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Well, welcome everyone and good evening. This is our seventh of eight classes in the study of Christian ethics. I Want to begin tonight with just an overview of some of the things that you should know up until this point number one.
I mentioned this earlier, but just to say it again someone has turned in homework each week you're supposed to turn in a homework page showing me that you've listened to the briefing and that you've written something about.
What you heard the briefing is a is a daily radio program online Podcast about Christian news and events from a world events from a Christian worldview. And if you haven't been doing that you're missing out.
Because there's just so much information in that podcast that is available. But if you did your homework and you didn't put your name on it. You don't get credit for it. And this is part of your final grade.
If you do your final paper, but you didn't do the weekly briefing I'm gonna have to add up all of the different. Things to see if you qualify for the certificate you have to get a C or above to get the certificate.
And if you don't if it doesn't add up, then you won't so if you haven't done these. Consider that as you might not get a good grade on your paper. But if you don't get such a good grade on your paper, but you did do those then it bumps your grade up.
You know it kind of balances out. That's why I give you that opportunity weekly to earn a little credit. I have here also the Roster. I'm gonna pass this around Travis if you would make sure your name is on it.
You have to attend six out of the eight classes to receive credit. If you don't unless there's some extreme emergency. Then you would just simply forfeit the credit for this course. There are only eight times.
It's not you can't miss a lot and still feel like you've gotten the the information. The next thing is I just have a whole Litany of things before we actually get to the lesson is tonight. You should be handing in your ethical question for the final class.
Next week we don't have class. It's October 31st. I use that night to evangelize so I told you from the very beginning. We wouldn't have class on October 31st. It's also Reformation Day. I know it's Halloween.
But it's it's the anniversary of the Reformation so I take that day very seriously. But I need these tonight, and if you don't have one of these I don't have any more writing on a piece of paper. What this is is the question that you'd like for us to discuss in the last class how many we will discuss?
Will be determined by time. But if I only got one or two. That's not good. I want to have as many of these as I can. So that we can look at several ethical questions, and these are things I would hope they would be things that really matter to you.
Not just a trick question like how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. But I mean really something you know pastor I dealt with this and I don't know how to give the answer. Where do we go? What scriptures would you use how would you relate this to a biblical paradigm, and how would we come to a conclusion?
That's what this is about. So if you haven't handed this in Please do so. Last but not least as you all know. Two weeks from now is our last class for 2019. We start back again in January of 2020 with Greek.
We're doing an introduction to Greek vocabulary and That is going to begin in January. I Haven't got the date yet. I will have it for you. It'll be on the Facebook page, and I'll send you a message and everybody will know probably be the second week in January.
But it's going to be an eight-week course on introduction to Greek vocabulary if you've never done Greek before. You need this class. I mean if you've never even looked at a Greek word. This is the class for you.
This is not grammar or syntax. It's vocabulary. Understanding the alphabet understanding how to read the language on the page and what what how to how to decipher the words. Syntax and grammar come later you have to know some rudimentary vocabulary before you can do that so.
That's the next class starts in January. But between now and then I have an opportunity for some learning for you. If you feel like oh two months is just too long and it is a long time to go without this class.
There is an opportunity. Starting next Wednesday night Wednesday keep that in mind. It's not Thursday. Starting next Wednesday night. I'm going to be hosting six weeks on Reformation history. During our Wednesday night time and it includes a video and a lecture so that's going to be I'm taking a short break from our systematic theology because We're fixing to move into the doctrine of sin and salvation and systematic theology.
That was the heart of the Reformation anyway. That was what really caused the cause of Reformation. So starting next Wednesday night. We start with prayer brother. And he's gonna lead prayer at 630 as soon as he's done.
We're gonna I'll come up and introduce the video. There's six sessions six different Protestant Reformers their history what they did for the church why they matter and then we're going to discuss it and This does not qualify for credit.
Unfortunately, because it's not long enough not intensive enough. But it is a great addition to the history course if you did church history two terms back with us. This is a great addition to that course.
So keep in mind if you if you're going to miss me for two months. Here's an opportunity to come and come and see us. It'll just be on Wednesday night. Now. I know some of y 'all go to other churches. You can't come on Wednesday night I understand but oh.
You can you don't have to in fact, I'm going to show one of the videos to the guys that set free Thursday. Because Thursday's Reformation Day I called Mark and I said, can I use the TV Thursday? There's only 25 minute video each video is 25 minutes long.
I'm going to show them the Martin Luther video Thursday to introduce them to him and what he did. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, it's gonna be a great day next Thursday's gonna be a lot of fun. All right, so I know I took up some of our time.
Sorry about that. Let's move on now into our ethics class. This is week number seven. So far we have looked at several things. We have looked at Life ethics which included abortion reproduction and genetics.
We've looked at death ethics, which included suicide euthanasia and capital punishment. We have looked at war ethics which included pacifism just war theory personal protection and self-defense. Last week we looked at sex ethics.
We looked at marriage and divorce fornication adultery and polyamory. And we even looked at alternative lifestyle questions what the Bible has to say about those. So tonight we're moving on to the subject of money ethics.
We I would have called this economic ethics. But everything else was so simple life death sex money. I just felt like it was simpler just to call it money ethics because that's really the heart of what we're doing.
We're gonna look at three parts. So you see my board up here. This is the outline of tonight's lesson, we're going to look first. Poverty is a virtue and you notice there's a question mark beside that.
The reason why is it's not so much stating poverty is a virtue. The question is poverty a virtue and Are those who believe that it is correct and believing so so that's that question. The next one is we're going to look at some economic systems.
We're going to break down Basics of socialism capitalism and communism and then we'll take our break at 730 take our few-minute break and then we'll come back and we're going to look at the subject of work and Vocation so that's the outline for tonight.
Let's begin. Poverty as a virtue question mark in the latter part of the 20th century. With the rise in television and radio ministries the church has been confronted with the false teachings of the health and wealth gospel.
