What economic system would Jesus promote?

This week, we are examining what Jesus would have to say when it comes to the issue of the economy. We are asking the questions "What policies would Jesus promote when it comes to the economy? What type of economic system would Jesus promote? Does Jesus promote socialism? Communism? Capitalism?" However, before answering these questions,

Yesterday, we examined the conversation surrounding the issue of the economy in our current political climate. At one end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of the economy are politicians and others who advocate for what are referred to as socialistic or communistic economic policies. And in the conversations that have been occurring over the last several years, those who advocate for democratic socialism or communism will use phrases like "everybody needs to pay their fair share" or "we need to solve the issue of income inequality" or "we need policies that promote a living wage" or "we need to rid the country of crony capitalism and deal with the one percent who are taking advantage of the system".

On the other end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of the economy would be politicians and others who advocate for what are referred to as capitalistic policies. And in the conversations that have been occurring over the last several years, those who advocate for capitalism will use phrases like "we need an economic system that promotes personal liberty and responsibility" or "capitalism makes the pie bigger for everyone" or "global capitalism is the solution to oppression and poverty". We then spent some time defining some economic terms.

Today, with all that background in mind, let’s take a look at what the message and teachings of Jesus have to say when it comes to the issue of the economy. Specifically, what do the letters that make up the Bible reveal about the type of economic system would Jesus promote? We discover the answer to this question by looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Bible, called the book of Exodus. So let’s look at this section together, beginning in Exodus 20:15:

You shall not steal.    

Now regardless of whether you regularly attend church or if this is your first Sunday in church; regardless of whether or not you buy the whole Jesus, Bible, church thing; you are probably familiar with this statement. You are familiar with this statement because this is a statement that you have probably heard throughout your life. You have probably heard this statement in the home you grew up in, at the school you attended while growing up, and from a coach or boss that was involved in your life.

You are probably at least somewhat familiar with this statement because it is one of the Ten Commandments that you have heard about. This command is the eighth of the Ten Commandments that God gave to the Jewish people. And this command is straightforward and easy to comprehend. Do not rob someone of something that is theirs. Do not jack each other's stuff. And just a few verses later, we see God give the Jewish people what we know today to be the tenth of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:17:

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Now the word covet here, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to desire in such a way that you try to acquire what you desire.  So God here is basically saying to the Jewish people "I am commanding you not to desire something that you are not to acquire as your own in such a way that you try to acquire what you should not be desiring". God is commanding that we not desire to acquire that which is another's relationally or that is another's based on ownership.

Now here is a question to consider: How can you steal something that does not belong to someone? How can you desire something that you are not to acquire as your own if you are not to own anything? You see, the very nature of these two commands implies the ownership of private property. The very nature of these two commands is the forbidding of taking that which does not belong to you because it belongs to someone else. So both of these commands seem to indicate that Jesus would not be a proponent of socialism or communism.

Now a natural objection that could arise here could be "Well Dave what about the economic injustice that is done to others by capitalism. What about the fact that capitalism is "rigged" for the wealthy. What about the issue of income inequality that capitalism promotes"? If that objection is in your mind, I just want to let you know that is a fair objection to raise. And just a few chapters later, we see the issue of the collision of economics and justice addressed in Exodus 23:2-6:

“You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to   turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute. "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. "If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him. "You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute.”

Now did you notice what the Lord is doing in this series of commands? Whether it is the issue of truthfulness when it comes to giving testimony in civil court; whether it is the issue of what one is to do when they find the property of another; whether it is the issue of twisting the justice system to benefit of one group over another, economic status should not be a factor.

On the one hand, we are not to deny justice to someone because they are poor; on the other hand, we are not to give favoritism in our justice system to one who is poor. On the one hand, we are not to twist our justice system so that is benefits the rich; on the other hand, we are not to twist the justice system so that it benefits the poor. One’s economic status should not be a factor when it comes to justice. And the justice system should not be used in such a way that favors or provides advantages to anyone based on their economic status. Each individual, regardless of economic status, is responsible for their actions.  

Now an argument that you would make to say that Jesus was an advocate of socialism and communism would be "But Dave didn't God say somewhere that there would be no poor. And doesn't socialism or communism provide the best environment to eliminate poverty and fulfill God's statement that there would be no poor among us?"

Let's take a minute and address both of these objections. Let's start with the first objection, that God said that there would be no poor among us. In a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Old Testament of the Bible called the book of Deuteronomy, we see a man named Moses say the following in Deuteronomy 15:4:

However, there will be no poor among you, since the LORD will surely bless you in the   land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess,

Here we see Moses explain to the Jewish people, that they would experience financial and material blessing as part of the Lord bringing them into the land that He had promised them. However in a section of an account of Jesus life in the Bible called the gospel of Mark, we see Jesus say the following in Mark 14:7:

For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.

So, which one is it? We will always have the poor with us or will we not have the poor with us? The answer to this question is actually found in Moses conversation with the Jewish people that is recorded for us in the book of Deuteronomy. Notice that Deuteronomy 15:4 ended with a comma, not a period. Here is the entirety of what Moses said, which we see when we keep reading all the way through Deuteronomy 15:4-5:

 However, there will be no poor among you, since the LORD will surely bless you in the   land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, if only you listen obediently to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today.

