For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth...Eph 5:9
Summer 2002 Volume 3, Issue 3 |
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When we study the history of our great nation and look at the lives of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, we see that every signer had in their personal libraries two things in common: the Bible and the Wealth of Nations, written by Adam Smith. As a result of having both references, our nation developed its present form of economics--capitalism. But, are capitalism and the Bible compatible? The Bible and Capitalism go Hand in Hand Capitalism upholds individual accountability and responsibility. It is a system whereby the individual is enriched through personal enterprise and hard work. Socialism, on the other hand, is a system in which the government removes and replaces individual responsibility to redistribute wealth equally among the workers and non-workers. The Bible, however, demands individual accountability and responsibility of man. In Leviticus 19:15 we read, “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.” From this verse we learn that any law that gives advantage to the poor or rich violates Biblical justice. God is not partial in His judgment. He is not a respecter of persons. It is written in Proverbs 10:4, “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” This verse teaches the individual worker that he or she must be diligent, honest, and filled with integrity in order to produce wealth. The idea that luck makes one profitable is not right; it takes hard work! Hence, the individual must work hard for the goods that he or she may acquire. Proverbs continues to teach in 14:23, “In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.” The diligent individual is one who is persistent in labour. Because he or she is a doer of work, our “gracious God is pleased to honor” his servants when they labor. |
Thus, the admonition to all workers is to work! In other words, put in the effort and you shall receive the fruit of your labor. The wise man further instructs in 16:26, “He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.” It is said that “...people work from either inspiration or desperation.” The Bible teaches us that when we get hungry enough, we will work. Notice this is an individual responsibility. Some would have us feed and enrich those who are simply unwilling to work. This idea of benevolence is wrong! If we do not want to be hungry, we will work. Why? Because “... his mouth craveth it of him.” This is Biblical, and capitalism only echoes what God has revealed in His Word. Paul told the church at Thessalonica these words, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). If we undertake our personal responsibilities to work and labor with our hands, we will not lack anything. These are encouraging words for the industrious. Paul goes on to say in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” Donald Wnderwood
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