The teachers of this movement proposed that if you have enough faith You will always experience a healthy physical life and an abundant financial life. This is sometimes referred to as the prosperity gospel more Simply the name it and claimant gospel if I can say it I Can have it if I can claim it I can have it and it is a mindset.
That is appealing to many, but I believe is rightly seen as heretical. However there is another position on the other end of the scale that could also be seen as both incorrect and potentially dangerous and That is the demand that all Christians live in voluntary poverty.
Throughout church history there have been those who claim that Christianity requires an abandonment of any personal wealth. Some call this the poverty gospel. So we have two extremes health and wealth says that faithfulness is always accompanied by abundance.
Poverty gospel says faithfulness is always accompanied by lack. That's the two ends of the spectrum. You have those who say if you're faithful to Christ you'll always have more than enough. And there are those who say if you're faithful to Christ you'll always be lacking and Barely have enough.
Well, let's open our Bibles and see what the Bible has to say. Open up to Matthew. With me and we're going to go to Matthew chapter 19. This is the passage most commonly associated with what most people would refer to as the poverty gospel.
In Matthew chapter 19 verse 16, I'm gonna ask you to excuse me tonight. I will be coughing a little bit seem to have some kind of a Be under the weather a little bit maybe a little bit of a bug. Matthew chapter 19 verse 16 says and behold a man came up to him.
That is Jesus Saying teacher what good deed must I do to have eternal life. By the way if Jesus was a good Baptist He'd say stop right here and pray the sinner's prayer. But notice Jesus doesn't say that.
As I'm saying ask me into your heart, whatever that means, right? But but that would be a good Baptist could have got this guy saved. I always say a Good Baptist preacher could have got this guy saved but Jesus wants to see his heart.
Verse 17 and he said to him. Why do you ask me? What is good? There's only one who is good. If you would have eternal life keep the Commandments now Jesus is not denying his own goodness here. I have to say this every time this will make this point.
She's not denying his own goodness. He's denying this man's understanding of goodness. This man did not understand what it meant to be good because in a moment He's going to clarify that he thinks he's good, too.
He said to him which ones. And Jesus said you shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness honor your father and mother. You shall love your neighbors yourself.
The young man said to himself all these I have kept see I'm a good man. That's that's it. All these I have kept. What? Do I still like Jesus said to him if you would be perfect go sell what you possess and give to the poor.
And you'll have treasure in heaven and come and follow me. When the young man heard this he went away Sorrowful for he had great possessions right there is. Again the passage that is almost always associated with the demand for poverty as a Christian.
Jesus has a man who comes to him. He says hey Jesus. What must I do to be saved. Jesus said keep the commandments essentially if you look at it He gave him the part of the Ten Commandments. Murder stealing lying bear false witness.
And the guy said I've done all that which he hadn't. But he still you know what the Proverbs say every man will or most men will proclaim their own goodness. You know, so he proclaims his own goodness and Jesus said, okay, here's your real problem.
You have a lot of possessions that possess you. So go sell them and come and follow me. And the man went away sorrowful. So people look at that and they say well that must mean That we can't have possessions.
Can't can't have anything. Jesus told this guy to sell everything. Everything Jesus said to every person he ever spoke to applies to everyone always. That's the logic by the way. Therefore this must apply to everyone always in every situation.
Then they follow up with verse 23. And Jesus said to his disciples truly I say to you only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven again. I tell you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
See Jesus adds Even a heavier burden. He's told this guy to go sell what you have and the disciples He says to them. It's really hard for a rich person to be saved. Now this whole camel through the eye of a needle thing.
There's a few people that believe that that's Got something to do with a gate outside of Jerusalem where camels would have to get down and crawl through. It's not true. It's not any it's historically.
It's not accurate, but it would be that as it may. It's just the point Jesus is saying it's hard for a rich person to go to heaven. Why. Because their possessions possess them. That's the point. But I want to give you a few thoughts in this passage to consider when we come to the issue of poverty as a virtue.
Five thoughts on this passage. Number one. Jesus does indeed tell this man to sell all that he has that is not at that's not up for debate. He told this guy sell everything you have and come and follow me.
Number two. This is a person who is owned by his wealth. That is obvious from the narrative. How do we know that? Because when Jesus Christ says go sell everything you have and follow me the man went away.
Sorrowful he would rather have his earthly possessions than have Jesus. That's a man who's owned by his wealth. Number three. Jesus knows how to get to the root of our idolatry. And that's really the issue here.
He might say something really different to you if Jesus came to you and said Johnny I Want you to follow me, but you need to do this. It might not be sell everything you have. It might be something that's in Johnny's heart, and I'm not picking on you Johnny.
I'm just saying you're. You're your idolatry is different than this man's, but this man Jesus knew how to get to the heart of a man's idolatry. Number four. This is a situation which deals with an individual's issues.
This is not a universal command. There's nothing in the text that would indicate that this is a universal command and might I add. There's no other place in scripture where Jesus gives such a command to anyone even with.
Who is the wee little man? What was his name? Zacchaeus the wee little man. He gave away all he had but not at the behest of Christ you remember Jesus didn't tell him to do that. He said I have taken I've robbed them to give everything back, but it wasn't that Jesus commanded that that be done that was the fruit of his repentance because he knew he had stolen and.
So we don't see this. We don't see Jesus seeing Nicodemus in John 3 Saying oh yeah, and by the way you need to go sell everything. The Nicodemus would have been a pretty wealthy guy if based on what we know of Pharisaical culture he probably would have been one of the more wealthy Jews in the town and yet We don't have the command there so again.
Is this a universal command. I would say based on the fact that we don't see anywhere else in this way. I Would say the answer would be no, but number five. There are others in this man's condition. Who do need to do as Jesus commanded this man.
