Work and Welfare - Part 1 (Selected Scriptures)

Poverty, Marxism, and the Need for a Biblical Theology of Work

According to the 2020 U .S. Census, 37 .2 million Americans were considered to be below the poverty line. What constitutes poverty is certainly open to discussion and difference of opinion with regard to what actually constitutes poverty, but the reality is there are many, many people in our country that are struggling economically to make ends meet, day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month.

And generally, the response of most people, including most who profess the name of Christ, is to let Uncle Sam take care of the problem, to let Uncle Sam take care of it, through the various entitlement programs, various aid programs that are continuing to expand, and in the process, driving up our national debt, enslaving future generations to repay that obligation.

And as the interest payments on an ever-increasing national debt continue to escalate, they consume more and more of the federal budget. This is an unsustainable trajectory that we are on, and if it continues unabated, it will bankrupt the Treasury.

So something needs to be done, something needs to be done. Now, that's out there, and I am not here to propose any kind of solutions for that. I am looking to deal with something far more localized. But how does this idea sound to you?

Let's try this idea out on you. From each according to his ability, to each according to his need. That is indeed Karl Marx, that is exactly right, that is Karl Marx. And he said that he believed, through a workers' revolution, that the workers would then become the owners of the means of production, and that would equalize the tremendous economic disparity that he observed there in the 19th century.

Well, after 90 million deaths in the 20th century that are attributable to Marxism, I think we can safely conclude that it is an abysmal failure, and in fact, one would have to be a fool to think that that's a good idea.

Poverty as the Result of Sin and the Hope of the Millennium

We need to begin with a correct theology. We need to begin with a correct theology when it comes to the issues of poverty. All poverty is a result of sin. Let me repeat that for you. All, all poverty is a result of sin, a result of sin.

Now this is true that all poverty is a result of sin in a general sense, in other words, poverty is a result of the fall, it is a result of the fall. So in a general sense, it's a true statement. It is also true in a specific sense, a specific sense, in other words, for some oppressive social structures, now listen carefully here, oppressive social structures which destroy family formation is responsible for poverty.

There is no more reliable predictor of the economic welfare of a family unit than the state of its marriage. There is no greater producer of societal poverty than divorce. These statistics are not disputable.

Family formation or the lack thereof, single parent homes, none, children born out of wedlock, so forth, are a result of sin, are a result of certain social structures that encourage such things, and they are producers of poverty.

There is also a personal sense in which sin is responsible for poverty. In other words, specific sinful actions on the part of some, some poor people, and on the part of those who take advantage of them.

So sin is the cause of all poverty, generally, specifically, personally, it's sin. Therefore, therefore, it is safe to conclude that in the millennium, poverty will be virtually eliminated, because sin will be largely repressed by the powerful and benevolent hand of King.

Jesus.

Isaiah 11, verse 4,. But with righteousness he will judge the poor and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth. And he will strike the earth with the rot of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

But we live in the here and now, we do not live in the millennium. We live in the here and the now. And many in churches across America are wondering, what are we supposed to do about these issues that have now been sort of gathered up under a rubric called social justice, social justice.

Now, the term social justice, I do not like. I'm not a fan of it. I don't like the name. I don't like the typical evangelical solutions that are put forth in response to it. But I cannot deny some of the underlying root problems that are identified under it.

Work, the Image of God, and the Dignity of Human Labor

Throughout this series, we have learned that legitimate work done well is God-glorifying and a soul-satisfying endeavor. Legitimate work done well is a God-glorifying, soul-satisfying endeavor. To work is what we have been created for, and it is part of what it means to be made in the image of God.

Therefore, therefore, to deny a person the opportunity to work through coercion or economic incentives is to deny him a portion of his humanity. Let that thought rattle around a moment. To deny a person the opportunity to work through coercion or economic incentives, in other words, being paid not to work, is to deny him a portion of his humanity.

Let me ask you a question. What would a social welfare system look like if God were to set it up in his kingdom? What would it look like? How would God provide for the poor if he were to set up the kingdom and its social welfare.