In other words, the reality that there would be no poor among the Jewish people was based on their faithful obedience to the Lord's commands. And just a few verses later we see Moses reveal for us the reality of what would happen when it came the Jewish people and their obedience to the Lord in Deuteronomy 15:11:

"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.'

Here we see Moses reveal for us the reality that, just as Jesus proclaimed 1,430 years later in Mark 14:6, that there would always be the poor among us. And the reason why there will always be the poor among us has nothing to do with an economic system around us. The reason why there will always be poor among us is due to the selfishness and rebellion that is within us.

Now another argument that you would have to the idea that Jesus was an advocate of socialism and communism would be "Well Dave what about God's repeated commands to care and provide for the poor? What about Jesus words in Matthew 25:31-46 that talk about caring for the poor and the needy as evidence of being right with God? What about what the early church did in Acts 2 and Acts 4? Doesn't the words of Jesus and the actions of the early church promote the idea of socialism or communism?"

If that argument in running through your mind, I just want to let you know that is a fair question. Friday, we will look at the verses in question in order to address that question...

The current conversation surrounding the issue of the economy...

At the church where I serve, we are in the midst of a sermon series entitled “Vote for Jesus”. During this series, our hope and our prayer is to accomplish three specific goals. First, our hope and our prayer is to demonstrate that Jesus is not a republican and Jesus is not a democrat. Instead, Jesus is God and as God Jesus is the one that we are to place our hope in, not a political party. Second, our hope and our prayer is to equip and empower us to think critically and Biblically when it comes to the issues that our culture is faced with that often find themselves expressed in the political process. And third, our hope and prayer is to provide a framework from the message and teachings of Jesus when it comes to how we as followers of Jesus are to engage in the government and in the political process in way that reveals and reflects Jesus to those around us.

This week, I would like for us to spend our time together addressing another political issue that would be a part of the political platform of Jesus if He was running for office. The issue that I would like for us to examine is the issue of the economy. Specifically, I would like for us to ask and answer two questions. And the two questions are "What policies would Jesus promote when it comes to the economy? What type of economic system would Jesus promote? Does Jesus promote socialism? Communism? Capitalism?" However, before answering these questions, I would like for us to spend a few minutes examining the current discussion in our country when it comes to the issue of the economy.

 

In our current political climate, the conversation surrounding the issue of the economy has been one of the most fascinating discussions to observe. At one end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of the economy are politicians and others who advocate for what are referred to as socialistic or communistic economic policies. As a general rule, those who promote either socialism, democratic socialism, or communism are viewed in our culture as being on “the left” often paint the current economic environment as being "rigged" for the wealthy.

 

And in the conversations that have been occurring over the last several years, those who advocate for democratic socialism or communism will use phrases like "everybody needs to pay their fair share" or "we need to solve the issue of income inequality" or "we need policies that promote a living wage" or "we need to rid the country of crony capitalism and deal with the one percent who are taking advantage of the system". In addition, those who promote democratic socialism, socialism, or communism will point to specific verses in the Bible to justify their positions.

 

On the other end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of the economy would be politicians and others who advocate for what are referred to as capitalistic policies. These are politicians and others, who would be viewed in our culture as being on “the right”, who reject the concept of socialism, democratic socialism, or communism to instead promote what they refer to as "free market capitalism".

 

And in the conversations that have been occurring over the last several years, those who advocate for capitalism will use phrases like "we need an economic system that promotes personal liberty and responsibility" or "capitalism makes the pie bigger for everyone" or "global capitalism is the solution to oppression and poverty". And, those who promote capitalism will point to specific Bible verses to justify their position.

 

So, is Jesus a socialist? Is Jesus a communist? Or is Jesus a capitalist? And which political party is quoting the Bible correctly? Or is neither political party quoting the Bible correctly? Before jumping into what the message and teachings of Jesus have to say about the economy, let's take a few minutes to define some economic terms. The reason I want to take the time to do this is due to the reality that, far too often, individuals on both sides of the political debate when it comes to the economy are throwing terms that they do not understand around like hand grenades at one another. So let's look at what the terms socialism, communism, and capitalism actually mean.

 

First, let's define the word socialism. Socialism is an economic system where the ways of making money are owned by a society as a whole, meaning the value made belongs to everyone in that society, instead of a small group of private owners. In other words, the government owns the means of production in an economy. Another important belief is that management and sharing of the resources produced in an economy are supposed to be based on public interests. Socialism is based on the belief that everything in society is made by the cooperative efforts of the people for the cooperative good of the people.

 

When it comes to the issue of private property, in socialism you have personal property, not private property. As quoted in an editorial by Ryan Cooper supporting Democratic Socialism "You'll still be able to own a computer, clothes, and a home under democratic socialism. But private property that is plainly negative to society, such as extraction rights in buried carbon, will have to be eventually extinguished if the human race is going to survive. The point is that common human welfare is more important than an absolute right to ownership."

