Why should I avoid a life focused on acquiring material things?
Deuteronomy 7:25“You must burn their idols in fire, and you must not covet the silver or gold that covers them. You must not take it or it will become a trap to you, for it is detestable to the Lord your God.”
Matthew 6:21“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Luke 16:13“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
We should avoid materialism because it has great power to turn us away from God. The things we acquire in this world in and of themselves are not the problem. But when we make the acquisition and maintenance of those things our primary focus in life, our hearts and worship will be turned away from God.
Genesis 14:12They also captured Lot—Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom—and carried off everything he owned.
We should avoid materialism because materialism makes us vulnerable to enemies who want what we have.
Ecclesiastes 5:10Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!
We should avoid materialism because material things never bring the happiness they promise.
Proverbs 23:4Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit. In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle.
Matthew 6:19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.”
We should avoid materialism because material things are temporary. The newness wears off quickly, and things break, making our efforts to acquire them a waste of time.
Mark 4:19“All too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.”
1 John 2:16The world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.
We should avoid materialism because materialism makes us spiritually lazy. We find it difficult to truly depend on God, when we have a false sense that we are capable of providing for all our own needs.
Matthew 16:26“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”
We should avoid materialism because if our materialism brought us everything we desired, we would still lose what matters most. What are a few decades of earthly indulgence in comparison to an eternity of heavenly joy? What are fame and fortune compared to an eternal relationship with the Creator of the universe?
