Danger: Luxury Warning

By all accounts, we live in affluent times. Even with raging inflation, astronomical national debt and a hyper-partisan political landscape, Americans live in a way that no other world culture ever has.

A few years ago the hashtag that people used tongue-in-cheek to complain about inconveniences that they were somewhat embarrassed to complain about was #firstworldproblem.¹ Only those who become entitled or privileged over long exposure to luxury, comfort and convenience complain about the internet being slow in the coffee shop.

Love of luxury leads you deeper into evil.

The apostle Paul strongly condemned “the love of money,” saying that obsession was root/foundation of all evil.² That’s pretty significant. It should caution our personal zeal for affluence. Even those who might consider themselves “poor” in comparison to others can fall prey to the insidious love of money and be led to evil. An overflowing bank account is not an indicator of a love for money. Neither is an empty pocket. It is what the heart is set on/demands as a foundation for “happiness” that will most indicate when wise stewardship of money has morphed into greedy obsession with it.

In other words, there’s Ebenezer Scrooge - famous for shrewd wealth but stingy, frugal and curmudgeonly - odious to all. There’s also the “common” thief - the epitome of taking what doesn’t belong to him. Both are guilty of “love of money” and as a result are led to “evil.”

Luxury can be intoxicating and even damning.

In Revelation 18, the end of the end times is described. A city, called Babylon, finally reaches its climactic judgment from God. The way the city is described leads one inevitably to think about the historically “great” cities of our nation - New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago.

As Babylon meets its final end, Revelation 18 announces and describes the city’s fall and its implications.

“For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.” (Revelation 18:3 NIV)

The chapter describes the horrible influence that this city had on the world due to her peddling of wealth, sensuality, lack of integrity and absence of compassion.

It describes a world (“all the nations”) addicted to the “wine” of immorality and leaders - both government and business - who pursued profit and gain above all else and “grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”

It’s a bitter commentary that as long as people are rich and enjoying “excessive luxuries,” they don’t care for right or wrong. Excessive luxury even stoops to enslaving others (think trafficking).³ Nothing is beyond those consumed by luxury. Indeed, it’s a sobering truth: the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

It seems a common rule for societies in world history are that whenever a culture is consumed by luxury, bad things begin to happen. Our inhibitions to immorality are weakened; our senses are dulled; our minds become lazy.

For the Christian

This should cause pause for we Christians who are surrounded by affluence. It can seep into the bloodstream. Before we realize, we too are moaning about #firstworldproblems. Over time, our exposure to luxury in a plethora of streaming services and air conditioned car seats can numb our souls to righteousness.

We should be reminded about the nature of Babylon. The city was “drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.”⁴ “In her was found the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”⁵

The city is prophesied to fall quickly in Revelation 18 - in one hour.⁶ Fire. Burning. Smoke will be seen from afar. From the first century viewpoint, such a sudden descriptive destruction sounds eerily nuclear.

It describes the end times. It portrays the ultimate, catastrophic judgment of God upon the overflowing, maddening evil that has polluted the world and attempted to suffocate God Himself. When we see characteristics of Babylon in our world, we should be wary and watchful.

No one can dispute the current effects of the “maddening” in our culture. Logic, rational thought, common sense and creation order are disputed. A man is a woman is a man is a cat. Self reigns.

We would do well to remember that “lust” is one of the seven deadly sins categorized by the early church. While we often associate lust with sexual desires, one can also “lust” for money. In fact, the Latin terms for this sin of lust were luxuria and fornicatio. You can derive the English transliteration from each.

Peter had great counsel for us in the face of such luxury:

“…in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy.”⁷

Set the Lord on the throne of your heart, not luxury.

How to tamp down the selfish pursuit of luxury

John Piper asks himself five questions that are helpful:

1. Is it good for my soul, and the souls of the people around me?

2. Is it good for efficiency in life ministry?

3. Is it affordable without saying to the world that you love things and are into the pride of possessions? (what does it communicate?)

4. Is it affordable without replacing or hindering good deeds? (does it keep you from being generous or loving?)

5. Is this purchase an occasional, expensive, nonessential that would say an extraordinary “I love you”?⁸

1. For an interesting read, check out: Why are countries classified as First, Second or Third World? (History: May 17, 2023)

2. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10 CSB)

3. “…human beings sold as slaves…” (Revelation 18:13)

4. Revelation 17:6

5. Revelation 18:24

6. Revelation 18:10

7. 1 Peter 3:15

8. What Luxuries in My Life Are Sinful? (Desiring God: September 1, 2014)