 

By contrast, communism is a political and economic system in which the ways of making money are owned by the society as a whole or the state, and wealth is divided among citizens equally or according to individual need. This would be based on the common ownership of the means of production and the absence of social classes, money, and the state. When it comes to the issue of private property, in communism there is an elimination of private property for communal ownership of property.  

 

The most fundamental difference between socialism and communism is that under Communism individuals are provided for or compensated based on their needs. Central to socialism is that individuals are compensated for based on their individual contribution, so people that work harder or smarter would receive more than those that don’t contribute.  Another way to communicate the difference between socialism and communism is that in socialism resources are distributed according to ones deeds, while in communism resources are distributed according to ones needs. Both communism and socialism share that the means of economic production is owned by society or the state.

 

On the other hand, Capitalism is an economic and political system in which that ways of making money are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state. Individuals are compensated for based on their individual contribution, so people that work harder or smarter would receive more than those that don’t contribute.  When it comes to the issue of private property, capitalism promotes the concept of private property.

 

Now, with all that background in mind, let’s take a look at what the message and teachings of Jesus have to say when it comes to the issue of the economy. Specifically, what do the letters that make up the Bible reveal about the type of economic system would Jesus promote?

 

Tomorrow, we will begin to discover the answer to this question…

 

To vote for Jesus is to fulfill the responsibility that we have been given by Jesus to possess the earth's resources in a way that promotes the flourishing of humanity on the earth as we protect the earth...

This week, we have been spending our time together addressing the issue of the environment. We have been asking and answering two questions. And the two questions are “What policy would Jesus promote when it comes to the issue of the environment? And what would Jesus say we should do as a country about the care and concern for the environment?”

So far we have discovered that we have been divinely designed to live in relationship with God and one another and have been given responsibility to rule over the earth as His representative here on earth. The letters that make up the Bible teach us that humanity has been given a special place within creation above every other aspect of creation. God's Divine design is for humanity to have the responsibility to gain mastery over the resources of the earth for the flourishing of the earth and all of the creatures that live on the earth.

However, to achieve mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth does not mean that humanity can exploit the earth's resources in a way the hinders or hurts the earth. To gain mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth does not mean that humanity and governments can implement policies when it comes to the environment that threaten the flourishing of the earth and all of the creatures that live on the earth.

And the reason that I can say that with such emphasis is because of what God had to say when it came to how humanity was to gain mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth. You see, just one chapter later, in Genesis 2:15, we see God unpack the responsibility that He gave humanity when it came to gaining mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth. So let's look at Genesis 2:15 together:

Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

When God placed Adam into the Garden of Eden, He did not simply place Adam into the garden to have a vacation. God placed Adam into the Garden of Eden and gave him a job. Adam’s job was to cultivate and keep the garden. To understand what Adam’s job description and responsibility entailed, we first need to understand what the phrase cultivate and keep means. The word cultivate, in the language that this letter was originally written in, literally means to serve. The word keep here literally means to protect.

You see, God gave Adam more than just the possession of the Garden of Eden; God gave Adam the responsibility of protecting the Garden of Eden.  And it is here that we see revealed for us the reality that part of our responsibility that we have been given by God as His representatives here on earth is to serve the resources of the earth in a way that results in the flourishing of the earth. While God created the earth with all the resources that are necessary to promote human flourishing, those resources are not simply here to be exploited and abused in a way that hinders the earth's ability to flourish. Humanity has been given the responsibility to wisely steward those resources in a way that serves the earth and promotes the flourishing of the earth.

In addition, part of the responsibility that we have been given by God as His representatives here on earth is to protect the earth in such a way that promotes the flourishing of the earth. While God gave the earth to humanity in such a way that is was to be possessed by humanity, the earth and its resources are not to be neglected by humanity. Instead the earth and its resources are to be protected by humanity in a way that promotes the flourishing of the earth and humanity.

Now this leads us directly to the discussion about the issue of global warming. Global warming is a hypothesis that the doubling of the earth's carbon dioxide from preindustrial times would raise the average surface temperature, before feedbacks, between 1.8 and 2.16 degrees. Now feedbacks are those things in the environment that minimize the effects of global warming.

This hypothesis is based on computer projections about the future impact of different factors to global climate. However, when the various feedbacks are factored into the computer models, which lower the earth’s temperature by 58%, then the temperature change is between .76 to .9 degrees.

Now a natural question or objection at this point could be "Well Dave, isn't global warming settled science? Isn't there universal agreement regarding global warming?" My response to those questions and objections would be this: While the vast majority of the scientific community agree that there has been global warming, there is disagreement when it comes to the impact that humanity has had on the issue of global warming.

For example, over 31,000 degreed scientists, including 9,000 with PHD’s have signed a petition that there is no convincing evidence that human release of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases is causing, or will cause a catastrophic heating of the earth’s atmosphere. In addition, the earth’s temperature has remained steady, or has fallen in the last fifteen years, a result not predicted by the global warming computer models.

