 A Good Start
Here we are just one week into the new year. With the challenges that the whole world has faced the last 2 years, many of us are heading into 2022 with a mix of apprehension and anticipation. You may be concerned about what earth shattering or life changing thing will happen next. Certainly, the profound pace of change that we have all experienced recently could lead us to feel a lack of stability. The one thing we do know is that future events are uncertain and things will happen that could not have been planned for or anticipated. However, as we enter this new year we can also have an optimistic outlook. We can have a mindset that focuses on the real possibilities and genuine opportunities that we will encounter in the next 12 months. Something about the changing of the date seems to inspire us to imagine all the changes that we want to make. Obviously, most people do not make all those changes but the new year does seem to signify a fresh start. Even if the circumstances around us haven’t changed it is helpful to put the past in the past and move forward with the things we can do and that God has given us to for Him! Just Start Maybe the new year can serve you by getting you started. What I mean is that often what hinders our progress is nothing but our own procrastination. What we need is to just start. Have you ever wanted to make a change or start something new? You planned and dreamed but you never actually did it because you just never started. Possibly you never started because the timing or the planning or the circumstances were never perfect. Well those things will never be perfect and it is possible for our vision of excellence to keep us from doing what is good and needed. Many people tend to think that if the start isn’t perfect, then they will be destined for failure. But the only thing that has a 100% risk of failure is doing nothing. If we are not engaged in the purposes that God has for us then we have already failed. Do you want to grow closer to the Lord? Then you know you need to read the Bible, but it begins with reading the first page. Do you want to disciple your children? Then it starts with the first night or morning when you read scripture and pray with them. Do you want deep meaningful Christian relationships? Then it starts with gathering regularly with your church and in smaller groups (Sunday school, midweek, etc.) till those connections are formed. The point is that none of these things are automatic if we do not start cultivation our lives toward a God centered culture. Start to Finish First, we need to start, but next, we need to continue. We as God’s people need to keep going in pursuit of God. We need to be straining toward the heavenly goal (Philippians 3:12-16). Paul is so clear that as Christians we need to keep our eyes focused and our lives moving. This is because we are citizens of heaven and not so that we will be citizens of heaven. Paul’s point to the Philippians is that if they are truly in Christ then they will keep going with Christ at the center of our lives. We now belong to Him and so we seek Him! Do you enjoy the sense of accomplishment when a task is completed? Even as I write this I am experiencing that satisfaction of this task being done. But the only way to finish a task is to begin. So let us with eager anticipation get a good start in 2022!
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 Finitude
We are limited creatures. By this I mean that we exist experientially in a state bound to limits of time and space. Everything began at some fixed point in space. Also, our lives span a particular period of human history and experience. While we have language for limitlessness, such as the mathematical concept of infinity, we struggle to truly comprehend space with no boundary or to understand past and future without beginning and ending. As we come to the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, we are probably more acutely aware of the passing of time. Maybe we have goals that we have yet to accomplish or experiences that we do not want to miss out on. As we evaluate our lives, the reality of the brevity of life (James 4:14) and the incomprehensibility of eternity, it is apparent that we are small, creaturely, and finite. Completion Because our nature is so defined by the limits around us, we also are people who seek for completion. When watching a movie or reading a story we expect a satisfactory resolution. Most people enjoy a “happily ever after” only after the conflict has been sufficiently resolved. This is not a flaw or defect coming from the fall but actually the image of God in us seeking for the resolution made necessary by the fall. We know that God has more in store for His people, as well as perfect justice and perfect peace. God is not going to leave His great story unfinished and unresolved. I get so much comfort out of knowing from the promises in God’s word that He is the just judge and He will do what is right (Genesis 18:25). On that day, all will know that He does what is right and no one will be able to say, “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:35). Conclusion As God’s image bearers we were created to live forever. But, because