Even though it's not a universal command. There are people who do need to do this. There are people who are owned by their wealth who would be better off to sell everything they have and come and follow Christ.
See that's the hard part. I can tell you it's not universal, but I ain't going to tell you it ain't exemplary there are some people who need to get rid of their their money and And follow Christ so. Having said that I want to look at another passage turn in your Bibles with me to act 16 now act 16 will not include Jesus of course because he has already ascended, but we have the Apostle Paul in this situation and We have another What we might call well to do individual by the name of Lydia.
So acts chapter 16 verse 13 on the sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside. Where we supposed there was a place of prayer and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira a seller of purple goods.
Who was a worshiper of God? The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized. Stop right there. I always have to do these little asides and amazing. She believed that She'd never seen this guy before in her life.
She didn't go to a six weeks baptism class, I mean she met this guy and got baptized right then. I Mean just imagine the power of God falling on somebody. They're ready to they're ready to sign up right now.
Word just for the like the Ethiopian eunuch. Yeah, here's water. What prevents me from being Batman's right then this is a power of God. It's just amazing. I just like to point that out just after she was baptized and her household as well.
She urged us saying if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord come to my house and stay and she prevailed upon us meaning she was she was a little pushy not bad, but she said come and stay with me and She Had them stay with her.
So so what do we what do we see in this passage? Well, I have a few things to just like with the other passage. I have a few observations. I'd like to point out number one. Based on the text only we can surmise that Lydia was a woman of Wealth.
I would say substantial wealth and here's why we can surmise that from observing the text. Number one purple goods were expensive goods. Purple was not an easy color to come across. It was made by a sea mollusk that they would basically milk and use the ink of it to create purple clothing.
And it was not easy to come by therefore She's not she ain't selling cheap stuff. She's selling expensive stuff and people who market inexpensive wares tend to be more wealthy. So again, that's a that's an inference not a necessity.
But it is an inference the second thing and I think this is more to speak to her wealth. Not only is she a woman who is in the business of? High-end goods she has a household large enough to have people working for her and She has a house large enough to take in guests and We will see later in the book of Acts she has a house large enough to host the church.
So not only does she have essentially workers in her home. She has a home big enough to keep the workers and guests and host the church. Now she could have had a granddaddy who was rich who left her that house.
We don't know. But she didn't sell the house and become a peasant. She kept the house, however, she came about that home. She kept the home and she used it in service of the Lord. So the idea that she Was forced to sell everything is not in the text number two.
Lydia's wealth is used for supporting traveling believers and hosting a church meaning she used her wealth for good. She used her wealth for the good of the church. Number three probably the most important observation.
She is nowhere commanded to abandon her wealth for a life of poverty. Nowhere is she commanded to abandon her wealth for a life of poverty? And as I said, there are other people this is number four. There are many others like her Who are not commanded such as Nicodemus?
Joseph of Arimathea and the women who traveled with Jesus if you ever go back to the Gospels You'll notice something the men Who were with Jesus were not the ones who were supporting the ministry? It was the women who supported the ministry whether it was from independently being wealthy or however.
The finances for the ministry primarily came from women most likely women who had some kind of a Support system that allowed them to draw from. Yes, sir. Uh, there are others like Lydia who used their wealth for good such as Nicodemus Joseph of Arimathea and the women who?
Who followed Christ during his earthly ministry? Jesus didn't say hey you women go give away all your money. He said no keep following me and support what we're doing. I don't mean that a bad way. I mean, I'm just saying they you know, what was Judas's job?
He carried the money bag, which means they had something they had enough to have a bag. I rarely have enough to have a bag. Yeah, all right. Now I want to. I want to give you a thought. The danger you all know my feelings about the prosperity gospel, I don't have to outline that.
But I think the poverty gospel can be just as dangerous. Because the prosperity gospel promises something That really is not biblical, but the poverty gospel demands something that's not biblical. It demands that you understand your salvation comes somehow by your lack.
Somehow by works that's really what it is. It's a works righteousness. And Prosperity too. Yeah, they both have a works sort of a works paper. Yes, exactly the gospel movie. Yeah American gospel it can also lead to believing that there's a virtue and discomfort and sickness and.
Therefore a Christian can never enjoy anything in God's creation. Man, no people like that that they just don't believe they're not allowed to enjoy anything and I think that can lead to a very dysfunctional almost monastic view of a Christian life you remember that's what the monasteries were when the was a.
Yeah, yeah exactly and you know there I do think we're allowed to enjoy God's creation in keeping with his words. Certainly there are times when we become frivolous and silly and and ungodly. But I mean there are people who just don't believe you can have any enjoyment at all.
I Remember a man one time maybe I I'll tell it I already started. Sometimes I start talking and I'm like shit. I really yeah, I'm gonna say it I know a man one time that didn't believe that him and his wife.
Were supposed to have sex unless they were trying to have a baby. So they were so they were not enjoying the physical intimacy of marriage. Because they didn't want to have a baby so he said well, that's all it's for and There was no enjoyment in the intimacy of his marriage.
I said I disagree quite vehemently, but that's another topic. Probably the most problematic issue in the poverty gospel is that it removes the possibility of Christians building businesses. Becoming employers and establishing companies which can benefit others.
Think of that if you demand a poverty gospel you are saying a Christian cannot build a business. Cannot become an employer cannot employ others and cannot benefit others. I think about brother Mike Collier.
He's a he's one of our elders here. He owns a painting company. The men who work for him their companies depend on him. Maintaining a good business with good Christian at work ethic paying them on time paying them a fair wage and all that's.
Based on the fact that they know they can trust him as a good Christian boss, man. Imagine if we were all supposed to be impoverished there wouldn't be any good Christian boss, man. Just like we talked about during war ethics a few weeks ago I said if no Christian could ever serve as a military person or as a policeman we would be giving that over to the ungodly.