Also, science has shown that the earth has cyclical patterns of heating and cooling. As a matter of fact, if you are old enough to remember the 1970's you will remember that the major concern was that the world was going to experience another ice age. In the seventies, the scientific study was on the effects of global cooling, not global warming. Prior to the seventies, the last increase of global temperatures, which occurred from 1910-1940 was prior to the world increasing production of greenhouse gases. Also, over a four hundred year period, the concentration of sulfur dioxide and smoke in London was lower than it was in 1585, which is before the industrial revolution. Also urban pollutants have decreased 90% since 1930.

Now you might be wondering "How can that be with all the increased use of fossil fuels in the world during the same time?" The reason why this has occurred is due to the reality that the economic development of a nation enables a nation to overcome air pollution. You see, extremely poor countries have no air pollution, because they have nothing to pollute the air.

However, when nations begin to develop economically, there is increased air pollution due to introduction of fuels that cause air pollution. However, once a nation develops to the point that they have a per capita income of $30,000 a year or higher, their air returns to the same quality that it had as an undeveloped nation. You see, as Lomborg and others have pointed out, the science is not nearly what is often portrayed.

Now right about now, some of you may be wanting to respond by saying "Well Dave, what about the melting ice in the polar regions of the world. What about the polar bears that are dying? What about all the science that was communicated by Al Gore in his movie "An inconvenient truth?" The response to those objections would be two fold. First, when it comes to the ice caps, the glaciers have been shrinking slowly ever since the end of the last ice age. In addition, both the arctic and Antarctic ice caps have been expanding since 2008.

Second, regarding the movie "An inconvenient truth", a British court ruled that the movie was so full of errors that it could no longer be shown in government schools without a corresponding list of all the serious errors and refutation of its errors. Well that must have been inconvenient for Al Gore. So, with all that in mind, what policy would Jesus promote when it comes to the environment? And what would Jesus say we should do about the care and concern of the environment? It is the answer to this question that provides for us a timeless truth when it comes to voting for Jesus.

And that timeless truth is this: To vote for Jesus is to fulfill the responsibility that we have been given to possess the earth's resources in a way that promotes the flourishing of humanity on the earth as we protect the earth. You see, to vote for Jesus is to recognize that we have been divinely designed to live in relationship with Him and one another and have been given responsibility to rule over the earth as His representative here on earth.

To vote for Jesus is to recognize that we have been given the responsibility to gain mastery over the resources of the earth for the flourishing of the earth and all of the creatures that live on the earth. To vote for Jesus is to recognize that the earth was created with all the resources necessary to be developed in such a way that the  earth would benefit from the development of these resources. To vote for Jesus is to recognize that the earth was created with all the resources necessary to support the spread of the human population over the earth without harming the earth.

However, to vote for Jesus is to recognize achieving mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth does not mean that humanity can exploit the earth's resources in a way that hurts the earth. To vote for Jesus is to recognize achieving mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth does not mean that humanity and governments can implement policies when it comes to the environment that threaten the flourishing of the earth and all of the creatures that live on the earth.

To vote for Jesus is to recognize that part of our responsibility that we have been given by God as His representatives here on earth is to serve and protect the resources of the earth in a way that results in the flourishing of the earth. Humanity has been given the responsibility to wisely steward those resources in a way that serves the earth and promotes the flourishing of the earth. While God gave the earth to humanity in such a way that is was to be possessed by humanity, the earth and its resources are not to be neglected by humanity. Instead the earth and its resources are to be protected by humanity in a way that promotes the flourishing of the earth and humanity.

You see, as so often is the case, Jesus does not fit into one political party or ideology. Jesus is for human flourishing and Jesus is for the environment. Jesus is for humanity possessing the earth and Jesus is for humanity protecting the earth. Jesus is for us ruling over the earth for our benefit and Jesus is for us serving the earth for its benefit.

So are you fulfilling your responsibility to represent Jesus by  possessing the earth's resources in a way that promotes the flourishing of humanity on the earth as we protect the earth? Do you view, talk and treat the environment in a way that promotes human flourishing while wisely managing the resources of the earth?

Because the timeless reality is that to vote for Jesus is to fulfill the responsibility that we have been given by Jesus to possess the earth's resources in a way that promotes the flourishing of humanity on the earth as we protect the earth.

"Will we run out of food, water, or room?"

This week, we have been examining the issue of the environment. Specifically, we are asking and answering two questions. And the two questions are “What policy would Jesus promote when it comes to the issue of the environment? And what would Jesus say we should do as a country about the care and concern for the environment?”

Yesterday, we examined the current discussion in our country when it comes to the issue of the environment. At one end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of environment are politicians and others who advocate environmental protectionist policies and are referred to as environmentalists. Environmentalism advocates the lawful preservation, restoration and/or improvement of the natural environment, in an attempt to control pollution or protect plant and animal diversity.

On the other end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of the environment would be politicians and others who are often referred to, for a lack of a better word, as anti-environmentalists. There are politicians, who would be viewed in our culture as being on “the right”, who reject some aspects of environmentalism for economic reasons, and focus on job creation, wage enhancement, and industry. Other politicians reject some aspects of environmentalism by arguing that the Earth is not as fragile as some environmentalists maintain.

We then began to look at what the message and teachings of Jesus have to say when it comes to the issue of the environment. In Genesis 1:26-31, we discovered that God created humanity to be responsible and to be His representative here on earth. We have been divinely designed to live in relationship with God and one another and have been given responsibility to rule over the earth as His representative here on earth.

