Materialism can be understood as material, objects or everything that is visible and can be seen. So materialism can be interpreted as a view of life that is used to find the basis of everything including human life that exists in the material realm, and put aside everything that transcends the realm of the senses and to recognize the church's principles of politics. Materialism is identical with people who are discriminatory, stingy, like to underestimate others and worse just want to be close to others by looking at the profit and loss side and not willing to sacrifice with others according to the law of love in the Bible. So what is the Bible's view of materialism, this article will discuss it clearly and briefly.
Proverbs 15:16 "Better is a little thing with the fear of the Lord, than a lot of wealth with anxiety."
Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is more valuable than great wealth, and people love you better than silver and gold.”
Ecclesiastes 5:9 “Whoever loves money will not be satisfied with money, and whoever loves riches will not be satisfied with his wealth. This too is in vain.”
In the view of the Bible materialism is not approved, it should be that life is surrendered entirely to the service of God according to the history of Christianity. Exaggerating and deifying material things is never justified by the Bible.
Bible View
Materialism is not just to have wealth or wealth in abundance. This comes from our desires, priorities, and focus in a life that has been described in the Bible, namely
Jehovah gave explicit counsel to Baruch, who served as secretary to the prophet Jeremiah. Baruch seemed to be poor with the conditions in Jerusalem and his close relationship with Jeremiah, which many people disliked. Nevertheless, Jehovah said that, “You, you keep on seeking great things for yourself. Don't keep looking." It is possible that Baruch could be materialistic, could cultivate a very strong interest in giving other people wealth or material security. Jehovah warned Baruch that he would deliver from the cruelty of the destruction that could befall Jerusalem but that he would not protect his property. Jeremiah 45:4, 5.
Jesus gave an illustration of a man who in the same way took a strong interest in material things. This man is more focused on wealth than using what he has for the purposes of God's service. This man once said that, “I will tear down my storehouses and build bigger ones,… and I will say to my soul, 'Your soul has many good things buried for years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'” Then Jesus said, “but the father said to him, 'People who are being unreasonable, tonight they are demanding your soul from you. Who will then have the things that you store up?' So it will be with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward the father." - Luke 12:16-21.
Both of these stories teach us to see that what is meant by materialism is not only about the amount of possessions one has but also because of prioritizing material things. It is the determination to be rich and the love of material things that will cause problems and become not the goal of Christian life.
Thus an explanation of the biblical view of materialism in order to be able to examine their priorities and focus in life teaches about the benefits of prayer for Christians. It is not about a person who has little or much material possessions, but about a spiritually minded person who can go to great lengths to heed the warnings of the Apostle Paul to put their hope in it. "Not in uncertain riches but in the father who gives us everything in abundance for our enjoyment." Timothy 6:17-19.