But they are allowed to do that because we want godly policemen. We want godly soldiers and airmen and everything else. Well, we want godly businessmen and women. We want godly people to be doing. The work the works that has to be done anyway.
There's a great benefit in having Christian businessmen and community leaders there's a sanctifying presence in an ungodly world a Blessing to the employees and probably the best examples I can give and I know you may I Don't know if you have great opinion about these men or not.
I'm only speaking from a surface level because I don't know either one of them personally. But the two men that come to mind for me are true at Kathy and JC Penny. Now, you know who JC Penny is because the store was called JCP, but do you know what it was originally called?
The golden rule store. That's what JC Penny's first store was called the golden rule and his employees knew they were working for a man of integrity and that went all the way to when he finally passed away and He was a man who was a giving man and a godly man now where his company may have gone since then or anything else is Irrelevant.
I'm talking about him as a man. Same thing true at Kathy's the Chick-fil-a Proprietor, I don't know much about him. I know he's dead now, but I know he claimed to believe in Christ and his employees always have Sunday off and the benefit of that is.
They can always go to church. Now whether they do or not between them and the Lord, but they can he understood his his role is giving That to the Lord and his company has 52 days a year less Than McDonald's and Hardee's and all the rest of these other companies and yet he is not hurting at all the company isn't.
Yeah, and that amazing and they like said they're 52 days a year they're off. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. So I want to. I want you to consider one other passage before we move to economic systems. And that is for y 'all had to go there, but first Corinthians 126.
Yes, sir. Can you finish it? Because this is important.
For not many of you were noble, not many of you were wise, according to worldly standards, but God chose worse for us. Well that goes on to verse 27, that's fine.
It says not many of you were wise, not many of you were powerful, not many of you were noble birth. It says not many. It doesn't say not any. And that's one of the things we can consider. Jesus said it's hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
They didn't say it was impossible. How does a rich man in the kingdom of God when his wealth doesn't own him? That's hard to do, but that is the reality. Can it be done? I think it has been done. So is poverty a virtue?
Not necessarily. There needs to be Christian businessmen, and we're going to see this later. You as a parent, if you're a parent, your kids don't need to wonder where the next time their meals going to come from.
And they don't need you giving their food away where they don't have. You understand what I'm saying? You have responsibilities. And one of the things, and I don't know the Proverbs, so don't ask me what's the exact passage, but I'll find it for you later.
I know it's there. It talks about how a good father leaves an inheritance for his children. And that means he was not only willing to take care of them, but he thinks about them even in his departure.
Now that doesn't mean we build our barn so full that we never share what we have. That's the danger, right? But I think about my children. I have health insurance and life insurance. Health insurance hopefully keep me okay while I'm here, but when I die, I want my kids to be taken care of.
I don't want my wife to have to go out and go to work just because I might croak tomorrow. So I have to think about that. So I pay for life insurance to make sure that my wife can continue to live and take care of my kids and continue to homeschool and do the things that we believe in even after I'm gone.
That's part of it, right? Somebody says, oh no, you shouldn't spend that money. You should give that money to the poor. Well, I am. My kids are poor. They ain't got nothing. And they can't do it for themselves.
So there is some virtue in saving. There's not virtue in stinginess. There's virtue in hard work. There is not virtue in overwork to the detriment of your family. There's all these things where we have to find a balance.
But certainly poverty is just like the prosperity gospel. It's two extremes and they're ugly extremes. All right. Let's move now to economic systems. We'll spend the next 20 or so minutes with this. I've been looking forward to this.
If there's one thing that gets my fire going sometimes, it ruffles my feathers a little. It's the issue of the economy and how people want to solve the problems with the economy in some of the most ungodly ways.
So that's what we're going to talk about now. We're going to talk economics. Moving from the individual to the community, larger community. As Americans, we live in one of the most prosperous nations around the world.
When considering the poverty gospel in our previous section, one might consider that even the poorest Americans are often better off than a large part of the world. Many Americans live in air-conditioned homes, drive cars, carry cell phones, own personal computers, and yet they would still be considered impoverished if you look at the poverty line.
It has been rightly said that the average American dishwasher consumes more calories in a day than the average person who lives in the third world. Meaning there's more food going into your dishwasher and out the sink as far as calories than the average person gets in the third world.
But what is the reason for the higher standard of living that we have in the United States? You would agree we have a higher standard of living. Even our poor folks usually have. What's the reason? Well, many would attribute the success to the American economic system, which is an example of, not perfect, but it is an example of what is called free market capitalism.
If you want to write that down, that's an important part. American system is an example of free market capitalism, at least it once was. And this is the simple idea of free market capitalism. People have the right to produce and sell goods according to the principle of supply and demand.
If a person produces a product which is in great demand, they can charge more. If there is a larger supply than there is a demand, they must charge less. One of the virtues often proposed by the proponents of capitalism is that it promotes three things.
Liberty, equality, and individualism. Free market capitalism, I'm saying from the perspective of the capitalists, they would say this is what it promotes. I'm not saying this is what they would say. They would say it produces liberty, equality, and individualism.
Why those three things? They would say, well, liberty because every man is free to have a good idea and pursue it. That's liberty. They would say equality, not equality of outcome, but equality of opportunity because anybody with a good idea can go after it.
And individualism because it's up to you to make it happen. The motto of free market capitalism is this. Any man with a good idea and the discipline to work hard can become a success. That's the motto.
Any man with a good idea and the discipline to work hard can become a success. A man is free to work hard, produce a product, and live off the wages that he has produced. That is the basic promise of free market capitalism.
Now, you may be foaming at the bit to want to tell me how bad capitalism is, and that's fine. I was just telling you what the proponents say. I know there are issues, and we could discuss those issues, but for time's sake, I'm just introducing you to the perspective.
Probably the best example, though, if you have trouble understanding how capitalism works, the television show Shark Tank is a good example. People go on to Shark Tank. They have an idea. They propose the idea to investors, and then they sell a portion of their business to the investors so that they are able to then invest back into the business and grow the business.
