Minimalism and Salvation

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

 

-        Matthew 6:24 (ESV)

 

 

 

 

What is salvation? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines salvation as a deliverance from the power and effects of sin. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior, you are ever seeking to please him. Before accepting the free gift of salvation, you were a slave to sin. After a salvation experience, your life is devoted to Christ. When you are changed from the inside, your heart desires to live a life that gives glory to God. The result of your conversion is that you begin to love others as you love yourself. Materialistic ideologies, wealth and accumulating possessions are no longer a priority. You have been set free!

 

 

How does salvation tie in with minimalism? Jesus Christ spoke of principles of avoiding covetousness and living simply throughout the gospels, particularly in Matthew and Luke. Similarly, the apostle Paul also echoes these sentiments of living a simple life in the epistles to the churches as well as in the Pastoral Epistles written to both Timothy and Titus. All throughout the New Testament, one can identify principles of simplistic living and concepts that we would now incorporate into the modern concept of the umbrella term “minimalism.”

 

 

 

But why were these principles of simplistic living so important to Jesus? The entire purpose of the ministry of Jesus Christ was not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them! Jesus was the Messiah foretold throughout the Tanakh. These holy Jewish scriptures told of one called the “Son of man” who would come as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. Jesus Christ fulfilled all of the messianic prophecies and proved that he was who he claimed to be. Throughout the Tanakh, what modern day Christians refer to as the Old Testament today, principles of simplistic living can be found throughout these ancient writings, laws and prophecies.

 

 

In many world cultures throughout human history, simplistic living has been a significant guiding principle, especially when pursuing matters of spirituality. Reducing or eliminating ones ties to this world frees the individual to commune with the divine, thus releasing their burdens associated with this corporeal life that they occupy in the present moment. Notwithstanding, modern day concepts of minimalism do not require us to live out of a backpack and travel to the nearest mountain peak to seek enlightenment. Even so, the concept of having an indifference towards material possessions does seem to have a common thread between many spiritual practices worldwide. In this section, I will be discussing minimalism in the Tanakh, minimalism according to the gospel of Jesus Christ and minimalism according to the epistles of the New Testament.

 

 

 

Minimalism in the Tanakh

 

 

“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this also is vanity.”

 

-        Ecclesiastes 5:10 (KJV)

 

 

 

The Tanakh is commonly referred to in protestant Christianity as the Old Testament of the Bible. This was the Jewish Holy Scripture in the day of Jesus Christ. Though neither in the same order, nor as comprehensive, the majority of Old Testament source material is derived from the Tanakh. Jewish tradition also recognizes other books within their historical and religious canon of scripture, such as writings in the Apocrypha, some of which are also recognized in Catholicism. Even as early accounts in Jewish canon will demonstrate, minimalist principles can be found even in the scripture that Jesus Christ would have studied as a boy. Here are a few examples:

 

 

 

 

“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 

-        Job 1:20-21 (KJV)

 

 

 

 

 

In this passage, Job refers to the condition of man’s possessions in relation to the God of the universe who gives all things, even man’s own life as well. Job yields himself to the sovereignty of God in relation to his possessions. Job looks at his life as temporary, realizing that even his own clothing has not been brought into this world through his birth. Through this example, he is referencing that he came into the world naked, and so will go from the world in the same condition as he entered. In essence, Job’s statement was one of holding worldly possessions loosely, as we will not depart after death with any of them within our grasp. Such a statement during the course of Job’s affliction in chapter 1 alludes to the fact that extreme circumstances and tragedies will force individuals to evaluate what parts of life are truly meaningful, while discerning the remainder as trivial and meaningless by comparison.

 

 

In minimalism, we also endeavor to hold loosely to the things of this world to pursue the things that truly matter. By seeking to reduce or eliminate clutter, unutilized space and excess financial burdens, those who follow minimalist principles do so to cling to the things in life that are most valuable. By having less and wanting less in order to seek the things in life that bring us the most joy, we open our horizons to new possibilities. Such a life frees us from the burdens of the consumer-driven materialism we are inundated with in our television, social media and our western culture as a whole. In this ever-searching obsession to have the best new item that all of our friends have, we actually become a slave to the concept that what is valuable can be purchased with money! You do not have to be a slave to consumerism. Let minimalism save you from the bondage of you own possessions! Let’s take a look at another example from the Tanakh:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

 

-        Proverbs 30:8-9 (KJV)

 

 

 

While most of the Proverbs have been attributed to Solomon, the author of chapter 30 is generally recognized as Agur ben Jakeh. While minimalist principles can also be found in several other passages in Proverbs, this particular set of verses is my favorite among them. In this scripture, the author makes several requests from God:

 

 

·        God, remove vanity or conceit from me.