We discovered that not every creature on the earth is of equal value and worth in God's sight. While God cares for all of the creation, only humanity has been created in the image of God.  The letters that make up the Bible teach us that humanity has been given a special place within creation above every other aspect of creation. God's Divine design is for humanity to have the responsibility to gain mastery over the resources of the earth for the flourishing of the earth and all of the creatures that live on the earth.

And to be in a position to represent God all over the earth and fulfill the responsibility we have been given to gain mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth, humanity was commanded to populate the earth. In verses 29-30, we see God follow up His command to populate the earth by providing humanity the necessary resources to populate the earth.

A natural question or objection that could arise here is "Well Dave, what about the issue of overpopulation? I mean we can't seem to be able to feed the people who are already here on earth. Shouldn't we be trying to decrease population?" This is actually the position of many in the environmental movement. Many in the environmental movement promote policies of population control with the belief that the planet is unable to sustain such a population. But this morning, is that the case? Are we in danger of overpopulating the planet?

First, from a purely Biblical perspective, do you think that God would command humanity to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, if the earth would not be able to provide the necessary resources to fulfill such a command? You see, the basis behind God's command is that the earth was created with all the resources necessary to be developed in such a way that the  earth would benefit from the development of those resources. The command "be fruitful and multiply" means that the spread of human population over the earth can be done without harming the earth.

Now a natural reaction at this point would be to say "Well Dave that is just fundamentalist Christian nonscientific thinking. That is just church mumbo jumbo talk without any science to back it." If you are here and those objections are running though your mind, I would point you to the book "The skeptical environmentalist", by Bjorn Lomborg, which evaluates and addresses the scientific claims behind the radical environmental movement.

For example, when it comes to the question, "Will we run out of room?" Lomborg points out that the rapid increase in population that began in the 20th century is already slowing down and is predicted to end at a world population of around 11 billion people in 2200. And in many parts of the world, such as Western Europe, the population is actually already declining. This occurs because as nations increase in wealth, their birth rates decline. As a matter of fact, this principle has been seen throughout history.

When it comes to the question "Will we run out of food?" Lomborg points out that we currently grow crops on less than 1/3 of the earth’s arable land. The term arable land refers to land that can produce acceptable food crops. In addition, food produced per acre has increased dramatically in the last 60 years. And, while there are people in the world who are still struggling with starvation, the percentage of people who are starving has dropped from 35 % to 12% in the last 40 years.

When it comes to the question "What about water?" Lomborg points out that the percentage of people in developing countries with access to clean drinking water has increased for 30% in 1770 to 80% in 2000. In addition, despite the claim of some environmentalists, the issue isn’t if there is enough water; the issue is access to water. Lomborg points out that we use less than 17% of the annual renewable water on earth. So, from a scientific point of view, we see reinforced the reality that the earth has abundant resources that are able to be developed and the earth would benefit from man’s development of these resources for human flourishing.

However, to achieve mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth does not mean that humanity can exploit the earth's resources in a way the hinders or hurts the earth. To gain mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth does not mean that humanity and governments can implement policies when it comes to the environment that threaten the flourishing of the earth and all of the creatures that live on the earth.

The reason that I can say that with such emphasis is because of what God had to say when it came to how humanity was to gain mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth. You see, just one chapter later, in Genesis 2:15, we see God unpack the responsibility that He gave humanity when it came to gaining mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth.

Friday, we will unpack that responsibility...

The current conversation surrounding the issue of the environment...

At the church where I serve, we are in the midst of a sermon series entitled “Vote for Jesus”. During this series, our hope and our prayer is to accomplish three specific goals. First, our hope and our prayer is to demonstrate that Jesus is not a republican and Jesus is not a democrat. Instead, Jesus is God and as God Jesus is the one that we are to place our hope in, not a political party.

Second, our hope and our prayer is to equip and empower us to think critically and Biblically when it comes to the issues that our culture is faced with that often find themselves expressed in the political process. And third, our hope and prayer is to provide a framework from the message and teachings of Jesus when it comes to how we as followers of Jesus are to engage in the government and in the political process in way that reveals and reflects Jesus to those around us.

This week, I would like for us to address another issue that would be a part of the political platform of Jesus if He was running for office. In other words, if Jesus was running for political office, what position would Jesus hold to when it comes to this specific issue that is in the forefront of the political conversation today? This week, the issue that I would like for us to examine is the issue of the environment.

Specifically, I would like for us to ask and answer two questions. And the two questions are “What policy would Jesus promote when it comes to the issue of the environment? And what would Jesus say we should do as a country about the care and concern for the environment?”However, before answering these questions, I would like for us to spend a few minutes examining the current discussion in our country when it comes to the issue of the environment.

Similar to the issue of immigration, in our current political climate, the conversation surrounding the issue of the environment can best be described as emotionally charged. At one end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of environment are politicians and others who advocate environmental protectionist policies and are referred to as environmentalists. Environmentalism advocates the lawful preservation, restoration and/or improvement of the natural environment, in an attempt to control pollution or protect plant and animal diversity.