I never knew how that really worked before watching the show. I mean, I still don't know perfectly, but the people come on. They say, I want to sell you 10 of my business for $500 ,000. And the guy says, well, what you're saying is your business is worth $5 million.
And I was like, I'm real bad at math, but that sounds about right. I haven't figured it out, but that's what they're doing. They're valuing their company. They're saying, if you invest $500 ,000 in my company, in the next few years, you'll get that back and more because my company is going to grow, and it's going to have this much value.
And sometimes they have some really great things. I mean, I've seen Shark Tank. Some of them people come in there with just some of the neatest ideas. And sometimes I wonder what in the world, and then they get a deal.
Somebody comes in with the worst looking junk, and they get the deal. I don't understand, but those people know how to make money. I do not. But I do know this. That's a picture of it. If you had one idea of what the idea is supposed to be.
A man with a good idea who gets the opportunity to make his idea a reality through discipline and hard work can become a success. All right. What are some other economic systems? Well, other economic systems around the world, and there are different ones, but we're only going to look at two other ones for the lack of time.
The first one is socialism. Don't groan already. Socialism is an economic and political system where the ways of making a living, factories, offices, etc. are owned by the workers who run them and the people who depend on them.
The idea of socialism is this. The man at the top does not own the company or whatever. It is owned by the workers. It is owned by the society. It is owned by, not the individual, but by the collective group.
By society. Over in Russia a few years ago, I watched a video of Vladimir Putin, who is the president of Russia. There was a company that was not doing, whatever it was, was not being as successful as it was supposed to be.
And the video was a few black SUVs pull up in front of the company. Vladimir Putin steps out with his entourage. They walk in, walk right into the boardroom and say, you're all out, we're putting in new, I mean everything changed just like that.
Because he had the power and authority to change everything without any question. That was because the government had the power to do that. And it makes sense because it's owned by society, it's not owned by the individual.
And again, I'm not trying to make it, I'm not trying to paint socialism as a demon, but that's the difference, right? It's the difference in individualism versus social ownership. And then of course communism is very similar.
Communism is a system where all the property is public. And people work and are given things by the government according to their needs. You say, well what's the difference? Well there's not much difference.
In fact, I want to quote, and I'm a little nervous to quote this person, so you'll have to forgive me if this offends you. Communism is a system where all property is public. And people work and are given things by the government according to their needs.
So where socialism says everything is owned by society, in communism they say it's owned by society but it's controlled by the government. Socialism and communism are very similar, at least practically.
But I want to quote Ayn Rand. Now some of you may take offense to that. Ayn Rand is not a Christian. Neither does much of what she say comport with the Christian worldview. But she knew a little something about economics.
So allow me to quote this. There is no difference between communism and socialism except in the means of achieving the same end. Communism proposes to enslave men by force. Socialism proposes to enslave men by vote.
It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. Again, don't take offense to where the quote came from. Just consider what it's saying. Both of them have the idea that the individual has not the right to have control over his ideas.
Or the production of his ideas. But that those ideas belong to society as a whole. A few years ago President Barack Obama making a speech regarding economics made the point that those of you who own companies think that you have done something but you didn't build that by yourself.
I remember that quote. You didn't build that. A marker. Because those who are capitalists would say, no, yeah we did. But he would say, but you didn't build the roads that you drive on. You didn't build the labor that it took to put the building up.
And you didn't do it by yourself. You are not alone. You required all these other things that society has given you. Therefore you owe society a debt. That's the difference. That's socialism in a nutshell.
You didn't do it by yourself. Therefore you shouldn't enjoy the benefits of it by yourself. I'm not here to argue the benefits or the detriments of any of these systems. My question is what's the Bible say?
But before we get to the Bible I do want to give you an illustration that I think is very helpful. And I use this illustration when I'm teaching children. Because I say what's the difference between socialism, capitalism and communism?
Here it is in a nutshell. Socialism. You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor. Communism. You have two cows. The government takes both cows and gives you some milk. Capitalism.
You have two cows. You sell one. You buy a bull. Make more cows. That's the difference. I mean really it is. And again you can say that analogy is too simple. You can argue it to the day is long. But that really is the difference.
And then there's fascism. They take both cows and sell you the milk. Then there's really bad totalitarianism. They shoot both the cows and you. I'm just saying it can keep going on. But since we're only doing capitalism, socialism and communism.
You guys have a question though. What does the Bible say? Oh and by the way I want to take a step back real quick. I jumped ahead of my notes. I am aware that this is oversimplification. So if you are out there in recorded land and you send me an email later.
Or if one of you send me an email and say, Pastor you are not fair. I'm sorry. I have limited time. And I know that America is no longer a purely free market system. Because of the introduction of things like social security, universal health care.
And now there are calls for universal living wage. Where everyone in the United States will be guaranteed a wage of $1500 a month. Whether they work or not. It's called a universal living wage. And it is a socialistic dream.
By the way the motto of socialism is from each according to his ability. To each according to their need. So what's the problem with that? The government determines what your needs are. My wife teaches English as a second language to children in China.
She does it through the internet. And she gets up every morning about 5 o 'clock. And for a couple of hours in the morning when we are still asleep. She's teaching children in China how to speak English.
And when she's doing that. She says sometimes she can see those little Chinese kids. Some of them 4 years old. Breathing and she can see their breath. Because the government controls the heat in the homes.
I'm not exaggerating and this is not something I read in a book. She says the government controls how much heat you can have. How much cold you can have. When you can have it. If you want to look at what communism really looks like.
You don't have to look any further than mainland China. So what does the Bible say? Well. Oh by the way. I keep missing. I got so many notes. If you have interest in reading. Which I hope you are if you are a student.
Read Animal Farm. Animal Farm by George Orwell. It is not a Christian book. But I made my kids listen to it. Because it gives probably the best example. Of how. A group can go from saying we're socialistic.
