Reading: Christianity's Economic Impact (Slides)

Odd-seeming outcome

• Jesus had no property, loved the poor, and warned against loving money.
• Many great Christians have been poor.
• Prosperity gospel is false. Following Jesus does not guarantee financial prosperity.
• Christianity strengthened economic life and made many persons and nations richer.

Producing Prosperity
How did Christianity produce prosperity in many places where it spread? Here are eight areas of impact which aid economic health.

• Private property
• Worthwhile work
• Stewardship & calling
• Personal responsibility
• Moral capital
• Strong families
• Staying sober
• Positive outlook

Private Property

• “You shall not steal.”  “You shall not covet.”
• “The theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property.” (Marx and Engels)
• Socialism says, “What’s yours in mine” and takes it by government force.
• Christian generosity says, “What’s mine is yours” and gives it in Christian love.

Property is the fruit of labor... property is desirable… it is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built. (Abraham Lincoln)

Worthwhile Work

1. Work is dignified and honorable.
Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys. (Proverbs 18:9)
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men... You are serving the Lord Christ. (Col 3:23-24).

2. Work is valuable and deserves fair pay.
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you… The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. (James 5:1-6)

Stewardship and calling

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

What seem to be secular works are actually the praise of God. (Luther)

Every individual’s way of life is, as it were, a position assigned to him by the Lord. (Calvin)

Masks of God
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. (Ps 145:16)
God milks cows through the vocation of the milk maids… These are the masks of God, behind which he wants to remain concealed and do all things. (Luther)

Personal responsibility

1. No laziness
The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. (Proverbs 13:4)
Mind your own business, and work with your hands … so that you will not be dependent on anybody. (1 Thess 4:11-12).
If a man will not work, he shall not eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

2. No exploitation
Woe to you who … join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land. (Isaiah 5:8)
You do as you please and exploit all your workers… If you do away with the yoke of oppression… and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness. (Isaiah 58:3-10)

3. If prosperous, be generous
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed… A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him. (Proverbs 11:25; 28:22)
No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. (Acts 4:32)

Moral capital

You must have accurate and honest weights and measures. (Deut 25:15)

Unequal weights and unequal measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord. (Proverbs 20:10)

• Widespread dishonesty and distrust destroy economy. Corruption is ruinous.
• Trustworthiness and transparency enable economic activity to grow and flourish.

Strong families

In North America, you usually just need to do three things to avoid long-term poverty:

• Finish high school.
• Marry before having a child.
• Marry after age 20.

Of those who do all three, 8% are poor.
Of those who don’t, 79% are poor.
Christianity strengthens family and literacy.

Staying sober

Drug abuse and drunkenness lead to loss of employment, squandering of income, and wider economic decay.

The drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty. (Proverbs 23:21)

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

Positive outlook

Wealth and riches are in his house… He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. (Ps 112)

Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Cor 15:58)

Positive people tend to prosper.

Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus … Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)

Producing Prosperity

• Private property
• Worthwhile work
• Stewardship & calling
• Personal responsibility
• Moral capital
• Strong families
• Staying sober
• Positive outlook

God in all of life

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1)

The whole world could be filled with the service of God—not just the churches, but the home, the kitchen, the cellar, the workshop and the fields. (Luther)

Capitalist or socialist?

• Like a capitalist, work hard, develop creation’s resources, and expand wealth for everyone.
• Like a socialist, uphold fairness for workers and oppose policies that exploit workers and harm the poor.
• Avoid greed and envy. Focus on God.

Put God above economy

When you prosper, you may be tempted to forget God. Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. (Deuteronomy 8)

Store up treasure in heaven, not on earth… Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

Sharing like Jesus

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich… At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality. (1 Corinthians 8:9, 14)

Rich in sharing

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoy-ment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. (1 Tim 6:17-18)

He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. (Ephesians 4:28)

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. (Acts 2:44-45)