For example, The National Resource Defense Council, per its website, is an organization that “works to safeguard the earth—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. We combine the power of more than two million members and online activists with the expertise of some 500 scientists, lawyers, and policy advocates across the globe to ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild.” Many in the environmental movement, who would be viewed in our culture as being on “the left” often paint those who are against their policy proposals as being driven by materialism and greedy corporate interests.

On the other end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of the environment would be politicians and others who are often referred to, for a lack of a better word, as anti-environmentalists. There are politicians, who would be viewed in our culture as being on “the right”, who reject some aspects of environmentalism for economic reasons, and focus on job creation, wage enhancement, and industry. Other politicians reject some aspects of environmentalism by arguing that the Earth is not as fragile as some environmentalists maintain. They portray environmentalism as overreacting to the human contribution to climate change or opposing human advancement.

What makes this political issue so heated and controversial is that the measuring of the health of the environment can be done in many different ways, often producing differing outcomes that produce the controversy. In addition, while some view environmentalism as being sensationalized, several causes of the environmental movement are legitimate and genuine.

Now, with all that background in mind, let’s take a look at what the message and teachings of Jesus have to say when it comes to the issue of the environment. Specifically, what do the letters that make up the Bible reveal about the environment and humanities role and responsibility when it comes to the environment? We discover the answer to this question by looking at a section of the very first letter that is recorded for us in the Bible, called the book of Genesis. So let’s look at this section together, beginning in Genesis 1:26-31:

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food"; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

In these verses, we see revealed for us the Triune God’s design and desire for the creation of humanity: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness”. As we discovered a few weeks ago, to be created in the image of God means that every human being bears the thumbprint of God. We were created in God’s relational image. We were created for relationships. Just as God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit live in relationship with one another, we were created for relationships. We were created for a relationship with God vertically and for relationships with one another horizontally.

But not only were we divinely designed for relationships. Here we also see that we were divinely designed to rule over the earth as God’s representative. When God uses the phrase “let them rule” this phrase literally means to have rule or dominion. You see, God created humanity to be responsible and to be His representative here on earth. We have been divinely designed to live in relationship with God and one another and have been given responsibility to rule over the earth as His representative here on earth.

It is important to understand that not every creature on the earth is of equal value and worth in God's sight. While God cares for all of the creation, only humanity has been created in the image of God.  Unlike the position of radical environmentalists, who view human and non human life as being of equal value and worth and that the human interference in the nonhuman world is excessive, the letters that make up the Bible teach us that humanity has been given a special place within creation above every other aspect of creation. Your dog, your cat, or even the most magnificent race horse is not nearly as valuable in God's sight as any human being.

In addition, in these verses we see the reality that for humanity to fully represent Him on earth and to fully take responsibility over the earth, God commanded humanity to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it. You see, God's Divine design is for humanity to have the responsibility to gain mastery over the resources of the earth for the flourishing of the earth and all of the creatures that live on the earth.

And to be in a position to represent God all over the earth and fulfill the responsibility we have been given to gain mastery over the earth and the all of the creatures that live on the earth, humanity was commanded to populate the earth. In verses 29-30, we see God follow up His command to populate the earth by providing humanity the necessary resources to populate the earth.

Now a natural question or objection that could arise here is "Well Dave, what about the issue of overpopulation? I mean we can't seem to be able to feed the people who are already here on earth. Shouldn't we be trying to decrease population?"

This is actually the position of many in the environmental movement. Many in the environmental movement promote policies of population control with the belief that the planet is unable to sustain such a population. But is that the case? Are we in danger of overpopulating the planet?

We will discover the answer to that question tomorrow...

To vote for Jesus is to love all immigrants like Jesus and toward a life that follows Jesus and the laws of the land...

This week, we have been examining the issue of immigration. Specifically, I would like for us to ask and answer two questions. And the two questions are “What policy would Jesus promote when it comes to the immigration of people from other countries? And what would Jesus say we should do about illegal immigrants who are now in the United States?”

So far this week, we have looked at four passages in the letters that make up the Bible that address the issue of immigration and the responsibilities that an individual follower of Jesus and a government has when it comes to the issue of immigration. We looked on and discovered that what the Lord is addressing in these passages is how we are to treat our fellow man who bears the thumbprint of God. What the Lord is addressing in these commands is that we are not to wrong, oppress, or persecute immigrants.

 Now this reality leads us to the fifth passage that addresses the issue of immigration and the responsibilities that an individual follower of Jesus and a government has when it comes to the issue of immigration. This passage is found in a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Romans. In Romans 13:1-7, we read:

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. ² Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. ³ For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; ⁴ for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. ⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. ⁷ Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

As we talked about a few weeks ago, God, who is sovereign over all nations, created the institution of government to represent Him in a way that promotes the good of people and punishes the evil of people. Thus, government has a responsibility to make laws for the good of the people and uphold the law in a way that protects and promotes the good of the people in that nation. And because of that reality, it is legally and morally acceptable for government to deal with those in the country illegally according to the nation’s legal provisions.