And we're all about equality. And we're all about helping our fellow citizen. To becoming a totalitarian. Ruling power. In a very short amount of time. And it's done in an analogy of animals on a farm.
One pig rises up and takes the farm away from the farmer. And he becomes the new leader. And immediately you start seeing things happen. Pigs get to get all the apples. Why? Because our superior brains need the apples.
You don't need the apples. You'll be fine with the hay. And like I said. Go read it. It's interesting. It's an analogy. But it's a good analogy. Alright. So what does the Bible promote? Well the Bible contains.
Historical data for several thousand years. Of history. Of people who live in an agrarian economy. An agrarian economy. Means that wealth in society. Is generally centered upon agriculture. Those who had land.
Had the ability to produce food. And therefore were generally the ones who had the more wealth. Remember the example Jesus gives in the gospels. The guy who had all the harvest. And he built another barn because of his harvest.
That's agrarian culture. That's agriculture. His wealth was measured in barns. Not in dollar bills. Alright. Human and animal labor are the primary tools employed for agricultural production. And this has been the most common form of socio-economic organization.
For most of recorded human history. There are some who claim that the early church. Promoted a form of socialism. They base this on two passages. If you want to write these down. Acts 2, 44 and 45. And Acts 4, 34 and 35.
So Acts 2, 44 and 45 says this. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings. And distributing the proceeds to all as any had need.
So right there they said. Anybody who had anything sold it and gave it to the poor. Acts 4, 34. There was not a needy person among them. This is the early church. For as many as were owners of lands or houses.
Sold them and bought the proceeds of what they sold. And laid it at the apostles feet. And it was distributed to each as any had need. Oh that sounds like socialism. From each according to his ability.
To each according to his need. Alright. And that sounds like a socialistic utopia. However I want to. I want to challenge that notion. Not because I might believe in communism. My own tongue. Not because I believe in capitalism.
But because I think it's a misreading of the text. If you do have your Bibles. I'll have you look at this one. Turn to Acts chapter 5. In Acts chapter 5. We have the story of a man named Ananias. And his wife Sapphira.
And it says that they sold a piece of property. And with his wife's knowledge. He kept back for himself some of the proceeds. And brought only a part of it. And laid it at the apostles feet. But Peter said Ananias.
Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit. And keep back for yourself. Part of the proceeds of the land. While it remained unsold. Did it not remain your own. And after it was sold. Was it not at your disposal.
Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart. You have not lied to man but to God. When Ananias heard these words. He fell down and breathed his last. And it came upon all who heard of it.
The young man rose and wrapped him up. And carried him out and buried him. And later finds out his wife the same thing. Why are you pointed to this. Well. If you read this passage closely. You will notice.
That Ananias and Sapphira. Were under no obligation. To sell anything. Or give anything. Verse 4. While it remained unsold. Did it not remain your own. And after it was sold. Was it not at your disposal.
That is Peter's point. Nobody asked you to sell anything. And nobody told us you had to give the whole amount. He is not in trouble for not giving everything. He is in trouble for lying. He goes on to say that.
Here is the point most people miss. Do you know why Ananias and Sapphira did this to begin with. Because a chapter earlier. Barnabas sold a piece of property. And it says the church. Approved of what he did.
Meaning the church probably thanked him publicly. For selling a piece of property. And giving the money to the church. And Ananias and Sapphira see that. And they say oh boy. I want that pat on the back.
I want to get that attaboy. But I am not willing to pay for it. I tell you what we will do. We will sell our property. And we will give a part of it. But they won't know it is only a part. We will tell them it is the whole thing.
And Peter's response was. Why did you sell it at all. And why did you lie. And say this is what you sold it for. This is proof to me. That it wasn't a socialistic perspective. Because no one was demanded.
That's the difference between socialism and communism. And what this is teaching. Is socialism and communism are demands. It is not a choice. It is always at the point of a gun. Yes sir. He even said was it not your own.
That's right. You own it. By the way the 8th commandment. Thou shall not steal. Demonstrates that God. Respects property rights. Socialism does not. Socialism says everything you own belongs to everyone else.
God says if somebody takes what's yours. It's stealing. It's very simple. It was your own. You didn't have to do this. That's the whole thing about tithing right. We talk about tithing today. That's the difference between the New Testament and the Old Testament.
The Old Testament the tithe was compulsory. You had to give it because it was a form of tax. It was a way that the government maintained itself as a theocracy under God. But in the New Covenant what are we told in 2 Corinthians 9.
You give as God has laid in your heart. Not under compulsion. There is no compulsory giving in the New Testament. It's all by virtue of the desire. If you don't want to give it don't give it. Because even if you give it.
If you didn't want to give it. It's not worth what you gave. Not from the perspective of why you're giving it. Because you gave it with a begrudging heart. God might not strike you dead like he did Ananias.
But I wouldn't want to take that chance. Alright. As I said all New Testament giving is voluntary. There is no such thing as compulsory giving. In the New Covenant. So the idea that the New Covenant supports socialism.
No. But I will tell you what the New Covenant does support. And we're going to end with this. The New Covenant does not support compulsory giving. But the New Covenant does support radical generosity.
Radical generosity. And responsibility for your neighbor. When Cain asked am I my brother's keeper. The answer when it comes to the people of God. Yes. We are to practice radical generosity. And we are to be responsible for our brothers in Christ.
I tell people in our church. And it bothers me. I find out sometimes that people in our church. Have gone for weeks. And didn't have what they needed. And I go to them. And it's almost a rebuke. Why didn't you tell us?
What are you supposed to do? Don't you dare let your child go without eating. Don't you dare have your car with no gas in it. Don't you dare have a cold house. When you can have heat. If you just had that bill paid.
Don't you dare do that. Because it is our job as a church. To take care of one another first. And by the way it is one another first. Helping the poor. And helping those outside of the church is important.