Plans?

Here's the amazing thing. We have a pretty clear statement of an answer to that question because God did such a thing 3 ,500 years ago. 3 ,500 years ago, God set up just such a system. When God established the Mosaic Covenant with his ancient people Israel, he gave them a very detailed set of laws regarding not only how they were to relate to him but also how they were to relate to one another.

The key, in my opinion, to unraveling these laws is found in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verses 5 through 6, 7. I have 5 and 6 for you here. See, Moses says, see, I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commended me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it.

So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. This is the hermeneutical key to unlocking the Mosaic Code for us, is to understand that when it was given in the time and context in which it was given, it was the best possible system, the best possible system.

Now I am in no way suggesting that we establish a theocracy, so let's get that out. I am not suggesting that we try to reestablish the Mosaic system and a theocracy, or a theocracy is a system of government in which God is the supreme ruler and it is mediated through the agency of men.

I am not suggesting a theocracy, but rather that we take seriously Paul's statements in the New Testament by which he tells us that we can learn something from the Old Testament that is applicable to our own lives today.

For example, in Romans chapter 15, verse 4, for whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

It was written for our instruction. Second Timothy 3, 16 and 17, all scriptures inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

That is spoken, by the way, of primarily the Old Testament in its original and by extension.

To the New.

Compassion for the Poor in the Mosaic Covenant

So, here we go, here's where we're going. This morning, I want to look with you at how work and welfare were related in the Mosaic Covenant so that we can extract biblical principles and we can then apply them to our own efforts to care for the poor.

We are looking to understand what God said and then principalize it and then extract those principles for our own instruction today in the here and the now. Let's begin with some background. The Mosaic law was not based on a utopian idea that all people are equal in rank and ability.

It is not based on that. It was based on the hard reality that within a sinful race, there will always be economic disproportionality. However, the people's attitude towards that disproportionality must always be one of compassion.

Turn with me to Deuteronomy chapter 15. We are going to be spending this morning in Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy with a dip into Exodus. Deuteronomy chapter 15 and beginning in verse 7. It is our attitude towards economic disproportionality that is in view here.

Deuteronomy chapter 15 beginning in verse 7. If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns, in your land in which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother.

But you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend to him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks. Beware that there is no base thought in your heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of remission, is near, and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing.

Then he may cry to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you. You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him. Because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your understanding, for the poor will never cease to be in the land.

Therefore I command you, saying, You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land. Always will be economic disproportionality, but compassion is to rule our hearts.

Now, one of the major causes of economic disproportionality is most certainly the sinful oppression of powerful people. The sinful oppression of powerful people is one of the major causes of economic disproportionality both then and now.

Proverbs 13, verse 23, The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food, but it is swept away through injustice. Accordingly, God severely judged His people for this crime. Isaiah chapter 3, verses 13 -15, here are the words of the prophet, Isaiah chapter 3, verses 13 -15, The Lord arises to contend and stands to judge the people.

The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people. It is you who have devoured the vineyard. The plunder of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing My people and grinding the face of the poor?

Declares the Lord God of hosts. What do you mean by doing these things? Let's flip over to Amos chapter 8. Amos chapter 8, beginning in verse 4. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah. Yes, that is how I got through my ordination exam, was singing the song of the Bible.

It was a long time ago and I have never forgotten it. Amos chapter 8, beginning in verse 4. Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the humble of the land, saying, When will the new moon be over, so that we may sell grain?

And the Sabbath, that we may open the wheat market, to make the bushel smaller, the shekel bigger, in other words, raise prices, and to cheat with dishonest scales, so as to buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals, that we may sell the refuse.

Of the wheat.

The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob, Indeed, I will never forget any of their deeds. Because of this, will not the land quake, and everyone who dwells in it mourn? Indeed, all of it will rise up like the Nile, and it will be tossed about and subside like the Nile of Egypt.

It will come about in that day, declares the Lord God, that I will make the sun go down at noon, and make the earth dark in broad daylight. Then I will turn your festivals into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation.

