts things into perspective. The blessings of being a part of the church will be significant, but they will be hard-earned. Church tradition claims that all but one of the disciples, John, gave up not only family and possessions but their lives for Jesus and the gospel. Jesus' sacrifice makes the church possible; the disciples' suffering and sacrifice make the church spread (Colossians 1:24).
For those who are willing to sacrifice their earthly comforts and their lives for Jesus, the rewards of eternal life are more than we could imagine (1 Corinthians 2:9). Matthew adds that the Twelve will "sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28). Paul says the blessings of heaven dwarf earthly troubles into irrelevance (Romans 8:18).
This is hard to accept when the blessings and struggles of the world are right in front of us. False teachers prey on the fears and greed of others by twisting this passage. Frauds say that if we give to the kingdom of God—of course, via that person's organization—God will bless the giver with riches. The prosperity gospel claims that the good news is found in money. In truth, those who teach it are "puffed up with conceit and [understand] nothing" (1 Timothy 6:4) and imagine "that godliness is a means of gain" (1 Timothy 6:5b).
In contrast, Paul asserts that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). He also says that "those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction" (1 Timothy 6:9).
Those who give to God so that God will give them more have the same selfish heart as the rich young man who keeps what he had from God.