I have recently encountered several comments, questions, or news stories that seem to horribly misunderstand the human condition and God's transforming work in our lives.
A friend recently asked me (and I've heard this echoed other places) if I thought the book of Acts was a biblical basis for socialism or communism. A protester on Wall Street emphatically kept insisting that multi-million dollar bonuses were wrong because other people were starving. Many people have voiced the idea that if it weren't for government programs there'd be no charity, and poor people would be left to die.
Much of this way of thinking is usually followed by "Jesus commands us to love others. Shouldn't we do ..." fill in the issue at hand.
I don't want this to be a commentary on government policy, but I do want to consider the ideas that might shed light on some of the issues that surround current policies. Remember, as Christians, one of our goals should be shedding those things which seek to hold us and control us in this world when our focus needs to be on Christ and on the world to come.
A major issue that needs to be understood is that we are individuals. We are each uniquely created (Psalm 139:14), and we will each individually stand before God to answer for our life (Hebrews 9:27). There will be no appeal to family or society pressure. No excuse for bad education or a lousy lot in life. We can't claim any benefit from belonging to a particular group, society or church. In the end it is just you and God (Revelation 20:12).
If we will stand before God as an individual, responsible for our actions, that means we have both the blame and the power of choice in our lives. That brings us to the first big thing we need to understand:
1. God is more concerned with spiritual transformation than our worldly success or comfort.
The prosperity movement has done a lot of damage by trying to tell people that God wants them to be happy and rich. The truth is that over and over in scripture we see God taking people through tragedy and trial in order to teach them (James 1:2-4).
I'm sure no one would imagine Noah had an easy time before or after the flood. Joseph was sold into slavery and unjustly imprisoned. Daniel was thrown in a lions' den. The Israelites had to wonder in the desert for 40 years and were constantly at war with their neighbors once they got to the Promised Land. Samson had his eyes gouged out. Paul was arrested, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked and eventually beheaded.
Take the example of slavery. All would agree it is a horrible practice. Christians led the way in abolishing slavery and fighting for civil rights. Clearly we can see that slavery is a practice that is contrary to traditional biblical values. However, we do not see the bible calling for christian action to end slavery.
What God does do is give us guidelines for behavior of both slaves and masters (Colossians 3:22-4:1, Ephesians 6:5-9). The focus is on the attitude and spiritual condition of the individual, not the social structure or legal system of the culture. Masters are not commanded to free the slaves but to treat them well. Slaves were not to seek freedom but to have a humble attitude of service. This is all a focus on the condition of the heart and the attitude of the individual.
In the book of James we see that trials are ways that God used to teach us perseverance and to build character (James 1). Through all of this we see God working to change the heart of the individual not to improve their circumstances.
2. Giving is voluntary.
In the book of Acts we see what some people say is the church living communally (Acts 2:44-46). Believers freely share what they have as others have need. Historians have noted that non-Christians were often surprised to find Christians taking care of the poor and needy of the community, not just their own. Surely this example should be extended to modern times. And if we all pool our resources through government, there is more to spread around and we can do more, right?
Well, perhaps an argument can be made for the efficiency of such a thing, but that is an argument for another time. The question here is whether or not we should be obligated by law to give for the poor.
People often use the book of Acts to back up this idea, but we do not see forced giving taking place. Peter and the Apostles didn't command everyone give to help the widows, orphans, and poor (Acts 2:45). What we see taking place is that the natural outward expression of the changed heart is to give (Galatians 5:22). Because of the grace they had received, the early church was then willing to voluntarily turn around and show love and grace to others... as there was need.
Remember, the bible also says that God loves a cheerful giver: "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7) There are many people who are NOT very cheerful about their taxes going to pay for services others may or may not even need.
The focus here is not that we should give to the poor as a legalistic rule but rather that we should be the kind of people who WANT to give to those in need.
When you force people to give or when you remove the charitable act to that of a cold bureaucracy, you remove the spiritual impact it has on the giver ... which is just as valuable an impact as that for the one receiving.
3. The focus is on our relationship with God not on worldly situation of others.
Again, remember that all through the bible God is more focused on our internal attitude and spiritual condition than our external circumstances.We can't forget the human condition. We are fallen people in a corrupt world (Genesis 3). Our sin has separated us from God (Romans 6:23). It was necessary that Jesus Christ be a holy sacrifice to forgive our sins. The point of life is reconciliation to God. All else is secondary to that goal (Mark 8:36). Our wealth or our poverty or our giving or lack thereof should all assist in this reconciliation or else they mean nothing.
We see Abraham, Job, David, and certainly Solomon were all crazy rich. Nowhere do we see God tell Abraham he has too many sheep or Solomon he has too much gold and needs to give it to someone else. Were there poor who could have better used their wealth? Sure, perhaps. Material gain or loss is not the focus of the work of God in our lives. The focus is our obedience, faith and reconciliation.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 clearly states, "if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." The church was having the problem of people taking advantage of charity. What's God's solution? Let him get hungry, he'll get motivated to work.
We easily fall into the trap of worrying about our material well being. In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus clearly says, "your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (vv32-33)
We should instead focus more on the spiritual and the condition of our heart. Mark 8:36 says, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" The condition of our soul and reconciling us back to Himself is clearly God's priority, and so should it be ours.
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