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In today’s episode, we are talking about Christian Materialism. We are looking at how to have a right relationship with money, possessions, and the pursuit of wealth by looking at what the Bible says about those topics. We will always struggle to have a spiritually vibrant life if we find ourselves worshipping idols in the place of God. By putting our material things in their place, we can better worship God in our lives.

S2E7 – Is it biblical to want to create a life you love? What does the Bible say about pleasure? – A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast

In this episode, we are focusing on part 1 of our series, which is about creating a life we love and cultivating our hearts for God. Before we think about how to create a life we love, we have to figure out if we even should. Is it biblical to create a life we love? What does the Bible say about pleasure? We are going to be looking at some history and then turning our focus to the theology of pleasure in the Bible. Spoiler: Pleasure isn't evil. In this show, I'll explain why. https://amorebeautifullifecollective.com/is-it-biblical-to-want-to-create-a-life-you-love-what-does-the-bible-say-about-pleasure/ Get a copy of our FREE guide to creating a life you love here: https://a-more-beautiful-life-collective.ck.page/0398c49016 – Visit our Shop to get a copy of any of the resources mentioned in this episode: I’m your host, Cayce Fletcher, and you can learn a little bit more about me here. While you’re here, would you consider leaving a comment, rating, or review? You can find our podcast, A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube. Subscribe to the blog for access to our latest content and some freebies. I love creating and sharing resources with you. You can find all of our resources at A More Beautiful Life Collective Shop. Keep creating a life you love, and cultivating your heart for God.

Hey everyone! Welcome back to A More Beautiful Life Collective Podcast! This is Season 1 Episode 11. In Season 1 of the podcast, we are talking all about habits that lead to a strong and vibrant spiritual life. If you’ve been enjoying this podcast, please leave a rating and review wherever you’re listening to this podcast. This will help others find the show, and I would be so grateful for your support! Now, onto the episode.

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Christian Materialism: Having a Biblical Relationship with Our Stuff

When you start out in life, you don’t have that much. You are broke and bright-eyed as you look at the opportunities that are available to you, the new freedom you have. For several years, I slept with my box spring and mattress on the floor because we didn’t have a bed frame. Because our house was being renovated, we didn’t really have a kitchen either so our couch was also our dining room table (and the place I got all my work done). We finally moved into a house that was finished, which had so much space (and actual cabinets!)! I thought that we wouldn’t ever be able to fill each nook and cranny. But, over time, you just accumulate things. They multiply like weeds. And, just like weeds in the garden choke out good fruit, our things can choke out the fruit that we produce in our lives.

The Bible has a lot to say about our relationship with things – and to be honest, most of it is not very favorable to our American ideal of hoarding disguised as the American dream. In modern times, success is having whatever you wish for, and being able to have that thing instantly (or in two days with Prime shipping). We have a love affair with owning more and more and more. However, this materialistic drive is not sustainable. And, it’s not biblical.

We need to have a right relationship with our things.

Which means we need to know what the Bible says about our stuff.

So today, we are going to be talking about this idea of Christian Materialism. Now, I’m going to be honest: I am co-opting a term from philosophy, but I’m using it in a different way. Materialism in philosophy talks about the nature of our bodies and souls – and I am not talking about that today. Instead, we are going to be focusing on materialism in the layperson’s sense. Materialism is a fascination with things and a desire to possess more things. Materialism puts the relentless pursuit of more things as a main goal for life. Materialism is just a fancy word for the idol of stuff – and all the things you have to do to get more stuff.

In today’s church culture, we see evidence of Christian materialism everywhere. People are continually pursuing things and often put their pursuit of more over pursuing God. They believe that they need to have enough possessions to be safe, secure, and have a certain status. They may even believe that the amount of possessions you have correlates to how much favor you have with God, also known as the prosperity gospel. All of these views are what I am calling Christian materialism (or a church-washed view of the pursuit of wealth). But, we need to know what a right view of our stuff is. What should actual Christian materialism look like?

As we’ve been talking about habits, we’ve been focusing on many habits that are related to spiritual disciplines. In today’s episode and next week’s episode, we are turning our focus to our relationship with what we have. Our stuff – and the work we do to get that stuff – dictates most of our lives. Just think about how much time you spent working and cleaning this week to get an idea of how much your life is driven by the need to have things.

Culture is telling us how we should view what we own, but it’s important to pause and realign our hearts with what the Bible says. Which means we need to understand the answers to some of these questions: What does the Bible say about stuff? Should we even pursue more things? Is owning stuff bad? If not, how much stuff can we own? What should we do with our stuff? How should we navigate this materialistic culture? We have to parse out our view of Christian materialism – something so prevalent in modern church culture today.

So let’s dive in.

The “Haves” and the “Have-Nots”

In the past, people really had one of two views about what they owned. Either they were heavily dependent on their things – which consisted of food-producing items and clothing – because they had so little. Or, they had much abundance which led to much power and influence over others. Put more simply, the two groups were ‘the haves’ and ‘the have-nots.’

The Bible spoke about both groups, but generally, the commands were written for ‘the haves’, and the promises and protections were written for ‘the have-nots.’

Here’s what I mean by that: We read over and over again that the rich and powerful need to “Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8). In fact, one of the actions that led to the Israelites’ exile is that they refused to listen to the fatherless and oppressed and instead just oppressed them more. The law even lays out guidelines for how to give provisions for those who lacked by leaving some of the food left after harvest in the field for the poor to go behind and glean. There were different levels of sacrifice too, and the poor were able to bring something that would cost much less (a pair of doves – which is what Joseph and Mary brought to sacrifice when Jesus was born).

Here are some more verses that show God’s heart for the poor:

Proverbs 14:31 – “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.”

