A few years ago when some property was sold at auction for $20 millions and I remember thinking the Cherokee would find it odd that someone would pay that much for something the Cherokee and other tribes used for free. The only reason someone would pay that amount is they were confident they could charge others more. The concept of owning property appears to have been strange to the people we refer to as Native Americans.
Benevolence is us giving to someone something that we "own." The first Christians are said to have considered everything they had was available to whomever needed it. Comparing the average member of the Church of Christ with what we know of the Amish and other similar groups is it possible we have become too worldly? Is it possible our culture has caused us to mistake covetousness for ambition; to confuse greed with financial security? That we prefer to trust in ourselves for financial security instead of what we say the Bible says about God taking care of the sparrows? That we become so indebted that we cannot fulfill our responsibilities? Was he being rhetorical when he told the rich young ruler to sell everything he had and give to the poor?
When Jesus was talking about people's destination in judgment evangelism was not a criteria he used to determine an individual's being sent to the right or to the left.
The Old Testament takes exception to the belief of an absolute right to private property.
Leviticus 25:23
"The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.
The year of Jubilee had one purpose, to redistribute wealth. If Israel had observed the Jubilee it would have eliminated the problem of the rich becoming richer and the poor poorer.
The Aramaic term for wealth is "mammon" and Jesus condemns it as a rival to God:
Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Jesus was unambiguous to economic issues:
Luke 6:20
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Luke 6:24
"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Jesus likens the difficulty of the wealthy entering the kingdom of God to be as a camel walking through the eye of a needle. With God all things are possible but Jesus understood the difficulty. He knew the grip wealth has on a person. He knew:
Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
Jesus is not saying that the heart should or should not be where the treasure is. He is stating a fact that wherever you find the treasure, you will find the heart.
Jesus speaks to the question of economics more than any other single social issue. If, in a comparatively simple society Jesus lays such strong emphasis upon the spiritual dangers of wealth, how much more should we who live in a highly affluent culture take seriously the economic question?
The letters reflect the same concern:
1 Tim. 6:9
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
1 Tim. 3:3
not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
1 Tim. 3:8
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
James 4:1-2
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? [2] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
Ephesians 5:5
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
1 Tim. 6:17-19
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. [18] They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, [19] thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
are free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not ours to keep and be freely shared with others. We need to understand the Bible denounces the materialist and the ascetic equally.
Acts 2:44
And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
Acts 4:32
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
Leviticus 25:23
"The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.
The year of Jubilee had one purpose, to redistribute wealth. If Israel had observed the Jubilee it would have eliminated the problem of the rich becoming richer and the poor poorer.
The Aramaic term for wealth is "mammon" and Jesus condemns it as a rival to God:
Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Jesus was unambiguous to economic issues:
Luke 6:20
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Luke 6:24
"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Jesus likens the difficulty of the wealthy entering the kingdom of God to be as a camel walking through the eye of a needle. With God all things are possible but Jesus understood the difficulty. He knew the grip wealth has on a person. He knew:
Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
Jesus is not saying that the heart should or should not be where the treasure is. He is stating a fact that wherever you find the treasure, you will find the heart.
Jesus speaks to the question of economics more than any other single social issue. If, in a comparatively simple society Jesus lays such strong emphasis upon the spiritual dangers of wealth, how much more should we who live in a highly affluent culture take seriously the economic question?
The letters reflect the same concern:
1 Tim. 6:9
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
1 Tim. 3:3
not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
1 Tim. 3:8
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
James 4:1-2
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? [2] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
Ephesians 5:5
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
1 Corinthians 5:11
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
1 Tim. 6:17-19
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. [18] They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, [19] thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
are free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not ours to keep and be freely shared with others. We need to understand the Bible denounces the materialist and the ascetic equally.
Acts 2:44
And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
Acts 4:32
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
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