And it is part of the job of the church. But the first and primary responsibility. Is that the church would support those within its walls first. To make sure that they can go out and help others. Because if we are all starving and dying.
We can't be no good to anybody else. I say that to you all too. If you can't feed your kids. If you can't pay your electric bill. You come and see me. Because that ain't going to happen. Not here. It's not socialism.
But it is radical generosity. And we are called to practice it. We are going to take a break. Let's take 7 minutes and come back. We have 20 minutes left. We are going to our final portion here. And this is on the subject of work.
And vocation. Work and vocation. How many people do you know. That hate their jobs? Raise my hand. Okay. What are you talking about? You hate it. Well. Before we even get to that. It's almost like an American.
It's almost like an Americanism. That we are supposed to hate our jobs. You know. Everybody is supposed to complain. About their jobs. And I think what we have is. We do have a fundamental misunderstanding.
Of the concept of work. Because a lot of people think that work. Is the product of the fall. But that is not the case. Yeah. Adam. Had work to do. Prior to the fall. Which kind of helps. And by the way.
If you want the verse for that. Genesis 2 .15. The Lord took. The man and put him in the garden. Of Eden. To work it. And keep it. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. But we could say. When someone says. Work is the product of the fall.
No. After the fall. Work became laborious. And painful. That is the difference. Prior to the fall. I believe work was joyful. And painless. But after the fall. Work became laborious. And painful. That's Genesis 3 .18.
And 19. But work itself. Is part of God's good creation. And I believe. It's going to be part of his. New creation. Now that is a. Theological. Argument that we could. Have another day. If you disagree.
But ultimately. What I'm saying is. I don't think in heaven. We're going to be sitting on celestial clouds. Strumming. Golden harps. With nothing to do. For all of eternity. Yeah. I believe we're going to be serving God.
I believe we're going to have. A life. And it is going to be an abundant life. Much different than the life. That we have here. Not bound by sin. And strife. But certainly not one. Of lethargy. And loathe.
Or lethargy. And sloth. Just. Huh? Why? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But that's what I'm saying. Some people would say. Oh yeah. They don't know. But I tend to believe. That the new heaven. And the new earth. Is a place where we're going to get.
To enjoy labor. And not fear. Or hate. Or loathe. Labor. Now. Having said that. Back to the issue of work and vocation. In the real world. Now. Not in the world that is to come. Not to say that heaven is not real.
I'm saying it's not yet. In the world of now. In the world that we live in. Right now. The bible teaches. That Christians. Should be. Working. People. We are not to be known. For laziness. Or shirking.
Responsibility. And. The passage that you could write down. For that. Is second Thessalonians. Three. Ten. You knew that one right? What does it say? No. Second Thessalonians three ten. If you don't work.
You don't work. You don't eat. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Paul says. Second Thessalonians three ten. For even when we were with you. We would give you this command. If anyone is not willing to work.
Let him not eat. And basically. That is a simple principle. That if a man is a person. Who is lazy. And expects others to care for him. And that's. I'll give you an illustration. A story. A few years ago.
We had a lady here in the church. Now. Didn't I say earlier. We want to take care of people. Yes I did. So based. Everything I'm about to say. With that as the. As the background. We had a lady here in the church.
Who had a. Husband and a grown son at home. They would not work. They were satisfied to. Sit. And be lazy. And she was constantly coming to the church. For financial help. For food. And lights. And other.
Necessities. Now we did help for a while. Until it became painfully obvious. That the man was not working. Because he couldn't. But he was not working because. He wouldn't. And so we did have to. Eventually tell them.
That we would no longer be. Providing support for them. Because. Of that situation. He was unwilling to work. Even though he could. I'm not talking about a guy. Who's in a wheelchair. Or something like that.
This was a situation where. He could have worked. And he chose not to. The Bible gives a clear command. If you don't work. You don't eat. Now. I wouldn't let that lady go hungry. Neither would I let their kids go hungry.
But we had to make a stand. And say look. There is a paradigm here. That you're violating. There's a biblical command of work. And the results of work. Feeding your family. That you're not doing. I want to introduce you to a.
Concept that was. You might not have ever heard of before. But I want you to write this down. Something called the Protestant work ethic. The Protestant work ethic. One of the principles. Which arose.
As a result. Of the rise of Protestantism. Was a particular view. Of vocation. As a calling from God. Up until the Protestant Reformation. A person's work for God. Was often tied to the church. Therefore.
If you wanted to glorify God. You had to be in some form of ministry work. Whether you were a pastor. Or at that point be a priest. Or something. Or a nun. Or a deacon of some sort. Ministry work. Was how you glorified God.
But the Protestants. Saw it differently. They said you can glorify God. In your vocation. Because your vocation. Is a calling from God. In a similar way. Not exactly the same. But in a similar way. As a minister is called of God.
To preach. So for instance. If you are called. If you're a bricklayer. And that is what you are good at. That is what God has gifted you to. That is the talent that God has given you. To support your family.
Then you ought not feel like. You're serving him any less. As a bricklayer. Then the pastor is serving. As a preacher. If you are a plumber. Plumb to the glory of God. If you're an electrician. Then spark to the glory of God.
If you drive a truck. Then eastbound and down. To the glory of God. That's the Protestants. That's a basis. Of the idea of Protestant work ethic. However. I want to add a few thoughts. About that. Because.
This all is. This phrase. Protestant work ethic. Didn't come out. This isn't something. That was used by. Like Calvin or those. This actually was coined. By a German sociologist. Named Max Weber. And he wrote.
In the Protestant work ethic. In the spirit of capitalism. In 1904. 1905. And he held. That the Protestant ethic. Was an important factor. In the economic success. Of Protestant groups. In the early stages.
Of European capitalism. So again. The Protestant work ethic. If you're called. To be a shoemaker. Be a good one. Because you're doing it. To the glory of God. Right? And so it was. It wasn't just that you.