of sin, death became the common experience and fate of the human race. However, the Lord Jesus Christ came to destroy death and release His people from this cruel bondage (Hebrew 2:14-15). This means that even though we were originally created for eternity we also long for this present state to find it’s necessary completion (Romans 8:18-25). We were not meant to live forever in sin! But God will deliver His people and bring us into a future full of hope and promise! Continuation So this means that we will experience the perfect resolution of God’s story but also the continuation of God’s goodness and glory forever. The Lord has promised us (His redeemed people) an everlasting home called the New Heavens and New Earth (2 Peter 3:13). And we are told by Him that this is the place where righteousness dwells, for this is where God dwells forever with His people. He will be our God and we will be His people (Jeremiah 32:38)! Holiday Theme Most of our homes are probably decked with Christmas adornments. There is just something intangible about sitting in a dark living room or den with only the soft glow of the Christmas lights illuminating the night. All the ribbons and bows and snowy globes contribute to the cozy Christmas feeling that surrounds us. These decorations seem to transform our common dwellings into special places ready for fellowship with family and celebration of Christ our King! Humbug However, not everyone enjoys all the frills and festivities. Many well meaning and serious believers consider Christmas a downgrade of theological convictions and compromise with the secular worldly culture. The approach of the puritans was that Christmas was not a Christian holiday at all, but rather a bold example of the blending of compromised, apostate Catholicism with pagan nature cults. The Puritans understood Christmas to be a blatant example of papist excess and frivolity. In many ways that was true. Even the name Christmas does come from Catholic origins referring to the 'Christ mass' that was probably done in the winter to coincide with the winter solstice celebrations of the pagans. There are also many people who are deeply disturbed over the materialism and commercialization of the holiday. Clearly Jesus isn't being honored by the family racking up huge credit card balances to make sure that they are keeping up with the other families on their street or even in their church. So, if there is so much that was historically troubling about Christmas and so much that could be currently concerning, why should Christians bother with it at all? Christmas Tree Lights Among the things that get attacked as pagan and even sinful among most Christmas celebrations is the sinister Christmas tree. This pagan symbol of fertility amongst the death of the dark winter season is considered to be such a clear example of pagan appropriation. However, even if all these historic and cultural assertions are true (which I'm not sure that they are) as Christians we must remember that Jesus is the reigning King. The Lord Jesus came to establish His eternal kingdom for the glory of the one true triune God! So if Jesus is the rightful recipient of all Glory, then that includes the glory of Christmas! So what does this have to do with the Christmas tree? Well the Bible is full of important trees. You will surely remember the forbidden tree (knowledge of good & evil) and the protected tree (life) that we find in the opening chapters of Genesis. The tree of life shows up other times as well in Proverbs but most conspicuously at the end of the Bible in the book of Revelation. But when we look at the Christmas tree maybe as genuine believers we should be reminded of the most important tree, the cross. On this tree Jesus bore the curse for us so that we could enjoy the blessing of His life! So let us rejoice this Christmas because Christ is our King and when we look at that illuminated tree we may be reminded it's about the cross.  Sentimental Season
Christmas is probably one of the most sentimental seasons. This time of year is filled with holiday traditions and family customs. These things build pathways in our brains and leave imprints on our hearts so that most folks are a little more emotional than usual. This can be both good and bad. Every one of us has, to some degree, a mix of positive and negative experiences and emotional triggers attached to the holidays. For this reason we sometimes do not understand why other people, even in the body of Christ, are more or less joyful than we are. But, our joy and hope are really not in the season. Rather, they are in the Son! Suppressed Sorrow Often, our sentimental feelings cause us to focus on external perfections to the point where we do not actually enjoy the fun, family, and festivities of the season. We can become burdened with holiday stress and expectations to the point that our heightened holiday sensitivity is a liability. This is probably the motivation behind the many exhortations that we receive to remember “the reason for the season” and other cliche, albeit true, encouragements. We know that for many this time of year is fraught with despair and depression. I believe that this portion of our year is so