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<\/a><\/p>\nThe answer is yes. God \u201crichly provides us with everything to enjoy\u201d (1 Timothy 6:17-19). Of course, the word \u201cexpensive\u201d is subjective. A college student may think $500 is expensive, whereas a retired person who saved for decades may not notice that amount leave his bank account. When I say \u201cexpensive,\u201d I mean purchases that are expensive in relation to your net worth, or purchases that are culturally recognized as luxurious or outlandish, such as large-sized boats, vacation homes, or a brand-new BMW. Again, subjective. But you can figure it out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMy answer needs nuance. Besides answering the question in the affirmative, if I were to unpack this answer in a more sophisticated manner, I\u2019d say something like this: Yes, it may be ethically permissible for you to buy expensive things as long as you: (1) Pursue godliness; (2) Give regularly to God\u2019s kingdom purposes; (3) Share with others; (4) Devote yourself to good works (motivated by 1 Timothy 6:17-19).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIs it Okay for Christians to Buy Expensive Things?\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n1. Godliness\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\nIf you\u2019re not pursuing godliness through active local church involvement and grace-driven spiritual disciplines, then getting lots of money to buy expensive things may be the worst thing that happens to you because too much money and material possessions without godly character can draw your heart away from the Lord.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOn the other side, I don\u2019t get concerned when Christians who take holiness seriously buy a five-bedroom home or a Tesla because I know they love the Lord more than material possessions.\u00a0 <\/span>They are mature in Christ. They can own expensive things without expensive things owning them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nStill, Jesus says, \u201cFor where your treasure is, there your heart will be also\u201d (Matthew 6:21). Your heart follows your money. So if you buy expensive things too often, then your heart may slowly become too attached to them, even if you do have regular quiet time with the Lord. It seems prudent to suggest buying expensive things is ethically permissible, but it is probably not ideal to buy expensive things too frequently.<\/p>\n
2. Give\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\nI recount the story of a seminary professor who pastored an upper-class congregation. He\u2019d often get a variation of this question: \u201cShould I tithe out of my gross income or net income?\u201d His reply was blunt: \u201cYou should aspire to become the kind of Christian who doesn\u2019t ask that kind of question.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHis point, and the New Testament\u2019s point, I think, is that financial giving to your local church and God\u2019s kingdom purposes should not be restricted to a certain number in every season of life, but should be characterized by generosity and willingness. We pray, read Scripture, consider what we own, consider the needs around us, and give faithfully, regularly, and sacrificially to God\u2019s kingdom purposes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nDone for the right reasons, giving your (temporary) wealth builds (permanent) treasure in heaven. Let me remind you of Jim Elliot\u2019s famous quote: \u201cHe is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.\u201d You don\u2019t want to pass on this opportunity.<\/p>\n
Giving your money to God\u2019s kingdom purposes is a testimony to God that you love God more than money. It\u2019s an act of worship. We\u2019re saying, \u201cHere, Lord. I love you more than this paper. You are the true source of my provision.\u201d The best way to ensure money doesn\u2019t become an idol in your life is by giving some of it away.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n3. Generous\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\nYou can own expensive things, just make sure others get to enjoy them too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe early church ensured there were no needs among them (Acts 2:42-44). And Paul says, \u201cLet the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches\u201d (Galatians 6:6). The immediate context for those who preach, but from this text, we learn the principle of sharing. Can you host a poor person in your big, nice house? Can you take that lonely person in your church on your boat? Can you allow your pastor and his wife to stay in your vacation home for a week for free?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nShare your stuff with others. If you can\u2019t, that\u2019s a sign material possessions may be an idol in your life.<\/p>\n
4. Good works\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\nIf you want to make an evangelical nervous, mention the idea of good works. Good works are not the basis of salvation, but the evidence of salvation. It\u2019s a neglected doctrine in our evangelical and Protestant churches. Study James, or the book of Titus especially, and you\u2019ll find many references to doing good works.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOf every category on this list, good works might surprise you. But it\u2019s the one that ties everything together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWho could forget John Piper\u2019s sea shells illustration, when he publicly rebukes a couple who desired to spend their retirement collecting sea shells. It\u2019s not wrong to collect sea shells, though. A grandparent can enjoy collecting sea shells on the beach with his or her grandchild. It is wrong, however, to dedicate your life exclusively to leisurely activities and not to good works.<\/p>\n
Once I was on a plane traveling from Florida to the Midwest, and my neighbor on the plane told me her boyfriend from a different state was moving to Florida, and they were going to spend their lives sailing. She was 50 or so, and I\u2019m assuming financially independent. I don\u2019t remember for how long, but it seemed like this would be a main pursuit for the rest of her life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nFrom a Christian perspective, you can go sailing, go to Italy, and take a year-long sabbatical for a restricted period, but not for the rest of your life. At some point, you have to get off the boat, return from Italy, and finish the Sabbatical. It\u2019s time to start doing good works again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nAs long as you\u2019re breathing, God has good works for you to do (Ephesians 2:10).\u00a0 <\/span>The Christian in this life should never completely and entirely be absorbed in leisurely activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nOne of my go-to passages on money is 1 Timothy: 6:17-19. Paul teaches that God \u201crichly provides us with everything to enjoy.\u201d As long as you are pursuing godliness, giving money away for God\u2019s kingdom purposes, sharing your material possessions with others, and committing your life to good works, it seems you are a candidate to occasionally enjoy desired luxuries.<\/p>\n
Related Posts<\/em><\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A couple of years ago, I started reading more books on personal finance. I didn\u2019t plan to. It sort of just happened. With two kids, I want to be as financially faithful as I can and learn from a wide range of sources. Money provides options, such as purchasing expensive items. Is it biblically permissible […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":322967,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[100090],"tags":[3408,52657,2157],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-322966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christian-living","tag-buy","tag-christians","tag-expensive"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n