Ask a Pastor Column

Q: The Bible tells us not to store up treasures on the earth. Does that mean we should never buy anything nice?

A: The instruction not to store up treasures on earth comes within a passage of advice from Jesus about money and worries (Matthew 6:19-34). This passage is all about bringing an eternal perspective to our daily needs, resources, and choices. We must remember as Christians that we have an eternal well to draw upon for our needs (vv. 25-30), and we have an eternal life to be living. Since we have been given an eternal existence and the opportunity to store up eternal and indestructible treasures through good works, it doesn’t make sense to invest a great deal into this world’s perishable treasures (vv. 19-20).

This is not an outright prohibition of luxury; Jesus is simply informing his disciples so that they can make wise choices and store up treasure in heaven; whether or not we do so is our choice to make (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). The Bible frequently praises those who demonstrate extravagant generosity, even to the point of impoverishing themselves (Luke 19:8-9; 21:1-4; Acts 4:34-35). Those who do so in faith are taking God at His word that He will repay the good they did with their temporary riches by bestowing on them His eternal rewards (see Proverbs 19:17). Sounds like a sound business choice to me!

However, the Bible is careful to balance that praise with this reminder: God has granted to each of us the freedom to make our own choices with the money He’s given us (Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who spend their money on luxuries get what they’ve purchased; each must decide for themselves whether their choice was wise or foolish. Personally, I like to indulge in an ice cream treat every once in a while. Doing so gains me no eternal reward but I find it refreshing and encouraging to have and I see it as one of God’s many blessings that I am free to enjoy responsibly. My wife and I have decided how much money we set aside to give to our church and those in need, how much we invest and use as stewards of what God has given us (1 Corinthians 4:1-2), and how much we use for personal enjoyment for ourselves and our children (see 2 Corinthians 8:13-14). We are comfortable with the balance we’ve set, but are always looking for ways to increase our giving, because the Bible tells us that giving to God and the needy is the greatest investment we can make!

Let us know what you think of the ask a pastor articles! If you’ve found them helpful in any way, been blessed by an article, or have any thoughts on how we could make it better, let us know by sending an email to [email protected] or by mail to Formoso Church; P.O. Box 66; Formoso Kansas 66942. And, as always, feel free to send us your Bible questions