Did what you did. To make money. But you did what you did. To glorify God. And it's like Martin Luther said. And I. This is a great quote. And I'm not certain. I don't have. I don't know where he said it.
But I believe he did say it. It's been attributed to him. Thousands of times. He said. A Christian shoemaker. Does not do his duty. By putting crosses. On his shoes. A Christian shoemaker. Does his duty.
By making good. Shoes. I used to go into Lifeway. All the time. And I'd see all that junk. With crosses. On it. They even sold candy. In the shape of a cross. It was called a testament. M-I-N-T. And I thought.
I thought. How silly are we. I'm not lying brother. I can take you. I remember. And so. The point is. You know. Do we have to. I own the t-shirt business. For three years. And I always made. That was actually our motto.
For our company. Christian shoemaker. Does not. Do his job. By putting crosses. On all of his shoes. But by making good shoes. And we did our best. And we made good t-shirts. Now we closed the business.
Recently. Because we couldn't continue doing it. But. The point was. We wanted to put out a product. That was a good product. And we did. And we sold. Last year. I don't want to go into the numbers. But we sold a lot of shirts.
That killed me. But it's because we did a good job. And that's part of the Protestant work ethic. Is you do what you do. Because you're doing it under God. You're doing it to glorify God. Now the danger though.
The negative side. And there is always a negative side. The negative side. Is that there were those. Who out of that. Believed. That. Wealth. Was a sign of God's favor. And the proof of God's election.
Because if you were doing what God called you to do. You're obviously going to be successful. And if you're successful. That must be because God's blessing you. And it's sort of like a proto version. Of the modern prosperity gospel.
But this precedes that. So the prosperity gospel. Does have some roots. In the Protestant work ethic. At least. Not necessarily. A causal root. But the idea that. Yes. If you are being successful. It's because God's blessing you.
And if God's blessing you. It's because you're one of the elect. Right. And. That is not. The truth. Because. Neither poverty. Nor. Prosperity. Is proof of your election. There are poor folks going to hell.
And there are rich folks going to hell. Neither one proves. That you are one of God's people. What proves that you're one of God's people. Is if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repent of your sins.
And trust in him for salvation. That's. That's the foundation. Not. Your. Bank account. Whether it be empty. Or full. Inherent. In this system is the idea. That it is not the pursuit of wealth. That is sinful.
But the wasting of wealth. Which is sinful. That's another. Idea from the Protestant work ethic. The Protestant work ethic would say this. Pursue wealth. For the purpose of using it in a godly way. Pursue wealth for the purpose of using it.
In a way that glorifies God. I got to tell you honestly. Church buildings would not exist. If there were not people who were giving the money. To make them exist. And therefore. I mean right now. I just use set free as an example.
You know you guys. At set free. Y 'all are wanting to open a women's center. And we pray for that. We pray for that weekly. Because we want to see that happen. That's going to take somebody making a donation.
That's going to take somebody who has wealth. Saying I want to see this happen. And that's what you want. That's what we pray for. I wish I had the money. If I had the money. I'd write you a check right now.
If I wrote you a check right now. It would bounce. Because I don't have the money. But the point is. That's that. You know the idea of having the wealth. For the good cause. For the good purpose. Yes.
But. Money can quickly become an idol. And I know you probably knew. We were going to get to this verse at some point. But if you didn't. Think of this verse. First Timothy 6 .10. Which says what? For the love of money.
Is the root of all kinds of evil. It is. And it goes on to say this. It is through this craving. That some have wandered away from the faith. And pierced themselves with many pains. It is through this craving.
What craving? The love of money. That many have wandered away from the faith. Yes sir. I just think it's interesting. And I'm sure everybody's heard it. It doesn't say money is the root of all evil. That's right.
It says the love of money. And it doesn't say it's the root of all evil. It says all kinds of evil. And because I. This is a linguistic issue. But I do talk. Some people say the love of money is the root of all evil.
I say no it's the root of all kinds of evil. Meaning the love of money can lead to all kinds of different types of evil. But not every evil comes from the love of money. So that's why I'm just saying the word all there.
Should be qualified with all kinds. And that's it. Again I don't want to get off on a rabbit trail. But if we talk about the word all. And how it can be nuanced. That's an important use for the nuance of the word all.
From a biblical world view. It is clear that Christians. Should be a working people and not a lazy people. And because of fidelity to Christ. They should be faithful and trustworthy. Employers and employees.
They should see their jobs. As a means of provision from God. And be thankful for it. And again. If you're a Christian employer. Your employees should trust you. And if you're a Christian employee. You should be a good one.
You should be trustworthy. You should be one that. The boss. Understands. Your integrity goes beyond. Just what you say. But it leeches over into all areas of your life. How a person handles money. Is often seen in scripture as a metric.
Of their spiritual condition. Think about that for just a moment. How a person handles money. Is often seen in scripture. As a metric. Of their spiritual condition. If a person is greedy. Gluttonous. Filled with selfish ambition.
Those things are indicators. Of a person. Who has yet to come under the lordship of Christ. Yeah I mean isn't it true? No it's very true. Christians are to see the money we have. As a stewardship from God.
What is a steward? A manager. Not an owner. But a manager. We do not own our wealth. God owns our wealth. He gives it to us to hold. And how we handle it. Shows whether we think it's ours. Or his. And he expects us to be faithful.
Remembering that it's his. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He owns every dollar in your bank account. Therefore when we handle money. Let us do so. With that. As the basis for our ethic. Any questions?
Let's pray. Father thank you for this time of study. I pray that this class has been helpful. And that it might educate us lord even better. On the importance of not seeking poverty. But seeking a right handling.
Of what you put in our hands. Lord help us to remember. We are managers of the king's wares. We are not owners. Lord let us be faithful. With what you put in our hands. In Christ's name. Amen.