This passage also reveals for us the reality that immigration policies of a nation should be designed to benefit the citizens of that nation and not immigrants that are in the nation illegally. In addition, the letters that make up the Bible reveal that nations in the world placed a high priority on protecting their borders and having the right to decide who would enter and who would not. And finally, throughout the letters that make up the Bible, we see a clear connection between immigration and assimilation. The expectation was that those who immigrated to a foreign land were expected to assimilate into that foreign lands, culture, religious views and political system.

And it here that I believe that we see the greatest tension and emotion when it comes to the issue of immigration today, don’t we? There is a feeling, there is a perception that many immigrants enter the country illegally with no desire to assimilate into the American culture, but instead are forming their own ethnic communities in which their primary loyalty is not to the United States, but instead to their nation of origin. Combine that with the incredible economic cost of illegal immigration and the threat of terrorism, and we quickly see how this issue has become so heated and toxic.

So what policy would Jesus promote when it comes to the immigration of people from other countries? And what would Jesus say we should do about illegal immigrants who are now in the United States? It is the answer to this question that provides for us a timeless truth when it comes to voting for Jesus. And that timeless truth is this: To vote for Jesus is to love all immigrants like Jesus and toward a life that follows Jesus and the laws of the land.

You see, to vote for Jesus is to love all immigrants as we would love fellow followers of Jesus and as we would love ourselves. To vote for Jesus is to love all immigrants in a way that asks “If I was an immigrant in their situation, how would I feel loved?” and then responding in a way that expresses the love that you would want expressed to you to that immigrant. To vote for Jesus is to love all immigrants in way that provides for the pressing and practical needs of the immigrant as the vehicle to reveal Jesus to the immigrant. And to vote for Jesus is to love all immigrants in a way that gives wise and law abiding counsel to the immigrant so as to encourage assimilation, not isolation.

To vote for Jesus is to support policies to promote the protection and the good of the nation against potential threats to the safety and security of the nation. To vote for Jesus is to support policies that provide access to America for immigrants who are committed to assimilating into American cultural, religious, and political values. This means that immigrants have the same freedom of religious expression that we have as American citizens as long as that religious expression does not threaten the safety of the nation. And to vote for Jesus is to support policies that protect America from those who refuse to assimilate into American cultural, religious, and political values and are committed to harming America.

You see, as so often is the case, Jesus does not fit into one political party or ideology. Jesus is for security for the nation and for loving access to the immigrant in the nation. Jesus is for national borders and Jesus is for love without borders. Could it be, as John Piper has pointed out recently, that while we as followers of Jesus have been called to go to the nations, that God is now bringing the nations to us. That is why, as an EFCA church, we are such big supporters of Immigrant hope. Immigrant hope is a part of the EFCA that desires to equip churches to provide immigrants with the HOPE of the gospel, HELP finding a pathway to legal residency, and a HOME in a church that cares for their needs.

So, do you view, talk and treat immigrants in a way that loves them as you love yourself? Do you view, talk and treat immigrants in a way that reveals and reflects the love of Jesus to them? Do you view, talk and treat immigrants in a way the leads them to Jesus? Do you view, talk, and treat immigrants in a way that provides the HOPE of the gospel, HELP finding a pathway to legal residency, and a HOME in a church that cares for their needs?

The implications of the history of the Jewish people on the issue of immigration...

This week, we are examining the issue of immigration. Specifically, we are answering two questions. And the two questions are “What policy would Jesus promote when it comes to the immigration of people from other countries? And what would Jesus say we should do about illegal immigrants who are now in the United States?”

Yesterday, we looked at the reality that in our current political climate, the conversation surrounding immigration can best be described as heated and toxic. At one end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of immigration would be politicians and others who advocate for open borders. On the other end of the conversation when it comes to the issue of immigration would be politicians and others who advocate for drastically limiting immigration to the United States. And in between these two ends of this conversation on immigration, there are many who simply believe that the solution to the problem of immigration is the enforcement of current laws concerning immigration, which they believe are not being enforced.

Today, with all that background in mind, let’s take a look at what the message and teachings of Jesus have to say when it comes to the issue of immigration. When you look at the letters that make up the Bible, the word immigration is not found. However, while the word immigration is not found, there are five specific passages that address the issue of immigration and the responsibilities that an individual follower of Jesus and a government has when it comes to the issue of immigration.

The first four passages are found in the Law, which is the first five letters that are recorded for us in our Bibles today, which the Jewish people referred to as the Law or Torah. So let’s look at these four passages together and then spend a few minutes unpacking how these particular passages address the issue of immigration. The first passage is found in Exodus 22:21:

You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

The second passage is found just two chapters later, in Exodus 23:9:

You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Then, in the very next letter in the Old Testament of the Bible, called the book of Leviticus, we see the Lord say the following in Leviticus 19:33-34:

When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 'The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

The fourth passage records the words of the Lord to the Jewish people as they prepared to enter into the land that the Lord had promised them, in Deuteronomy 10:17-19:

For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. "He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. "So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

Now to fully understand what the Lord is communicating in these four passages we first need to understand the context that these passages occur and ask and answer some questions. The first question that we need to ask and answer is “What does the Lord mean when He uses the phrase “for you were strangers or you were aliens in the land of Egypt?”  With this phrase, the Lord is reminding the Jewish people of a time in their history that is recorded for us in a section of the very first letter in the Bible called the book of Genesis.

