Should We Live Ascetically?

Asceticism is basically the practice of self-denial.

There are extremes to this view. This can relate to eating or the enjoyment or participation of activities like sports. Of different kinds of clashing like debate, etc.

Should Christians strive for an ascetic lifestyle? Even Paul notes a compromise between carnal nature and abstinence in the form of taking on a wife. And Paul noted his method of taking on the mannerisms of other cultures for the purpose of spreading the word of God. Is there a balancing point?

What does scripture say?

Asceticism is the practice of self-denial, as you said, and of denying this world.
So, yes, every christian should take up his cross and live in modesty. If we want to rejoice in the goodies of the kingdom of God, we must renounce the goodies of this world. That's the meaning of the cross, of christianity, of the Church. Otherwise, the martyrs wouldn't be saints, but masochists.

One of the things that happens when you visit abroad to places like South America and others on mission trips to non-tourist locations is a type of depression.

And that depression comes from your possessions. You really don't know how much junk you got until you come home again. I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination. I'm a working stiff just like everyone else. I'm close to retirement so I'm more stable than young people....but still not rich at all.

I can understand the acetic lifestyle. Because I was overwhelmed by all my possessions when I returned home. Including access to the stores to get more. I was disgusted by all of it.

And for the first time I was ashamed of my lot in life. I live in the USA...land of overabundance. Wants vs needs is kinda fungible....and we ALL license so much it's ridiculous....the cognitive dissonance is over the top to a point of almost psychosis.

But that's where I live. I have to fit in and look like others. I don't have to scratch about lying, cheating, and self promoting to get more like everyone else...I can be disgusted with how much I already have and appear normal...but not be all at the same time.

People can try to live it if they want.. But it has no bearing on ones eternal destination..

The lottery got up to over 1.28 Billion dollars.

One person "won".

Their life as they knew it is over. It's gone.
Think about what would happen if you had a entire year's salary to blow on junk every week. Week after week. Year in year out. Nothing to do to earn it either.

Nothing to struggle for anymore. Nothing to hope for or dream to one day have accomplished.

They can't force you to take the money if you don't play the lottery.

Titus 2:12
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;”

(Eating ice-cream is not ungodliness or worldly lust.)
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I don't think about it. One of gifts of the Spirit is self-control so I strive to be led by the Spirit.