And I will bring sackcloth on everyone's loins, and baldness on every head. And I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and the end of it will be like a bitter day. Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will send a famine on the land.

Not a famine for bread, or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east. They will go to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.

In that day, the beautiful virgins and the young men will faint from thirst. As for those who swear by the guilt of Samaria, who say, As your God lives, O Dan, and as by the way of Beersheba lives, they will fall and not rise again.

Judgment coming. Judgment coming to ancient Israel. Because of their hard-heartedness towards the poor among them. Now, economic disproportionality is certainly a result of oppressive people and structures.

But, economic disproportionality is also the result of a good thing. It is also the result of a good thing. Human freedom. Human freedom. If people are going to enjoy a measure of personal freedom and associated responsibility in economic affairs, then, because of widely varying degrees of ability and temperament, some will gain while others will lose.

I'll say it to you again. If we're going to enjoy a measure of personal freedom and associated responsibilities in economic affairs, then, because of widely varying degrees of ability and temperament, some will gain while others will lose.

Let me share with you a quote from perhaps my all-time favorite book by Alva J. McLean, entitled The Greatness of the Kingdom. He writes,. Historically, no perfect way has ever been found to reconcile personal liberty with complete economic equality, the reason being that the root of the problem is in the nature of man himself, and consequently, individual action is never wholly predictable.

Economic disproportionality is a result of human freedom, varying levels of abilities and temperaments. Now, when Israel entered the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, in other words, very prosperous, it was under the following terms and conditions.

The following terms and conditions. First, God owned the land. Leviticus 25. God owned the land. Leviticus 25 and verse 23. Leviticus 25 and verse 23. The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is mine, for you are but aliens and sojourners with me.

The land is mine, Yahweh says. And Yahweh gave a permanent grant of title to each family, and thus established their basic wealth. He gave each family a grant of land, and thus established the basic wealth of each family.

That was the system. The owners of the land had a great amount of freedom to farm, to abandon, to rent, to mortgage, or even sell the land. But the one thing they could not do is permanently surrender it.

Permanently surrender it. Either for themselves or for their heirs. Again, look at Leviticus 25. He says here, again, that the land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is mine, but you are but aliens and sojourners with me.

Thus, for every piece of your property, you are to provide for the redemption of the land. In other words, they could not permanently surrender the land grant that had been given them. Thus, they could only impoverish themselves and their heirs for a period of time.

They could only impoverish themselves or their heirs for a period of time. Because they had such economic freedom, it was inevitable that foolish decisions or difficult circumstances would impoverish.

When it happened, they were to be helped by others who were better off. But only as they worked for it. Only as they worked for it. Leviticus 19, verses 9 and 10. Now, when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest, nor shall you glean your vineyards, your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit from your vineyard.

You shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the Lord your God. When they impoverished themselves, they were to be helped by others who were better off than they were, but only as they worked for it.

Only as they worked for it. So under this system, God gave them the liberty to fail, but not the liberty to starve. The liberty to fail, but not the liberty to starve. In other words, there was a mechanism built in.

Specific Provisions for Work, Debt, and Family Redemption

Alright, let's look at some specific provisions here of the law. Specifically, God required the poor must be helped. They must be helped, but it must be done in a way that does not dehumanize them. Does not dehumanize them.

For example, God did not tax the wealthy in order to redistribute their wealth among the disadvantaged. Instead, he required the wealthy to intentionally leave behind produce in the fields and vineyards that the poor could have if they would work for it.

Deuteronomy 24. Deuteronomy 24 and verse 19. He did not tax the wealthy and then redistribute the taxes to the poor. What he said to them is, you are to leave behind some of the produce of your fields so that they can work and feed themselves.

Deuteronomy 24 beginning in verse 19. When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheave in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, for the widow, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

When you beat your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again. It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again.

It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt. Therefore, I am commanding you to do this thing. So those who were well off were commanded to leave a portion of their wealth available to the poor provided they worked for it.

