I asked this question on a Christian e-list and not one person responded. Maybe someone will reply here....



"Why did God choose to be raised by people who had neither status or significant amount of wealth?"



That leads to my next question - seeing we probably agree that money is not evil, do you think it's more of a stumbling block to have materially impressive possessions than not? (A pastor friend recently share that he purchased a nice car for himself - Toyota Avalon - and someone in his congregation chastised him for not buying a corolla, commenting that his car was to luxurious.) Again, I think we all agree that God does not love the "have nots" more than anyone else.

How do you reconcile (or justify) your own personal luxury items and your Christianity? And by the way, this is not bait...I'm really just interested to hear from you guys. Heaven knows we need all points of view.



-Stacie

My belief is that the GC is over the Character of God. No one disputed the power of God. What was in dispute was how God uses that power. So His character without the power was revealed in His Son. And wealth gives power. Character can better be seen without power and wealth.

It was the most powerful created being that rebelled.

I don't think wealth is bad, as long as we recognize where all things come from, use it responsibly, obtain it honestly, and don't become too dependent on it.

My belief is that the GC is over the Character of God. No one disputed the power of God. What was in dispute was how God uses that power. So His character without the power was revealed in His Son. And wealth gives power. Character can better be seen without power and wealth.

I agree, Dan. Perhaps it is best in a way to live under the radar (esp if you are a Christian worker) only because you will be judged more harshly if you have expensive material things.

I'm glad you replied - I posted his on my facebook, CAG and here and you are #2 of those who replied. Money is a sticky topic - kinda like if you say something in favor of money you will judged as "greedy rich person" and if you say something negative, you come off as judgmental and critical of the financially prosperous.

Or people just think it's a worthless question ;-) Marco posed this question to me and then predicted right...that few (if any) would respond. He was right.

I don't think wealth is bad, as long as we recognize where all things come from, use it responsibly, obtain it honestly, and don't become too dependent on it.

Agreed again. Look at the relatively recent delving into TV evangelists - I think last year. The private jets and limos worked against them.

Perhaps if we had listened to God and not eaten from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil - we would not care if a man had money or not.......we simply would not judge good or evil. We simply would not categorize for its this labeling that is most toxic. Wheat vs Tares, Wicked vs Righteous, Sheep and Goats.....


Thanks Dan for joining me on this :-D

i wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in good health.

so, when we prosper in the friends department we are Godly. When we prosper in the family department (many children) we are Godly. When we prosper our garden we're ok. When we prosper in our evangalism efforts and assist in growing the church, we're ok.

when we are in great health we are Godly followers.

but, when our business prospers now we have more money and material goods, the unGodly label is attached to it. Even tho in the midst of all the growth we increase our giving to charity, it's still frowned upon. I think the ones who are doing the frowning are the ones who arent prospering in any area.

it will always be like that. ITs just part of the demonstration.

david

Hi Stacie,

(How ya doing, by the way?)

I want to believe I don't justify it. The only thing I have that is really good is my stereo and a lot of it is legacy equipment, like my vacuum tube preamp.

But, I digress.

If Satan's sanctified level is 0 and Jesus is a 100, I have been saying for years now.

We're all just 1.5's.

I really believe it.


Blessings,

Tony

i guess people are having hard times in the church im currently attending. the pastor was asking how we could minister when we ourselves were having financial struggles...

an admirable soul piped up with the fact that we get used to a certain quality of life and keep trying to live up to that standard even with hard times....she suggested we could look and see what we could cut back on. there was dead silence.

ive lived below the poverty level most of my life...but when i look back there was so much i didnt need. ive been going through a "cleaning out" and i think of all that money-and time- i wasted because of "i-want-itis", and now im getting rid of it!

The measure of godliness, by the "many", is the "as it was in the days of Noah" and/or "as it was in the days of Lot."

The measurement in Noah's time was food and reproductive activity.

The measurement in Lot's time was food and business.

Food, i.e., bodily health and energy, is the common need for both activities of biological reproduction and business intercourse.

The "many", the legion, is that which was cast out of the man at the tombs, who confessed a knowledge that Jesus is the son of God.

Praise God, through Jesus Christ, that he even casts the "many" out of us and then clothes us and gives us a right mind, desiring to go with our Lord and Savior. Then he gives us our work in his grace, having been set free from the "many".

There are "many" about us who confess that Jesus is the/a son of God. Yet they are controlled by their appetite, reproductive desires and/or business ambitions. The spirits of these three lead them to live alone in the spiritual mountains of idolatry and to roam about in the spiritual grave yards of mysticism/astrology/numerology, trying to save their life.

Yet, these are the paths through which our Lord draws us to him, to do for us what he did for the 12 disciples and for this man at the tombs. Eventually, he delivers his chosen, by Jesus Christ and gives us a right mind, a sound mind that speaks with certainty concerning the promises in Christ Jesus, even yes and yes. But, everyone must needs begin with yes and no. Let us beware of the "maybe", the uncertainty.

"Many are called, but few are chosen", and "you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, that you might go and bear much fruit", our Lord said.

Our Lord told the man, who was now free from the legion, "Go to your family and tell them what great things God has done for you."

Joe

Hi Stacie,

Good question! I think as far as justification goes, a lot depends upon one's perspective. For example, for those who can afford much more expensive cars, a Toyota Avalon is considered a crappy car. For someone who rides a bike because they can't afford a car, a Toyota Corolla would seem like an outrageous luxury. There are many who probably wish they had a bike because they can't even afford that.

"Poor" is a very subjective and relative term. For instance, we have many "poor" people living in America. However, compared to living conditions around the world, our "poor" are extremely rich.

I don't know who said it, but one of my favorite quotes is, "I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet."

Perhaps it's best not to look at what others have or don't have in order to judge. We can't judge. (And I don't mean to imply in any way that you're judging by asking this question...) Anyways, if I read Revelation 3:17 correctly, we're poor (pun so totally intended!) judgers of wealth. What we think is wealth might actually be poverty!

Just my $0.02.
Kelley

Oh, and just to respond to your other question too . . . I think Jesus was raised in the wealthiest family on earth.
Of course, much depends upon one's definition of wealth.

Dan:My belief is that the GC is over the Character of God.

Here's something we agree on.


Tom