·        God, remove lies from me; make me an honest man.

·        God, do not make me poor enough to steal!

·        God, do not make me rich enough to deny that I need you!

·        God, do not let circumstances bring me to the place where I take your name in vain through my words and actions!

 

 

These are indeed minimalist principles at work within this passage of scripture. Perhaps these concepts had a different name in Judea, but the meaning of the words accurately parallels modern minimalist concepts. For instance, it is vanity and conceit that any of us worry about keeping pace with the materialistic wealth of our friends and neighbors. Frequently, those who seek financial gain at any cost will find themselves lying and compromising their integrity to get ahead. Often times, the wealthy do not feel as though they need God and become self-assured of their own independence from a sovereign deity based solely on their own financial success and abilities. This success leads people to become so prideful and arrogant that they actually believe that their relationship with God is unnecessary and perhaps trivial at best. They are no longer grateful or reliant on God’s provision because they see their success as a product of their own efforts. Failure to recognize the fact that God gave men the intelligence, strength and opportunities to be successful end up leading many astray. These concepts are among the most crucial examples of how pivotal a role minimalism plays in the salvation experience.

 

 

Another principle that I like to drive home regarding minimalism is what I call the “poverty trap.” There are those who seek pride over joy in their minimalist pursuit, even at their own expense! They will be so determined and driven to be a better minimalist than you that they will seek to own less than you or anyone else that they know. Minimalism looks different for everyone, based on what each individual defines in seeking their life’s joy. Comparison is the thief of joy, as Theodore Roosevelt was once so eloquently quoted as saying. The guiding principle of minimalism is to reduce or eliminate anything from your current lifestyle that takes away from those things in your life that bring you the most joy. If the primary goal in your minimalist pursuit is to compare or compete with the minimalist journey of others, then you have completely missed the point!

 

 

 

 

 

Minimalism in the gospel of Jesus Christ

 

 

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.”

 

-        Matthew 6:19 (KJV)

 

 

 

Throughout the ministry of Jesus Christ, he teaches his followers to live simply. Jesus makes it clear that the value of helping others and spiritual knowledge is much greater than that of material possessions. In the preceding passage in chapter 6, the gospel according to Matthew demonstrates that spiritual matters and knowledge of God are treasures that will not be corrupted by the passage of time. Similarly, times spent with family, friends and making memories are also treasures that will last a lifetime! Being there for those you love and care about is of far greater value than money, jewels or the newest iPhone! Your son may not remember what you bought for him on his 3^rd birthday, but he will remember those times you spent playing with him and demonstrating your love and affection. The following words of Jesus explicitly show how his followers are to regard material possessions:

 

 

 

 

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

 

-        Luke 12:15 (KJV)

 

 

 

Possessions are not a means to an end. Wealth cannot buy happiness. These words of Jesus demonstrate that his followers are not to covet material wealth. Spiritual focus requires self-denial of the things of this world. While the tax collectors and Pharisees of Jesus’ day valued those worldly riches, the disciples were taught to rely on God for their daily needs. In fact, the first half of the discourse of Jesus in Luke chapter 12 primarily discusses relying on God for daily needs rather than one’s own financial security. There is even a warning for those who choose not to heed this message. In a parable, Jesus describes how God responds to a man who pulls down his barns to build bigger barns to house his increasing worldly riches:

 

 

 

 

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.”

 

-        Luke 12:20-21 (KJV)

 

 

 

This life is temporary, but eternity is forever. Focusing on the life to come challenges us to think of our ownership of what little we do have in the light of eternity. God blesses us with our goods, material possessions and financial prosperity. We are not blessed with these items to make ourselves rich. Our Heavenly Father blesses us so that we may do God’s work on the earth, help others and to build his kingdom! We are blessed to be a blessing! Once we truly make that connection, our views about minimalism change almost effortlessly. Jesus gives further instructions on how to use our worldly possessions to serve the kingdom of God:

 

 

 

 

“Sell all that ye have, and give alms; provide yourself bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.”

