Luxury Cars and Mansions

[norak]

Is it biblical for a Christian to own a luxury car or to own a mansion? Some Christians believe that if you buy a luxury car not to impress others but for your own personal satisfaction (e.g. because you like the look of the car) then it is okay. I've been reading the bible and here are some quotes about the topic. It seems based on these quotes that it is not okay for a Christian to indulge in luxuries, but maybe I misinterpreted?

Proverbs 21:17 says, "He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich."

James 1:15 says, "After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

 

[cowboysfan1970]

It's not a sin unless you are putting that above God.

 

[UnionJack]

Matthew 19:24
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:24
[FONT=arial, helvetica]"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." [/FONT]

Matthew 25:41-45
[FONT=arial, helvetica]Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.

[/FONT][FONT=arial, helvetica]Deuteronomy 15:11
[/FONT][FONT=arial, helvetica]There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.[/FONT]

 

[ebia]

Is it biblical for a Christian to own a luxury car or to own a mansion?

Strangely the bible doesn't mention cars at all, luxury or otherwise.

Some Christians believe that if you buy a luxury car not to impress others but for your own personal satisfaction (e.g. because you like the look of the car) then it is okay. I've been reading the bible and here are some quotes about the topic. It seems based on these quotes that it is not okay for a Christian to indulge in luxuries, but maybe I misinterpreted?

Proverbs 21:17 says, "He who loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich."

James 1:15 says, "After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

I think it would be very hard to possess great wealth and it not get in the way of following Christ.

 

[Duckybill]

Having money is not evil. It is the love of money that is evil. Some of the most Godly men in the Bible were VERY wealthy.

 

[UnionJack]

yes but just like you said those were the most Godly men....

 

[Duckybill]

yes but just like you said those were the most Godly men....

There may have been many both VERY Godly and wealthy people whom the Bible did not mention.

 

[SK'sFriend]

I believe that it is a case by case basis. For one it may be a sin and for others it may not be. Nevertheless, it is indeed a danger to possess wealth. But many have benefited from the wealth possessed by those for whom it did not ensnare. If one tries to become too rigid about possessing wealth as being a sin there is a world of ambiguity in such matters. For example; what constitutes a luxury vehicle? Over $30,000? Over $50,000? And on and on. Also, what is a mansion? Over 2000 square feet? Over 5,000 square feet? And on and on. To some, the very fact of owning a vehicle or a house would indeed be a luxury.

 

[DamianWarS]

to put a blanket statement out there saying big houses and big cars are sinful can be dangerous. Just how big does a house have to be in order for it to be sinful or how many luxury options does a car need to have before it is a sin to own it. Most north Americans are considered rich by the rest of the world's standards so depending on who you ask different people may say you are rich, middle class, or poor.

The things we have do not save us or "unsave" us and when we begin to think this way we begin to measure these things based on how spiritual they make us (which of course they don't). I'm sure there are people out there who are too consumed in their own possessions that they will never hear the true gospel because of the people they limit themselves with. How will those people be reached unless someone in their own circle is able to share the gospel with them. So there certainly can be a need for people to have big cars and big houses.

But of course everything we do we need to be mindful of what God's will is and how we can share in relationship with God with others or with for ourselves. That doesn't have to mean we give all our possessions to the poor but it means whatever God means it to be which will be different for each person.

 

[Jase]

Does this mean we can conlude that the televangelists who obtain their money by telling others that God wants them to be rich, while they themselves ride around in their multi million dollar private jets, and live on their multi million dollar estates are not following God?

 

[ebia]

to put a blanket statement out there saying big houses and big cars are sinful can be dangerous. Just how big does a house have to be in order for it to be sinful or how many luxury options does a car need to have before it is a sin to own it. Most north Americans [and Australians and W. Europeans] are considered rich by the rest of the world's standards

And yes, that's a dangerous place to be.

 

[ebia]

I believe that it is a case by case basis. For one it may be a sin and for others it may not be. Nevertheless, it is indeed a danger to possess wealth. But many have benefited from the wealth possessed by those for whom it did not ensnare. If one tries to become too rigid about possessing wealth as being a sin there is a world of ambiguity in such matters. For example; what constitutes a luxury vehicle? Over $30,000? Over $50,000? And on and on. Also, what is a mansion? Over 2000 square feet? Over 5,000 square feet? And on and on.

If someone needs to define the answer in that sort of way then I suggest Jesus' answer to the rich young man would be quite appropriate. Or at least consider drawing the line where John the Baptist did.

 

[Duckybill]

I believe that it is a case by case basis. For one it may be a sin and for others it may not be. Nevertheless, it is indeed a danger to possess wealth. But many have benefited from the wealth possessed by those for whom it did not ensnare. If one tries to become too rigid about possessing wealth as being a sin there is a world of ambiguity in such matters. For example; what constitutes a luxury vehicle? Over $30,000? Over $50,000? And on and on. Also, what is a mansion? Over 2000 square feet? Over 5,000 square feet? And on and on. To some, the very fact of owning a vehicle or a house would indeed be a luxury.

You make some very good points. I suspect those in Haiti would consider most in the USA as VERY wealthy.

 

[Duckybill]

Does this mean we can conlude that the televangelists who obtain their money by telling others that God wants them to be rich, while they themselves ride around in their multi million dollar private jets, and live on their multi million dollar estates are not following God?

Personally I find it disgraceful. I stopped watching religious TV many years ago for this reason.

 

[SK'sFriend]

Does this mean we can conlude that the televangelists who obtain their money by telling others that God wants them to be rich, while they themselves ride around in their multi million dollar private jets, and live on their multi million dollar estates are not following God?

I think that the one thing we could conclude for certain concerning them is that they practice what they preach!

 

[Jpark]

Never mind.

 

[dies-l]

I cannot speak for others, but my experience has been that the more I grow in my relationship with God, the less satisfaction I find in material things and the less I desire worldly wealth and luxury. Admittedly, compared to 3/4 or more of the world's population, I am living in the lap of luxury: I have a roof over my head; I eat three meals a day; I have a car; I have limitless access to water; I have air conditioning in the summertime and heat in the winter; I have enough clothes to dress comfortably and cleanly everyday; I have a television and a computer (three computers actually).

I have visited homes of people whose house was a sheet metal shack over a dirt floor with no electricity. I have known people who eat a few times a week when they are fortunate enough to be given food by the Church or the government, who sleep on the dirt, who wear the same worn out clothes everyday, who have never seen a dentist or a doctor, and who could only dream of luxuries like electricity, TV, and so forth. When I consider such people, I cannot honestly convince myself that the best use of my resources is to increase my own standard of living. This is not to say that I never treat myself to a few nice things. But, I do find that these things are not the desire of my heart that they once were.

 

[Rick Otto]

Judgement falls on the motivation.
Sounds like a conscience needs to be tended to.
Have pleasure, but not guilty pleasure.

 

[RobertK]

If you need a car and like a particular luxury vehicle, get one that is several years old.
I would say, though, that a good rule would be not to spend more on yourself than you would be willing to give away to a needy stranger, even if it left you without a car. Die to self. In all things, put Christ and others first.

 

[Rick Otto]

Props to dies-l.
I agree completely.
Self-imposed poverty can become a point of pride too.

Jesus didn't sacrifice His loved ones, He sacrificed Himself. Maybe the rich man returned to his life but with a selfless attitude. In that way, Jesus' advice to him had more value in it's spiritual level than on its surface, literal level.
Jesus knew exactly what advice to give, & exactly what effect His advice would have, right?