Further, God provided a means for the poor to obtain help by borrowing interest-free. By borrowing interest-free. This prevented their debts from growing while they were trying to pay them off and was designed to avoid the slavery that excessive debt can cause.

Leviticus 25, Leviticus 25, verses 35 to 38. Leviticus 25, 35 to 38. Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him like a stranger or a sojourner that he may live with you.

Do not take usurious interest from him, but revere your God that your countryman may live with you. You shall not give him your silver at interest nor your food for gain. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

There is a whole subculture, by the way, that lends to the poor. Payday loans. You borrow against the next paycheck, usually in two-week increments, 14-day loans, at a stated interest of 20%. 20 for a two-week loan.

So if you annualize that, that is 521 interest a year on payday loans. Car loans to people with poor credit scores. Credit card debts, interest rates 30 and higher. These create permanent bondage, permanent debt slavery.

Beyond that, God ensured the poor received a bonus every seven years when the fields were rested. And then they had access to whatever sprung up naturally. Exodus 23, 10 and 11. Exodus 23, 10 and 11. You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its field.

But on the seventh year you shall let it rest and life follow, so that the needy of your people may eat, and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Every seventh year, let the land rest and it is freely available to those who need to eat. Again, don't harvest it. Set it aside in a warehouse for them to come and get it. Let them work. Furthermore, God determined that debt was to be released.

Now there is some difference of opinion here, but I'm going to give you my understanding of this. And that is that there was a grace period on the payments every seven years. In other words, your annual payments in the seventh year, there was a payment moratorium.

You didn't have to make payments for a year. We see that in Deuteronomy 15 verses 1 -3. Now there are some, I'll just acknowledge this, and I think MacArthur is one of them. And maybe he's right and I'm wrong and maybe not.

According to his study Bible, I believe he says that the debts are completely forgiven every seven years, but I don't think so. I think what he's talking about here is a payment moratorium. But here it is, 15 verses 1 -3.

At the end of every seven years, you shall grant a remission of debts. This is the manner of remission. Every creditor shall release what he has loaned to his neighbor. He shall not extract it of his neighbor and his brother because the Lord's remission has been proclaimed.

From a foreigner you may extract it, but your hand shall release whatever of yours is with your brother. So I think it's a moratorium on payments every seven years. Why? It allows people to catch up. Now the debt relief wasn't available to the foreigners living among them.

And the reason it was not available to them was because they didn't have to let their land lay fallow every seventh year. So if you had to leave your land fallow, your debts were held in suspension during that fallow year.

Furthermore, God required that when hired, the poor were to be paid their wages every day rather than having to wait for their money. Deuteronomy 24, 14 and 15. 24, 14 and 15. You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land, in your towns.

You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets, for he is poor and sets his heart on it, so that he will not cry against you to the Lord and it becomes sin in you. The poor would be paid their wages every day at the end of the day.

The reason is because they were living hand to mouth. They could not extend credit to their employer by waiting a week or two weeks or a month to achieve their wages. When you wait, you're lending your labor to your employer is what you're doing.

They could not afford to do that. So for them it was essential. They'd be paid every day at the end of the day. Beyond that, God required that the relatives of the poor man should redeem his property.

In other words, he sold it or he lost it through foreclosure or something like that. They should redeem his property if they have the means to do so. Or if the poor man himself is later than able to redeem the property, then he should buy it back.

Again, Leviticus 25, 24 -27. Thus for every piece of your property you are to provide for the redemption of the land. If a fellow countryman of yours becomes so poor he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsman is to come and buy back what his relative has sold.

Buy it back and give it to him. Or in case a man has no kinsman but so recovers his means as to find sufficient for its redemption, then he shall calculate the years since its sale and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it and so return to his property.

But if he has not found sufficient means to get it back for himself, then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee. But at the jubilee it shall revert and he may return to his property.

In other words, when it was time to buy it back because God owns the land, he has granted you a right of use in perpetuity, you can't sell it. What you sell are its harvests. X number of harvests. That's the calculation that determines the price.

