The pursuit of possessions and wealth and a preoccupation with physical things is futile and dissatisfying.

Genesis 3:6

Materialism as the result of human sin

At the fall

Romans 1:22-23

See also

Among pagans

Psalms 115:2-8
Isaiah 44:9-11
Daniel 3:1,4-7
Habakkuk 2:18
Acts 17:16
2 Timothy 3:2
Exodus 20:4-5

See also

Within Israel itself

Exodus 32:4
Leviticus 26:1
Deuteronomy 4:15-19; 7:25
1 Kings 11:1-6
Psalms 106:19-20
Isaiah 42:8
Jeremiah 2:11-13
1 Corinthians 10:14
1 Chronicles 29:12

Materialism and possessions

See also

Possessions are to be seen as a gift from God

Genesis 13:2; 26:12-13
Deuteronomy 8:18
2 Chronicles 32:29
Psalms 112:1-3
Proverbs 10:22
Ecclesiastes 5:19
Hosea 2:8
Deuteronomy 8:13-14
1 Timothy 6:9-10

Material goods can turn the heart away from God

See also

Job 31:24-28
Ezekiel 28:5
Matthew 19:21-22
Matthew 26:14-16
1 John 3:17

pp Lk 18:22-23

Matthew 19:23-24

Possessions and riches can make it difficult to enter the kingdom

See also

pp Mk 10:24-25

Matthew 13:22

pp Lk 18:24-25

1 Timothy 6:17-19

pp Mk 4:18-19

James 2:2-5; 5:1-6

pp Lk 8:14

Proverbs 27:24

The weaknesses of materialism

See also

It is transitory

Job 22:20
Psalms 49:10,17
Proverbs 22:1-2; 23:5
Ecclesiastes 2:18,21,26
Jeremiah 17:11
Luke 12:20-21
1 Timothy 6:7
Ecclesiastes 5:10

See also

It does not satisfy

Ecclesiastes 4:8; 5:12
Haggai 1:5-6
Matthew 6:19
1 Kings 21:2-4

See also

It can encourage greed

Exodus 20:17
Joshua 7:1,20-24
1 Kings 10:23-27

pp Dt 5:21

Matthew 16:26

It can lead to worldliness

See also

pp Mk 8:36-37

Jeremiah 17:11

pp Lk 9:24-25

Luke 16:15,25-26
James 1:9-11
Revelation 3:17
Matthew 8:20

Jesus Christ's non-materialistic attitude

See also

Philippians 2:5-6

pp Lk 9:58

Luke 12:15

Warnings to believers to guard against materialism

See also

Jeremiah 9:23-24
Matthew 6:25-32
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Hebrews 13:5
1 John 2:15-17
Genesis 13:8-9; 14:23

Godly examples of a non-materialistic attitude

Acts 3:6; 4:32-37
Philippians 4:11-12

See also

2345 Christ, kingdom of
5401 madness
5414 money, stewardship
5476 property
5811 compromise
5870 greed, condemnation
6139 deadness, spiritual
6142 decay
6178 hardness of heart
8207 commitment
8768 idolatry
8828 spite