Beginning in the 35^th chapter of the book of Genesis, we read about Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers. While a slave in the house of an Egyptian leader named Potiphar, Joseph remained faithful to the Lord and did the right thing, even when it was not the easy or the popular thing to do.  Joseph ended up ascending to a place of leadership where he was second in command of the entire nation of Egypt. And it was in that position of leadership that Joseph prepared the nation of Egypt for a devastating famine that would ravage the Middle East during this time in history.

And it was during this famine that the Jewish people immigrated to Egypt and were provided for by the Lord, through Joseph, during the famine. However, after Joseph died, a new Pharaoh led the nation of Egypt to enslave the Jewish people for over 400 years. After being enslaved for over 400 years, the Lord sent a man named Moses to deliver the Jewish people from slavery at the hands of the nation of Egypt.

And after delivering the Jewish people from slavery and oppression in the nation of Egypt, as the Jewish people left Egypt and headed toward the land that He had promised them, it is in these passages that we see the Lord remind the Jewish people of the reality that they knew what it was like to live as a stranger in a strange land. The Jewish people knew what it was like to live as an immigrant. The Jewish people knew what it was like to be taken advantage of and to be oppressed as a minority in the land that they had immigrated to.

And because of that reality, as the Lord led the Jewish people to the land that He had promised them, the Lord commanded the Jewish people to treat those who would immigrate to their land much differently than they were treated in Egypt. Instead of wronging those who immigrated to the Promised Land; instead of oppressing those who immigrated to the Promised Land, the Jewish people were to love the stranger and the immigrant as they loved their fellow Jewish countryman. The Jewish people were to love the immigrant as they loved themselves.

Now to love someone as themselves is simply to ask “If I found myself in a similar situation or circumstance that this person finds themselves in, what would make me feel loved by someone else?” And then that is what we do for that person. That is what is means to love someone as yourself.  The Jewish people were to love the immigrant as they loved their fellow Jewish citizen and themselves because the Lord does not show partiality of take a bribe.

The Jewish people were to love the immigrant as they loved their fellow Jewish citizen and themselves because the Lord executes justice for the widow and orphan, which in the culture of the day were often the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. The Jewish people were to love the immigrant as they loved their fellow Jewish citizen and themselves because the Lord desired to provide for the needs of the immigrant and desired to use the Jewish people as the vehicle to reveal Himself to the immigrant.

Now here is a question for us to consider: Is this how we view immigrants? Is this how we talk about immigrants? Is this how we treat immigrants? Do we view, talk and treat immigrants in a way that loves them as we love ourselves? Do we view, talk and treat immigrants in a way that reveals and reflects the love of Jesus to them?

Now a natural question or pushback that could arise here is “Well Dave, the Lord here is talking about legal immigrants, not illegal immigrants”. Surely the Lord isn’t referring to those who violate the laws of a country to enter illegally, is He?” If that question is running through your mind, I just want to let you know that is a fair question to ask. And my response to that question is this: There is no evidence in these verses that the Lord is making a distinction regarding the legal status of an immigrant.

What the Lord is addressing in these passages is how we are to treat our fellow man who bears the thumbprint of God. What the Lord is addressing in these commands is that we are not to wrong, oppress, or persecute immigrants.

However, that leads us to a second question that we need to ask and answer when it comes to understanding what the Lord is communicating here, which is “What exactly is a stranger or an alien? Does the word stranger or alien correspond with how we use the word immigrant in our culture today?”

To answer that question, we again must go to the context of the Jewish people in Egypt. When the Lord uses the phrase “strangers”, or “aliens”, it is important to understand that the Jewish people first immigrated to Egypt to seek relief from a famine that had struck the Middle East. In addition, God, had predicted and proclaimed to Abraham, who was the father of the Jewish nation, that they Jewish people would spend 430 years in Egypt prior to leaving to travel to the Land that the Lord had promised them.

Thus, the Jewish people never intended to become citizens of the nation of Egypt; they were seeking temporary shelter, not permanent settlement. That is why the Lord commanded the Jewish people not to assimilate with the nation of Egypt. The Jewish people’s intention was to stay in Egypt temporarily but to reside in the land that the Lord had promised them permanently.

In addition, the letters that make up the Bible make it clear that a stranger or alien who desired permanent status among the Jewish people was to assimilate to become a part of the Jewish people. The stranger or alien who desired permanent status among the Jewish people was to assimilate in such a way to adopt the culture, laws, and religious practices that made the Jewish people the Jewish people. The stranger or alien who desired permanent status pledged allegiance to live as a part of the Jewish religious, cultural, and political system. The stranger or alien entered the Jewish nation and followed the legal procedures to assimilate into the Jewish nation.

Now this reality leads us to the fifth passage that addresses the issue of immigration and the responsibilities that an individual follower of Jesus and a government has when it comes to the issue of immigration. This passage is a passage that we have already looked at in this series and is found in a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Romans.

Friday, we will examine this passage and its implications on immigration…