As others above, I have really enjoyed reading this thread! My wife and I grew up in the Evangelical Free Church, and have since attended a Southern Baptist, Brethren Fellowship (in India), Assemblies of God, and Harvest Chapel.
Our financial journey included time walking through Dave Ramsey's baby steps to become debt free. At the time I did not feel that Dave's philosophy followed the teachings of Jesus once you were debt free. "Live like no one else so you can LIVE LIKE NO ONE ELSE!" In the same way, I see Mustachianism as a good tool, but towards a different end than Mr. MM. Every decision that I make, including financial ones, needs to be made through the lens of my faith. I believe that 'money' below could be replaced with 'not spending money'.
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Occasional Dave Ramsey listener here: I understand that the book of his that most clearly explains his philosophy about giving and managing wealth is The Legacy Journey. I have heard DR state several times he feels that it is his most overtly Christian book. Are you arguing that the philosophy in that book is contrary to Jesus' teachings?
Currently reading The Total Money Makeover for perspective on his philosophy. I came across any interesting quote in the book - this is towards the end during the Wealth Building phase:
"Should anyone wear a 30K watch? Drive a 50K car? Live in a 700K house? Absolutely they should. The problem with people is, they buy those things when they can't afford them."
I'm currently wrestling with this. I question if this attitude of spend-money-because-I-can-afford-it is a biblical, Christ-centered attitude. Surely the money has better utility than a 30k watch. It could help the poor, widows, and orphans just as much. Simply because the spender has more money doesn't mean the utility of it has decreased.
However, this could be a slippery slope of being judgmental and legalistic towards every purchase of excess, no matter how small the excess.
Interested to hear what folks think...
Actually, you're not in the wrong on this understanding, and are right to raise caution over the teachings of Dave Ramsey in relation to the faith. Honestly, there appears to be some of that in regard to the way even in this thread (he types gently, looking inward to his own heart first)... and I've been grappling with how to handle a response to it that's biblically sound, and discharges my responsibility with others in how and what I understand of the faith in accordance to scripture as well for months. And before anyone brings out the pitchforks and hypocrisy stones against me for what I'm about to post (especially in regard to
where we all are), I'd just like to point out that I personally have never discussed my personal finances on this forum. HaShem knows my heart, and He knows our lives far better than anyone else here. It is a process.
Apologies in advance for laser-like scripture pinpointing and notation (and lack of hyperlinks), I normally quote full with plenty of context and notation. However, all of my following pinpoint usages should survive context scrutiny. Be Berean. Don't take my word for it, read for yourself.
Bartleby started to point in the right direction with the two links he provided.
Here's the thing, we need to start by looking at what both Yeshua (Jesus) and Paul taught and did on the Shabbat (Sabbath), to first begin to understand the
why. Yeshua healed the sick and the lame on the Shabbat (Matt 12:9-14; John 5:2-12;
there's no shortage of these moments). His Talmidim (Apostles) picked to eat on the Shabbat (Matt. 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5)...
Before we can begin to understand what Yeshua was doing, we need to understand the real Biblical Shabbat first. To do that, we need to go to the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17, Deut. 5:4-21) in order of what is declared, and Isaiah (Isaiah 58:13-14). Once we set aside all gods between ourselves and HaShem (
His NAME), we do away with idolatry in our lives so as not to provoke Him to jealousy, we respect and do not take His name in vain and respect it... and we get to the longest and most verbose commandment of the lot, even
longer than the warning on idolatry. We are to respect the Shabbat and keep it Kadosh (Holy) and
set apart from the rest of the week, and not pursue
personal (read: self-interested) labors and works. Full Stop. Zero exceptions. There's no scripture that changes this observance or understanding. Ever. Yeshua only
fulfilled Torah (the Law), not done away with it, as it (Torah) will not pass away until Heaven and the Earth pass away (Matt 5:18, 19:17; Luke 16:17), and we're still here!
Shabbat observance is so important in the Ten Commandments, that the only thing ranking above it is commandments detailing our
direct relationship with HaShem, and even then, the most words used in the whole thing were used to drive this point home. It even ranked more important than honoring parents, not killing, not stealing, not giving false witness, and not coveting. As we go through the list, it's clearly a blueprint to grow in our relationship with our maker, in order of importance and purpose. All flows from the previous. And we're talking Biblical Shabbat here, sunset to sunset on the seventh day, Saturday. No midnight to midnight Saturday
or Sunday nonsense. These are not the Shabbat, only the Shabbat is the Shabbat.
Now, what was Yeshua doing on the Shabbat? He was serving and caring for the people through His "work".
Who else "worked" for the people on the Shabbat, and every other day of the week? The Levitical Priesthood.
What did Paul mean by not regarding specific days of the week as the Shabbat? That we are to "work" selflessly through serving and caring for the people all the time, not just the Sabbath day, but
every day (Col. 2:16-17; Gal. 4:9-11). Paul was very pro-Torah, and the entirety of Romans is a midrash (an extended teaching) on the true value and purpose of Torah for the Gentile believer within the context of Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:34-40).
Why did Yeshua do all this "work and healing" on the Shabbat? Because He is our High Priest, and the Priesthood labors not for themselves on the Shabbat (or
any day), but for the people (Num. 8:14-19).
Why did Paul teach this? Because we as followers of Messiah are called to be a Priesthood ourselves under Yeshua, our High Priest (Ex. 19:4-6; 1 Pet. 2:9-10; Rev. 1:4-7).
Realistically? This means that the followers of Messiah Yeshua, when spiritually mature and full of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), are effectively adopted into the Levitical Priesthood - to profess the Good News, to teach, to minister, to serve. After all, do you not know that your body is a Temple (1 Cor. 6:18-20)?
Now, let's turn our attention to the inheritance of the Levites:
Deut. 10:8-9, 12:12, 14:27,29, 18:1,2; Josh. 13:14,33, 18:7, 21:3The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord’s offerings by fire and His portion. They shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.Matthew 19:16-30; Luke 12:13-34 (NASB):And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”
[...]
Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
“Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
I won't bother directly quoting all of Hebrews 13 as well, but I will reference it:
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” [...] Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.With this, my hands are clean of your blood. (Ezek 31:1-20; Acts 20:26)
To those in this thread who do not know Messiah, know that those who
truly follow Yeshua do not resemble or chase after any of the things of the world that only lead to grief, suffering and death. There is a good way, and that way doesn't resemble man-made structures of authority and power. Yeshua came to free us from the yoke of the world's slavery, and restore us to a loving relationship with our Creator.
To those in this thread who follow Messiah and are still enslaved in debt. Pray, work diligently, trust, and serve your fellow to the best of your ability. Prepare for what is to come with His ministry and remember that we are still called to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our GOD. Know you are not alone, as I too am still serving as a bondservant in Messiah. Have faith, and stay the path.
To those in this thread who profess the faith, claim Messiah Yeshua - Jesus Christ as their Redeemer, LORD and Savior, and either hold no debt and as such do not serve as a slave, or have sufficient assets to pay off all your debt today?
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve GOD and mammon.This very night, your soul is required of you. I want to uplift and encourage each and every one of you to answer that call, repent, and reveal who your heart truly belongs to and store your riches where they cannot be destroyed.
Now go read
Acts 2:14-47.
Shalom, shalom.