That's what's sold. So if you have an opportunity to buy it back or your close relative buys it back for you, then they just calculate the number of years and that's what it's bought back for. Now, the closer the relationship, the greater the moral duty to act as a redeemer.

The closer the relationship, the greater the moral duty to act as the redeemer. Leviticus 25 verses 48 and 49. Then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him.

This is talking about the sale actually of your own labor into slavery to extinguish a debt or to put food on your table. Or his uncle or his uncle's son may redeem him or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him or if he prospers he may redeem himself.

So you understand it starts with your closest relatives. They have the most pressing responsibility to redeem this person or land that's been sold and then it begins to move out through the family tree.

Paul, 1 Timothy chapter 5. He who doesn't provide for his own is worse than infidels, unbelievers. Yes, the closer you are in relation to those in need the greater your responsibilities to provide. That's the heart of the law.

The Jubilee, Compassion, and a Reset for the Poor

Finally, God established a provision so that every 50 years the family of the poor received a jubilee. So we see this in Leviticus 25 again. Leviticus 25 verse 10. Thus you shall consecrate the 50th year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants.

It shall be a jubilee for you and each of you shall return to his own property and each of you shall return to his family. Verse 28. We read it. But if he has not found sufficient means to get it back for himself then what he has sold shall remain in the hands of its purchaser until the year of jubilee.

At the jubilee it shall revert that he may return to his land. So, you counted up seven sevens of years so 49 years. Then the 50th year was the year of jubilee. In the year of jubilee the slaves were set free, the debts were forgiven, the lands were returned to their original owners.

So what does that mean? What it means is there's a reset built in. Can you impoverish yourself through your own stupidity or unfortunate circumstances? Yes you can. Can you impoverish your children through your stupidity or your unfortunate circumstances?

Yes you can. Can you generationally impoverish yourself? No you cannot. Because every 50 years there's a reset and it all starts again. It all starts again. Now, of course they could quickly lose it again, couldn't they?

They could quickly lose it all over again through bad decisions or unfortunate circumstances. But, and again to quote from Mr. McLean, the law of the jubilee year only guaranteed a fresh start for the individual, not economic security irrespective of human folly.

The law of the jubilee only guaranteed a fresh start for the individual, not economic security irrespective of human folly. So, in the law what do we see? We see the heart of the law is compassion. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.

This fulfills the law in the prophets. It is a heart of compassion. A heart of compassion towards the poor recognizes their fundamental humanity is expressed through the opportunity for work. To deny them that opportunity to work is to deny them something fundamental to being human.

Therefore, it is not compassion to merely provide to somebody without any commensurate work being employed by them on the back side of it or in exchange for it. It creates all kinds of dependencies that are very destructive.

God built this in with a system those that were close at hand would step in and support. The system itself had built in safety valves. Every 7 years there was a payment moratorium. Every 7 years the land rested and the poor had a right to harvest it for free.

Every 50th year there was a national bankruptcy, if you'd like. And everything was reset and started again. This was the heart of God. This is how a good, just, and holy God established a system to care for the poor who He says you will always have among you.

Why? Because of sin.

Because of sin.

And the reality that there is a disproportionality in God's creation in His providence. Some are more energetic. Some are more talented. Some are more successful. And that's the way it is in this world.

Applications to Christian Care for the Poor

So, we're coming back to this next week. We've got a lot more I want to say on this. But we are out of time. So here's what we're going to do. Next week we'll come back and we'll pick this up. What I'll do next week is principalize the lessons we've learned, develop principles and then suggest some possible, possible.

Applications.

So that's my plan. Now, as I said last week, let me pray. Let me pray and then I'll speak again. Father, thank You just for this really jet tour through the heart of the law. We thank You that in the heart of the law is a heart of love and compassion, care and concern for Your creation and Your people.

Our Father, may we have a heart of compassion ourselves for those around us. May we have eyes to see those that are hurting.

And may we be moved.

To do something about it. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.