 

-        Luke 12:33 (KJV)

 

 

 

Through the words of Jesus, we are instructed to hold so loosely to the things of this world that we would be willing to sell all that we have and give money to the poor. Notwithstanding, this passage of scripture is not intended to command us to give away the necessary things that we require to provide for ourselves and our family. Outside of simply taking care of our own needs, our possessions are also given to us by God to help others and also to give alms and donations to the poor. To be able to help provide for those who are unable to provide for themselves is among the greatest uses of our personal resources of which God has blessed us.

 

 

 

 

Minimalism in the epistles of the New Testament

 

 

 

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

 

-        Hebrews 13:5 (KJV)

 

 

Luke is widely accepted as the author of both the gospel according to Luke and the book of Acts, also known as the Acts of the Apostles. James the just, brother of Jesus Christ, is recognized as the author of the book of James. Peter, the disciple of Christ whom he named as, “upon this rock on I will build my church,” is named as the author of 1 Peter and 2 Peter. John the beloved, the disciple of Christ “whom Jesus loved,” is widely recognized as authoring the gospel according to John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and the prophetic book of Revelation. In fact, John is the only author in the New Testament to write in three of the four genres of 1^st century biblical scripture: gospel, historical narrative (Acts: written by Luke), epistle and prophecy! Luke’s historical narrative of the Acts of the Apostles is the only genre in which John did not write in New Testament scripture. The remaining epistles of the New Testament written to the 1^st century churches are attributed to the apostle Paul. Though these literary works were written by different authors, we can clearly see throughout the epistles to the churches that the concept of living a life of simplicity can be found in multiple passages of scripture, most notably in the Pauline epistles. In modern times, these biblical concepts closely mirror what we would commonly refer to as Minimalism today.

 

 

 

 

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need.”

 

-        Philippians 4:11-12 (KJV)

 

 

 

In the Apostle Paul’s epistle to the church at Philippi, he demonstrates how the minimalist principles of Christ are manifested in his own life. He writes of his own ability to be content with what he has, no matter what condition he finds himself. Conversely, in this passage he also alludes to the fact that he knows how to enjoy those moments in which he does have plenty in such comments as “…and I know how to abound” as well as “…both to be full…” and also in the comment “…both to abound and suffer need.” As I have previously stated, the “poverty trap” is real in minimalist circles. Minimalism is about reducing or eliminating any and all excess in one’s life that takes away from the things that bring us the most joy. If we are taking away the needful things that meet our basic living requirements and stealing joy from ourselves under the guise of poverty for poverty’s sake, then what we are doing is no longer minimalism! At that point, it becomes some sort of sadistic self-inflicted prideful punishment that we use to compete with others. Comparison is the thief of joy. Minimalism is primarily about seeking joy. Let joy be your guiding principle in your pursuit of this radical way of life.

 

 

 

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him.”

 

-        1 John 2:15 (KJV)

 

 

 

The epistle of 1 John was written by John the beloved, the son of Zebedee.  Unlike many other epistles, this letter was not written to a specific church. This epistle was actually written to a group of churches who were being afflicted with false teachings to draw them away from the teachings of Jesus Christ. Though the recipients are not specifically named outside of being believers in Christ, the historical evidence seems to indicate that the letter was written by John during his stay in Ephesus. Throughout this epistle, John alternates between refuting false teachings and reminding believers of the true teachings of Jesus Christ. Among the teachings of Christ named in this epistle was that of holding loosely to the things of this world in favor of pursuing spiritual truth. Such a revelation of truth would only be revealed by having a relationship with God the father AND through faith in Jesus Christ. As in minimalism, Christian doctrine demonstrates a significant benefit to holding loosely to our belongings. The danger of pursuing materialistic wealth and over-valuing financial gain should be considered by every Christian person, whether or not minimalism is among their life choices. My personal belief is that every believer in Jesus Christ can benefit from living minimalist principles to some degree. Both of these concepts are neither mutually exclusive nor contradictory. Both minimalism and Christianity tie in so well together that it is surprising that more believers in Jesus Christ have not previously found this radical way of living.

 

 

 

As we can see throughout scripture, principles to promote simplistic living were around thousands of years before the term minimalism was ever coined. These principles were given by divine revelation throughout the Jewish scriptures, taught by Jesus Christ himself and echoed throughout the epistles to the churches. Though the terminology and etymology of these concepts may not have ever spelled out the word “minimalism” in any biblical language, these ideas most assuredly ring true throughout the Christian faith. To value spiritual growth, faith in Jesus Christ and the love of God the father more than materialistic wealth opens the believer up to being receptive to nearly every value and moral standard in the Bible.