Isaiah 41:17-18 – “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst — then I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys”.

Psalms 12:5 – “Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will protect them from those who malign them”.

Psalm 82:3-4 – “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked”.

The ‘haves’ though have some stronger words in scripture. Those who had possessions, that pursued Christian materialism, often found themselves in need of correction by God.

On Being Materialistic

I want to take a moment and read a few verses from Ecclesiastes 5. Solomon when he wrote this had lived a life pursuing anything that he thought would give life some sort of meaning… besides God. It’s interesting that David’s last words to Solomon in 1 Kings 2:1-4 were:

When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

But, Solomon completely disregards what David told him to do. He is enticed by wealth, power, alliances, and women into worshipping idols, both of the god of surrounding nations and the idols of status, work, and worldly knowledge. He is enticed by the idol of Christian materialism.

One of my friends and bible teachers said that Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s confession. He is writing an apology letter to God, asking for forgiveness for the time he wasted pursuing meaning and life in something that was not God. He wrote this so that we can learn from his experience. Among the many things that Solomon wrote about was his pursuit of wealth and material goods.

In Ecclesiastes 2:4-11, he says,

“4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this, my wisdom stayed with me.

10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”

Solomon goes on to say in Ecclesiastes 5,

(v. 1) Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. (v.11) As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? (v.15) Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.

Solomon pursued material wealth. He tried to accumulate more and more wealth – much of it through taxing the people of his kingdom (to the detriment of his sons later on). He could be seen as the OG ‘Christian materialist (or Jewish materialist but you get the idea). Instead of being a ruler who provided an easy yoke to his people, he took from the poor to create his empire of earthly goods.

And what is the outcome of all this toil and accumulation?

Nothing.

It was all meaningless.

Solomon ended up saying that nothing that he gathered up really mattered in light of eternity. As the saying goes, “You can’t take it with you when you go.” Instead, wealth becomes the white whale that you seek after your whole life, but that you never actually get enough of. What are the lessons we can learn from Solomon?

Money, wealth, and possessions never satisfy us. They always leave us wanting more.
Possessions can be nice to look at, but ultimately, that is all they are. After you’ve gathered up all these things, you are left with just your things if you don’t have God.
At the end of it all, your possessions amount to nothing. You leave this world as you came in it: with nothing.

Jesus and Christian Materialism (Or Anti-Materialism)

Many of the parables that Jesus told in the book of Luke have to deal with our pursuit of wealth and how fruitless that pursuit actually is. In Luke 12:15, Jesus says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Then he goes on to tell this parable.

Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (Luke 12:16-21)

In the abundance of modern America, many of us have never truly had to do without. Most of us have always had food and clothes, and many of us have never even had to deal with a room that was too cold or too hot. As a society with some exceptions, we all fall into the category of people who have much. We live in an age of Christian materialism, and so we don’t pause and think about how our possessions can control our lives. This parable speaks to the dilemma many of us face.

We have so many things that we struggle with where to put them all. And, so we build bigger houses, more storage facilities… bigger barns. We spend the majority of our time moving things around and cleaning up after ourselves. We feel frantic and behind, but that is primarily because we have too much to take care of, to begin with.

A Theology of Christian Materialism

So, we can recognize that as a society we have a problem. We have idolized Christian materialism – and the pursuit of wealth and more things. But, where does that leave us? It reminds me of the story of the rich young ruler. Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21) He went away sad from Jesus because he had great wealth. He wasn’t willing to give up his wealth to follow Jesus. So, should our takeaway from this story be to give up all we own?

Here are some verses that can help you figure out the answer to that question:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 1 Timothy 6:7-8

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

We can use wealth to bless others, as many did in the early church. But, we always have to understand that wealth and material things are a gift from the Lord. We want to steward these things well so that we can use these things for God’s glory.

The point is not to get rid of all of our possessions, but instead, to not view possessions as our God. Our possessions do not save us, and so we must not trust in them. But, how many of us view our possessions or lack thereof as the thing that will save us? We also shouldn’t allow possessions to lead us to sin – either by making us prideful or envious depending on our situation.

When we have a kingdom mindset, we change the way we view possessions. To understand Christian materialism, we must recognize that our lives are not an endless pursuit of getting more and more and more. Instead, we desire to glorify God with our lives. Our possessions just become another tool that we use to do that. We want to steward them well so that we can give God the most glory.

This can be a comfort in times of financial hardship and in times of great flourishing because we know that the state of our finances does not determine our salvation. It doesn’t show how blessed we are by God. No matter our circumstances we praise God and we work for God. That is why Paul said, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Whether we have a little or a lot, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

We’re going to continue talking about habits for a vibrant spiritual life in the next episode. But, it’s so important that we get our hearts right with God as we seek to build a spiritual home. If we find idolatry in our hearts, we will see that the fruit of our lives is easily choked out. And, in modern times, I think that one of the biggest idols we have is material possessions and wealth. This isn’t just a modern problem. Jesus spent much of his earthly ministry – as evidenced by the focus of the book of Luke – talking about having a right relationship with God and money. We can’t serve two masters, and so we must be honest with ourselves about how we view our money and possessions. If we find that our focus is turned away from God, no amount of routines, habits, or rhythms will get it right.

There is so much more we could talk about concerning this topic, and we barely scratched the surface in this episode. What do you think? Is Christian materialism an area of life that you are struggling with? What would you like to learn more about concerning money, wealth, possessions, and God? Comment below!

If you’ve been enjoying listening to this podcast, don’t forget to leave a rating and review wherever you are listening so that others can find the show more easily. Join us next week for the next episode!

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Corinthians 6:10

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Christian Materialism: How to Have a Biblical Relationship with Our Stuff