polarized because of the reality that the prince of peace has come. This means that those who have experienced that peace are reminded and celebratory. But those who have not experienced that peace are struggling to continue to suppress the reality of their sin and guilt before the one and only holy and righteous God (Romans 1:18). Joyful Hope However, it is also true that this time of year can bring out the joy in us. Even the pressure of our busy schedules can reveal the great joy that resides within us. Jesus told us that out of the abundance of the heart our mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). As we reflect on the incarnation, we should be filled with present peace because of the salvation and forgiveness that Jesus has secured for us (Romans 5:1-11). Also, we should be filled with hope and anticipation because of the promises of completed sanctification and final glorification which awaits every born again believer (Romans 8:12-30). Holiday Spirit As Christians the Apostle Peter says that we are to live with joy that is inexpressible and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8-9). I believe that the Lord would have us with jovial exuberance to enjoy all the bounty of our holiday traditions to the praise of His glorious grace. We are to do everything to His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). So we should see that our celebration and participation in the holiday trappings is a tangible way that we are experiencing the redemption of the world and the creation. Christ is King and so we are free to celebrate our King! The underlying motivation for our feast and festivities shouldn’t be holiday sentiment, but rather the Holy Spirit!  Veneer
The holiday season is truly one of my favorite times of the year. Obviously, this is because of the primary reason for the focus and prominence of the incarnation. Jesus came to save us from our sin! And the reminders are all around us. But I also enjoy all the trappings that come with the Christmas festivities. I like cold weather, Christmas lights, holiday foods, and Christmas music both old and new. However, in the midst of enjoying all of these fun and familiar things we can also be tempted to turn a blind eye to real needs going on around us. The reality is that we do live in a fallen and cursed world. While the message and hope of Christmas is that Jesus has come to rid the world of this curse, we still deal with the lingering reality of the curse all around us. We must allow ourselves to preserve a false feeling of nostalgia or naivete when the reality of suffering and sin are just outside our doors. Unfortunately, often we are able to put these problems out of sight and so keep them out of mind. We may be tempted to construct a narrative where the people who are suffering are simply reaping the fruit of their own choices and so we think they do not deserve help. It may be true that they are suffering the consequences of sin but if we are people who have received grace from God then we ought also to be people eager to extend grace to others who like us are undeserving. In these cases what we are often doing is looking for a way of excusing ourselves from the mess and misery of the hardship caused by sin. Why? Why would we not be more quickly and readily inclined to help? I do not think it is a lack of compassion or desire that keeps Christians from heping in these cases. Rather, the problem is often a lack of a sense of adequacy or competency. What I mean is that we do not know how to help. We genuinely do not know how to actually help them or we don’t think that they would be receptive to what genuine help would look like. Sometimes the problem is that we are overwhelmed by the need. We understand that helping is going to be hard and uncomfortable and messy. On top of all of this is the lack of assurance that we can make lasting change. None of these will serve as sufficient excuses before God, but they do serve as practical excuses that keep us sidelined and ineffective all too often. Sympathy I do not mean that we should leap off into the problems and poverty with people in such a way that we are simply suffering with them. If we do this they are still miserable and we are now miserable with them. Instead, we must be seeking to apply the good news of hope through Christ to their lives as Christ has worked in our lives so that they are the better for the interaction. Instead of jumping in and drowning with them, we must maintain our sure footing so that we can help them! The point is that we must be aware of the need and ready to help. We are on duty! I imagine our role as those who have been saved by God’s grace like that of a person saved by a lifeguard. Since I have been saved I want others who are drowning in the same pool of sin that I was in to also be saved! Shine In Isaiah chapter 9 where we read about the son who is to be given to us, we also read that the people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:2). The point of the passage is that the Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) would however come from Galilee. Now Galilee was the backwaters of Israel, not the place of prominence. But that is the point: