Christians and Expensive Designer Brands

[Mr.Kott]

Back to the subject of this thread. I guess it is one's own choice to wear cheap clothing or expensive clothing... neither of which will send you to hell. I prefer expensive clothing. I like the Marc Anthony line of clothing at Kohl's. I just wait until they are on sale. I am also comfortable wearing raggedy flannel shirts and hunting outfits at our farms in the country. But I would prefer expensive clothing all the time. I did find a pair of jeans at Menards [about 3 years ago] called Old Mill that are just as good quality as Levis for $13.00. Spend $13 bucks or spend $50 bucks? It's one's own preference.
I saw a sermon where Jesse Duplantis preached and he was asking God why there was so many delays building his new house. And God replied "I'm Jewish". Meaning, when Jesse first wanted to get building his new house it was going to cost him I think $80 a square foot. By the time they did start building months later the price was down to I think $50 a square foot. That saved him a LOT of money.

[Jedidiah]

Why do you continue to insist that anyone who understands scripture differently than you do, Mr.Kott, is not believing? I disagree with a lot of things that other people believe, but we all believe in one Lord, Jesus.

[Bill the Cat]

Back to the subject of this thread. I guess it is one's own choice to wear cheap clothing or expensive clothing... neither of which will send you to hell. I prefer expensive clothing. I like the Marc Anthony line of clothing at Kohl's. I just wait until they are on sale. I am also comfortable wearing raggedy flannel shirts and hunting outfits at our farms in the country. But I would prefer expensive clothing all the time. I did find a pair of jeans at Menards [about 3 years ago] called Old Mill that are just as good quality as Levis for $13.00. Spend $13 bucks or spend $50 bucks? It's one's own preference.
I saw a sermon where Jesse Duplantis preached and he was asking God why there was so many delays building his new house. And God replied "I'm Jewish". Meaning, when Jesse first wanted to get building his new house it was going to cost him I think $80 a square foot. By the time they did start building months later the price was down to I think $50 a square foot. That saved him a LOT of money.

And you STILL think Jesse is sane?

[Bill the Cat]

Why do you continue to insist that anyone who understands scripture differently than you do, Mr.Kott, is not believing? I disagree with a lot of things that other people believe, but we all believe in one Lord, Jesus.

Pharisees tend to do that.

[Catholicity]

Pharisees tend to do that.

I can see he clearly is one.
hrmm why do I have my computer.....could it be oh right I bet it never crossed his mind I'm a homeschool parent. whoops!!!!

[Christianbookworm]

Or that a computer is much more useful that designer clothes. They aren't a status symbol. Is there a reason to restrict ourselves to the technology of ancient times? Because one could argue that any technology that we have that they didn't have in ancient times makes us richer in comparison.

[Catholicity]

If that is true then why do you have a computer? Why have you not sold everything? Why are you not on the street corner begging for food? It's a blessing right?

Well for starters.... 3 kids and a verse that says 8But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8 so my husband and I follow ALL of scripture. And provision of our children's needs mean medical, shelter, food and clothing, spiritual and love, it doesn't have to be "designer" or rich food, but since we have the means it should be healthy and adequate. Now since you asked, 10 percent off the top goes to God and the rest goes to the government now doesn't it but I have a feeling you tend to miss the obvious, since you think that "life more abundantly" has nothing to do with spiritual fullfillment but money only. I think scripture said something about storing up treasures in heaven too oh wait here it is

19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6..... did you miss that one?

[Adrift]

So getting back to the OP of the thread, I think a good argument can be made that the 1 Timothy passage is referring to one's appearance in church, not day to day wear. Basically what Paul seems to be warning about is something going on in Timothy's church where people were one upping one another in apparel. I've seen this in the black churches I've attended where women will wear outlandish hats that are crazier looking than some other woman's hat. I'm guilty of it myself in fact. I used to wear my mohawk up in service, but then I got to thinking about how my hair may have been distracting others from the message being preached, so I stopped putting up in church (though I'd wear it high after service).

