Archived Daily Manna | Rejoice Fellowship | A mission to release people to rejoice in the world.

Message: There is a strong tendency, in groups of profoundly dedicated Christians, towards communalism. In fact, some the most dedicated Christians — monks and nuns — take vows of poverty and live an absolutely communal life, not owning even the clothes on their back. But outside of monasteries, these communal experiments have been failures. drawing of a monk at prayer It would make sense that Christians, whose lives becomes so centered on the Spirit that mammon becomes a burden, would gravitate toward some sort of “socialist” existence; but what makes sense often conflicts with truth, and this seems to be an example. Large-scale socialist societies have almost universally been characterized by atheism, ranging from the lackadaisical scorn for Christianity in much of northern Europe to the aggressive persecution of Christianity in Marxist countries. Indeed, the increasingly socialist United States is experiencing a concomitant rise of outspoken anti-Christian sentiment. The Bible does not condemn or even discourage socialism. Nor does it promote it. In fact, if one were to sum up the New Testament’s attitude toward politics, it would be “stay out of it.” The prohibitions against theft in the Old Testament definitely presuppose, without criticism, a society where individuals may own land and items worth stealing. This becomes more apparent as one reads along: we will see the laws regarding property and theft greatly fleshed out in Exodus 22:1-14. Jesus, Mary and Joseph at carpentry | illuminated Bible Paul — and almost certainly, Christ Himself — worked to make money. But then, we have Christ telling us that it is easier for a “camel to pass through the eye of a needle” than for a rich man to go to heaven, and advising a rich man to give away all that he owns. (Mark 10:17-27) So, what is the point of all of this? God understands human life and expects us to make and enjoy our living. There is no sin in it, and no sin in owning property. It is where we begin to love money that we fall from the path. “Those who want to get rich are falling into temptation.” (1 Timothy 6:7-9) The Eighth Commandment — because it is so strongly emphasized — seems to imply that theft is an even faster road to spiritual ruin than wanting to get rich. This in no respect conflicts with the New Testament: Theft places ownership of goods ahead of our love for our neighbor and, thus, our love for Christ. It embroils a lot of people in controversy over earthly goods. So let us not covet the rich, or despise them, or judge them, or think it all right to steal from them. We must love all, rich and poor alike.