Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Perhaps turn out a sermon.

-- R. Burns Epistle to a Young Friend

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Christian Economics



These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.  Zechariah 8:16-17


As we learned from Micah 6:8, the Lord really does not ask that much of us.  Tell the truth.  Don’t stir up trouble or go along with oppression.  Understand that everybody has a right to live, and that cheating, defrauding, taking unfair advantage, and being dishonest ends in conflict and ugliness.  It’s nice to know that God hates that sort of thing.  It takes the pressure off me. 

God is all for joy and peace and goodness.  He is all for us being happy and whole and prosperous.  Our efforts – as fallen souls, to achieve happiness will most often arise from selfishness and self-love.  I will ask myself what I want, what I need, and what will satisfy my cravings.  When you think about it, this is the foundation of all economic understanding and systems.  The free market person disagrees with the communist at the most fundamental level.  The Marxist answer to disparity, greed, envy, and jealousy is, ultimately, to reduce nearly everyone to the level of a gray-clad peasant. 

Jesus offers us a change of heart.  Christmas is often beautiful with its lights and gifts, but there is nothing like the elegance of a traditional Easter Sunday with the bright new clothes and colors and the celebration of new life.  By contrast, humanism, communism, socialism and fascism are studies in (what we now think of as) puritanical drudgery and misery.  There is no beauty like the beauty of holiness. 

I can’t change the world – for one, as they say, Jesus already changed it.  What I can do is live in His light, live His life here on earth.  A friend of mine used to say that if Jesus were present today, He would drive a Cadillac.  I think He’d drive a pickup because He’d be a hillbilly.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see Him riding a KTM or a Yamaha.  Whatever He rode or drove, He’d be happy with it.  He’d enjoy it, but He would not be attached to it.  When He bought it, He’d make sure that both He and the person He bought it from could live with the deal.  Everybody’s got to make a little.  That’s how life works.  We let the other guy have his cut.  Everybody does OK, and everybody has the opportunity to hustle a little and do better. 

The way of the world -- call it consumerism, corporatism, or Madison Avenue-style marketing, often plays on the weaknesses of the old nature seeking pleasure, status, recognition, acceptance and approval.  A Christian should be able to step back from that view.  I don’t condemn those who engage in that approach because it is “sensible” from a purely human perspective.  But we have the mind of Christ and are no longer held in thrall to the world and its mindset. 

On the other hand, I see nothing inherently un-Christian in a true free market system, which results, generally, in mutually beneficial exchange.  There is always going to be a certain amount of human error, slack, lag, and inefficiency in any system.  A free market has the advantage of tradition, experience, and wisdom to make corrections.  No single individual or group – whether government or private, is able to exert an excessive amount of control.

We can’t do too much about stupidity in Washington, D.C., or even up in our state capitol.  We can, though, refuse to act out of fear or greed.  We can take care of our families and friends.  We can contribute and be productive.  We can be truthful, merciful, charitable, and content.

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me. … And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:12-13,19). 


5 comments:

julie said...

The free market person disagrees with the communist at the most fundamental level. The Marxist answer to disparity, greed, envy, and jealousy is, ultimately, to reduce nearly everyone to the level of a gray-clad peasant.

Continuing on with my study of Moses, it comes through so clearly, again and again, how they were called above all to be generous and merciful. Not simply just, but more than just. And it was never, ever about equality of outcome, but about asking of each what they had to give. Those with much were expected to offer up more than those with little, but people were not penalized for being successful. Conversely, those who were impoverished were still expected to work and always had the opportunity to improve their circumstances.

If the Israelites had simply followed the law as it was given them and stuck to it, they would have had the closest thing to utopia this side of the veil, and it would have been anything but Marxist.

mushroom said...

Amen to that.

And it was never, ever about equality of outcome, but about asking of each what they had to give

You're absolutely right. That's a great point about it not being a penalty. The gift transforms the giver because the giver is the one typifying Christ.

John Lien said...

Really Mush, Jesus would ride a Vincent Black lightning.

The way of the world -- call it consumerism, corporatism, or Madison Avenue-style marketing, often plays on the weaknesses of the old nature seeking pleasure, status, recognition, acceptance and approval. A Christian should be able to step back from that view.

Yeah, the dark side of the free market system. Good point.

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

Excellent post, Dwaine.
Some people seem to think if we can only have a free market system we will be alright.

But consumerism and crony capitalism results when people are no longer just and merciful, and no longer honest or virtuous.

Or, to put it another way, a free market is unsustainable when the people turn from God.
Just as term limits would do nothing to stop corruption, because it, like crony capitalism and consumerism is a symptom rather than a problem that can be fixed by new laws or regs.

These things can only be fixed by adhering to Godly virtues and principles.
When there is no price to pay for material, political and spiritual corruption it gets worse.

mushroom said...

Good point, John. Or an Ariel. Just not a Harley (NTTAWWT).

Amen, Ben. Apart from Christ, man will corrupt.