While listening to a podcast on the early church today, and I was struck by a quote from a passage from the Latin apologist Marcus Minucius Felix and his work The Octavius (160-250 A.D.?)

Therefore, as he who treads a road is the happier the lighter he walks, so happier is he in this journey of life who lifts himself along in poverty, and does not breathe heavily under the burden of riches. And yet even if we thought wealth useful to us, we should ask it of God. Assuredly He might be able to indulge us in some measure, whose is the whole; but we would rather despise riches than possess them: we desire rather innocency, we rather entreat for patience, we prefer being good to being prodigal; and that we feel and suffer the human mischiefs of the body is not punishment— it is warfare.

I got from this (with help from the podcasters discussing the book) that at least some in the early church did believe that, yes, God will provide wealth (in some measure) to those who ask, but that wealth is not what is beneficial to all Christians. It can be the cause of a stumbling block (as we see with the Rich Young Ruler). And it can distract some Christians from the spiritual warfare going on around them. On the other hand, I can see how poverty could do much the same thing. You may find that you rely on God a lot more when you've hit rock bottom, but I can see how some would be distracted when they're constantly concerned with how to feed their family, and keep a roof over their children's heads. Having been raised in that type of family, there were certainly ups and downs, but I can tell you that my parents are far more free to help others now than they were when I was young. There's no telling how much more they could have blessed other's lives had they had the money to do it.

Personally, I've found that wealth tends to make people more of what they already are. Some people use wealth to fill up their lives with distractions, some people use their wealth to help others. Jesus recognized both types of people throughout his ministry, and made disciples of them.

[Mr.Kott]

I can see he clearly is one.
hrmm why do I have my computer.....could it be oh right I bet it never crossed his mind I'm a homeschool parent. whoops!!!!

If poverty is a blessing then you are placing yourself outside of that [alleged] blessing by having a computer. If you have a computer then you are not in poverty.

[Mr.Kott]

Well for starters.... 3 kids and a verse that says 8But if anyone does not provide for his own,

You can "provide for your own" by begging for food. If you are not begging for food then you are not in poverty and have placed yourself outside of your alleged poverty blessing stance.

snip

[Adrift]

You can "provide for your own" by begging for food. If you are not begging for food then you are not in poverty and have placed yourself outside of your alleged poverty blessing stance.

Hi there Mr. Kott. Have you read my post #57? Would you have answer to that question?

Another question on top of that. Would you agree that poverty in one country might not translate to poverty in another country?

[Catholicity]

Hrmm I see someone only dealt with what he wants to see and is being snide about the rest. Oh well.

[Mr.Kott]

Hrmm I see someone only dealt with what he wants to see and is being snide about the rest. Oh well.

I am just throwing your own erroneous philosophy back at you. If poverty is a blessing, as you state, then why do you not follow your own philosophy [by being in poverty]?

[lilpixieofterror]

I am just throwing your own erroneous philosophy back at you. If poverty is a blessing, as you state, then why do you not follow your own philosophy [by being in poverty]?

Your black/white fundy thinking is quite amusing there, but I go for another option:

We can be blessed (or equally not blessed), no matter our financial situation.

[Catholicity]

Finances are not the determining factor of a rich life. Once we lived a poor life and lots of hard work reaped comfortable earthly rewards. But they are earthly which merely determine our level of comfort here. And who knows tomorrow they could be gone. So if that happens as Christians we are to ask God to provide for our needs through the hardship. And if our prayers our not answered? Ask him to fill us spiritually through the famine. The point is God leads us to situations and asks us to give Him our entire selves in good and bad. While earthly riches are a blessing so is being poor. Neither impacts who we are in Christ. Is there a need to sell everything I have? Well if God were to call us to be missionaries we may do that. But I can assure you that God would NOT call anyone to be an illegal panhandler. Hence a good reason NOT to beg on the street.