Biblical Principles on Materialism and Luxury Purchases
Biblical texts frequently address the acquisition and use of material possessions, often cautioning against an excessive focus on wealth and luxury. The Bible describes riches as temporary, uncertain, unsatisfying, corruptible, fleeting, and deceitful [2]. Gold, silver, precious stones, fine linens, and other opulent items are listed among the "merchandise" of Babylon in Revelation, symbolizing worldly excess [1]. Similarly, the prophet Nahum speaks of "plunder of silver" and "plunder of gold" as indicative of abundant, yet ultimately transient, wealth [4].
The New Testament provides further insights into the dangers of materialism. Jesus tells a parable about a rich man "clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day," who ultimately faces judgment [5]. This narrative highlights the spiritual peril associated with self-indulgent living. The apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy 6:17, warns against trusting in "uncertain riches" [2].
John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, emphasizes the importance of using the world without abusing it, and acquiring possessions as if one were selling them, referencing 1 Corinthians 7:30-31 [8]. He acknowledges that "ivory and gold, and riches, are the good creatures of God, permitted, nay destined, by divine providence for the use of man" [10]. However, he cautions against luxury and "superfluous abundance," urging believers to curb such desires [11]. Calvin also notes that many become so engrossed with material things like "marble, gold, and pictures" that their minds become "marble-hearted" [12].
Early Christian writers also addressed the issue. Clement of Alexandria, for instance, advised against providing for oneself "costly clothing any more than variety of food," drawing on Christ's teaching to "take no thought for your life what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on" [9]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary on Luke 11:41 suggests that giving alms can cleanse the inner person, contrasting with the greed of the Pharisees [13]. This perspective implies that generosity with material wealth is a spiritual discipline that counteracts covetousness.
The Bible also details the types of luxury items prevalent in ancient times, such as gold, ivory, and various precious materials [3, 7]. These were often used for personal adornment and household furnishings [7]. However, the emphasis throughout scripture is on the spiritual rather than the material, with a call to seek "true riches" in Christ [2, 6].
Sources
- Revelation “merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; -- Revelation 18:12”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Riches — The true riches -- Eph 3:8; 1Co 1:30; Col 2:3; 1Pe 2:7. God gives -- 1Sa 2:7; Ec 5:19. To God belongs this world's riches -- Hag 2:8. God gives power to obtain -- De 8:18. The blessing of the Lord brings -- Pr 10:22. Give worldly power -- Pr 22:7. Described as Temporary. -- Pr 27:24. Uncertain. -- 1Ti 6:17. Unsatisfying. -- Ec 4:8; 5:10. Corruptible. -- Jas 5:2; 1Pe 1:18. Fleeting. -- Pr 23:5; Re 18:16,17. Deceitful. -- Mt 13:22. Liable to be stolen. -- Mt 6:19. Perishable. -- Jer 48:36. Thick clay. -- Hab 2:6. Often an obstruction to the reception of the go”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gold — Found in the earth -- Job 28:1,6. Abounded in Havilah. -- Ge 2:11. Ophir. -- 1Ki 9:28; Ps 45:9. Sheba. -- Ps 72:15; Isa 60:6. Parvaim. -- 2Ch 3:6. Belongs to God -- Joe 3:5; Hag 2:8. Described as Yellow. -- Ps 68:13. Malleable. -- Ex 39:3; 1Ki 10:16,17. Fusible. -- Ex 32:3,4; Pr 17:3. Precious. -- Ezr 8:27; Isa 13:12. Valuable. -- Job 28:15,16. Most valuable when pure and fine -- Job 28:19; Ps 19:10; 21:3; Pr 3:14. Refined and tried by fire -- Zec 13:9; 1Pe 1:7. Working in, a trade -- Ne 3:8; Isa 40:19. An article of commerce -- Eze 27:22. The patriarchs were ”
- Nahum “Take the plunder of silver. Take the plunder of gold, for there is no end of the store, the glory of all goodly furniture. -- Nahum 2:9”
- Luke ““Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. -- Luke 16:19”
- Revelation “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. -- Revelation 3:18”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ornaments, Personal — The number, variety and weight of the ornaments ordinarily worn upon the person form one of the characteristic features of Oriental costume, in both ancient and modem times. The monuments of ancient Egypt exhibit the persons of ladies load with rings, earrings Of vary great size, anklets, armlets, bracelets of the most varied forms, richly-ornamented necklaces, and chains of various kinds. There is sufficient evidence in the Bible that the inhabitants of Palestine were equally devoted to finery. In the Old Testament. Isaiah, (Isaiah 3:18-23) supp”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: us to use this world without abusing it, and to buy possessions as if we were selling them ( 1 Cor. 7:30, 31 ). But as this is a slippery place, and there is great danger of falling on either side, let us fix our feet where we can stand safely. There have been some good and holy men who, when they saw intemperance and luxury perpetually carried to excess, if not strictly curbed, and were desirous to correct so pernicious an evil, imagined that there was no other method than to allow man to use corporeal goods 2032 only in so far as”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. XI.[11]--ON CLOTHES. (part 1): Wherefore neither are we to provide for ourselves costly clothing any more than variety of food. The Lord Himself, therefore, dividing His precepts into what relates to the body, the soul, and thirdly, external things, counsels us to provide external things on account of the body; and manages the body by the soul (<greek>yukh</greek>), and disciplines the soul, saying, "Take no thought for your life (<greek>yukh</greek>) what ye shall eat; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 74: who are full, who laugh now, who “lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches;” “join house to house,” and “lay field to field;” “and the harp and the viol, the tablet and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts,” ( Amos 6:6 ; Isa. 5:8 , 10 ). Certainly ivory and gold, and riches, are the good creatures of God, permitted, nay destined, by divine providence for the use of man; nor was it ever forbidden to laugh, or to be full, or to add new to old and hereditary possessions, or to be delighted with music, or to drin”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: must indulge as little as possible; on the other hand, 2034 it must be his constant aims not only to curb luxury, but to cut off all show of superfluous abundance, and carefully beware of converting a help into an hinderance. 5. Another rule is, that those in narrow and slender circumstances should learn to bear their wants patiently, that they may not become immoderately desirous of things, the moderate use of which implies no small progress in the school of Christ. For in addition to the many other vices which accompany a longing”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: discernment of honour and rectitude? Where thankfulness to God for clothing, if on account of sumptuous raiment we both admire ourselves and disdain others? if, from a love of show and splendour, we pave the way for immodesty? Where our recognition of God, if the glare of these things captivates our minds? For many are so devoted to luxury in all their senses that their mind lies buried: many are so delighted with marble, gold, and pictures, that they become marble-hearted—are changed as it were into metal, and made like painted fi”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 11:41: give alms . . . and . . . all . . . clean--a principle of immense value. As the greed of these hypocrites was one of the most prominent features of their character (Luk 16:14; Mat 23:14), our Lord bids them exemplify the opposite character, and then their outside, ruled by this, would be beautiful in the eye of God, and their meals would be eaten with clean hands, though never so fouled with the business of this worky world. (See Ecc 9:7).”