sport car

Evangeline do you mean someone gives a sports car to certain preachers, or that certain preachers buy sports cars for themselves?

Was thinkin the same thing brother Todd...

I seem to remember a sermon where Art Katz had been gifted a Cadillac and he loved it... He spoke of resisting the urge to drive it faster than the speed limit and how (for him) that would’ve been sin -

Here we go! :-)

Could someone help me here, I need the right equation so that what I do and possess gives me the appearance of spirituality.

Me plus sports car 45K = unspiritual
Me plus SUV 70K = non-sports car = spiritual
Me plus Mercedes sedan 90K = spiritual
Me plus wrecked sports car 5K = unspiritual
Me plus Maserati sports car = damned to hell
Me plus two Harleys, RV trailer, 60K pickup = spiritual

Or
Me plus old car 1K plus hidden envy for SUV = spiritual
Me plus scooter 2K plus coveting neighbors wrecked sports car = spiritual

This is serious, because I prayed for the old car...My prayers answered, I prayed for the SUV unanswered, I prayed for my home, prayer answered, I prayed for money for school clothes, wifes wedding ring, that suit I wear to church to look presentable all answered.
The problem is I am judged for all of it.
I am not providing well because I have a bad running car, I am coveting and unspiritual because I wanted the SUV, I am wasting money because I bought new school clothes instead of salvation army style. I threw caution to the wind and purchased a 1ct diamond wedding ring for my wife, surely I must be a woman-pleaser but not a God pleaser with such extravagance. And anyone wearing a suit to Church must be unspiritual because suit represent the old establishment...and we know Jesus hates that.

A long post to say, when you set up litmus tests of spirituality by what a man owns or what a man drives there is only one viable conclusion; the grace of God is removed and personal rules and regulations must be imposed.
Those who impose them of necessity judge themselves as more spiritual and that spirituality has one true function...condemn those who are not like you.

This is not an argument in favor of greed, lust, coveting, envy or wastefulness...my intent is to show that a "sports car" is no sign of either spiritual or unspiritual without knowing what the character of the owner is like.

Evangeline I think the best policy is to not worry about what others have or do- leave them to God. If it upsets you that a pastor drives a sports car then you don’t have to attend his church but like Fletcher said some very godly men drive nice cars.

Ha! Well I drive a 46 yr old international with no heater or a/c so you know what that makes me?
Crazy!!
Sweaty and cold,... alternating tween the seasons and I love it:)

Fletcher, I may just have you beat, I live in a 33' travel trailer on an acre of property, and drive a 1998 GMC...Can I be a Preacher? :-)

Well...internationals and travel trailers are on my list...you aint getting in past the pearly gates. Now if you had a ford... and you blacked out the windows on the trailer I'll put in a word with Peter.

Im sure Evangeline was serious now Ive taken this thing into silly.

...but you still aint getting in.

Marvin, a little humor here would not be a bad thing, can I get an Amen! My friends all ask me, Bill why don't you build you a nice home on that property, you know what I ask them, how many homes did Jesus own? So it appears I'm in good company. :-)

Mark me down for a 1965 Mustang. 289, please. I will do my best to not speed or sin in it.

Sweet. We have two Honda Civics. Not flashy but great reliable cars. Will drive them until they turn into dust or judgment day, whichever comes first.

HaHaHa! Thought for a minute that this was an automotive forum. Put me down for a 1995 Jeep wrangler that I calculated has cost me about 10 cents per mile in vehicle purchase and modification costs. No air, 4wd, and I LOVE it. Fletcher, is it a scout?

I think Todd is right here. Spirituality is not determined by possessions, and possessions are not necessarily sin. I have a friend with a 5,000 square foot house, two businesses, seven children, who can afford really cool vacations every year. But this man funnels more money into the work of the kingdom of God in a year than I make in a year. He sees it as his ministry calling, and he joyfully goes about giving where few see him doing it.

I heard a story from a minister of a close personal friend of his. This man had a huge horse ranch, hundreds of thousands of dollars of really fine vehicles, boats, UTV's etc. The man lives a pretty opulent lifestyle by anyone's estimation. People sometimes accused him of greed and of being unspiritual for having great wealth. What they did not know that the minister did know was that this man gave to the kingdom of God 90% of every bit of income he had and lived on ten. Yet he was judged harshly by someone who most likely lived on 90% and only gave 10%.

Food for thought.

Brother Travis,

Ha! Good call- yes it is the first year for the scout ll, and while the aforementioned qualities are true, she’s good looking:)
Not easy to drive tho, especially on 9 hr trips with no top to NE Arkansas to visit family-
Ahhh but the memories;)

A good and godly man completely restored it for personal use but ultimately sold it to me 4 yrs ago when they were expanding their auto body shop. He’s an elder in their local assembly and tho he’s "reformed osas” I don’t hold it against him;)

Also heard about the brother who owned catapillar, he too was very wealthy and tithed 90% and still had more than enough to be judged harshly:/

If anyone cares to read there’s a wonderful writing here on SI by Clement about the rich man and heaven.... IMO he does well to fetch out the truth from the scriptures. He’s fun to read by if you like Paul’s wordiness as Clement too is very intelligent and wordy.

I hear ya brother Blaine and your point is well taken... not to derail the thread but given its lightheartedness perhaps it’s ok-

I was wondering why the apostles sometimes healed and sometimes where not able to, or at least it seems that way in certain cases-
For example when Paul wrote about Epaphroditus,... why didn’t Paul just lay hands on him? Especially considering he almost died from his sickness!

Bear I love that story””it is actually attributed to Thomas Aquinas during a discussion with Pope Innocent II.