the light of Christ was not just for those in Jerusalem but for the nations as well. This applies to us in that we must realize that the good news of Christ is not just for us but for others who are now suffering. They are in great darkness but light has come. Tragedy and trial have struck but hope and salvation are real and available in Christ! But we must be willing to get outside our comfort zone and shine the light that we have been given. This hope is not just a story or a belief, this hope is a person and His name is Jesus! If you are struggling, please reach out to us. We want to help! If you are enjoying the benefits of Christ and His kingdom, I would encourage you to seek to show others the light. This week I am going to include a link to a Christmas song that could also be helpful! (Glory in the Darkiest Place)  Out of Touch
I must admit when it comes to news and politics I am probably more than a little out of touch. I don’t watch or listen to much news. I pick up most of my news from social media and podcasts. With that being said, in this post I am going to refer to a couple of current events. However, I have not researched the events and I am not really dealing with the outcomes. I am dealing with what, I think, should be a uniquely and universally Christian sentiment on these issues. By uniquely I mean that these are not the views that would concern someone with an utterly secular worldview. Issues of conscience concerning the death of image bearers of God (because that is who they are) is unique to the Christian worldview. By using the term universal I mean that these points will be sufficiently broad and biblical so that any dissenting opinion would be unorthodox and unchristian. Rittenhouse Even for someone who is out of touch it would be hard to have missed the controversy surrounding the Kyle Rittenhouse trial and verdict. I, of course, have my opinion about these matters, but for this post I want to focus on something that every Christian should be able to agree on, regardless of your estimation of the individuals involved or of what happened in Kenosha. That central point is this: two image bearers are dead! Regardless of the nature of their crimes and behavior or of Kyle’s guilt or innocence they are dead. Nothing that can be done now can change that fact. Nothing that the court or state or law or an individual can do will change that fact. Because this is the case Christians ought to pray for the family and friends and all those affected by the death of these two individuals. I know nothing at all about them but they were humans and we must pray. Pray is not just the only thing we can do but it is the most powerful and meaningful thing that we can do. But we must not only pray for them but also Kyle Rittenhouse. Once again regardless of your estimation of his innocence or guilt the reality is that he must live with having taken the lives of two people. Even when justified this is not a small thing. Those honorable soldiers and law enforcement officers who have had to take lives to save lives would no doubt relate to us the trauma of being involved in taking, even a guilty, human life. Dobbs V. Jackson I am writing this on December 1, 2021. This the day that our Supreme Court is hearing the oral arguments in a major case dealing with the legality of access to abortion. I want to state clearly that the intentional ending of an unborn human life is murder. The very word “abort” means to stop something that has already begun. From the moment of fertilization the zygote or embryo or fetus or baby (whichever term you want) is a person with its own body and soul and personhood. When we think about justice issues in the realms of race or court proceedings like those involving Kyle Rittenhouse we must take into account the factors of the sinful decisions of human beings to come to a just verdict. But in the case of these precious infants, justice is clear. There is no justice of any kind if those most vulnerable are not valued and protected. As we enter this season when we celebrate Jesus' first advent, remember that Jesus came and lived for us. We often (rightly) emphasize Jesus coming to die in our place on the cross to pay the penalty for sin freeing us from guilt and shame. However, Jesus also came and lived the holy righteous life that we should have lived. The demands of the Law were met with the humble obedience of Christ. Jesus did this so that He would transport that righteousness to our account so that we stand before God with all the merit of Jesus to our credit. Jesus came to live for us. Yet Jesus did die. So Jesus also came to live again for us. The only reason for us to have any hope of a future resurrection is because resurrection life is real. We know this and can experience it because Jesus has been raised from the dead and lives forevermore (Romans 5:6-11). If you have been born again you have experienced a spiritual resurrection (Ephesians 2:1) and you will one day experience a physical resurrection never to die again. The hope of this life is for all those who believe. So Jesus also came to live again for us. Justice for all? Even better, hope and life for all who are in Christ!  Simple
This is the season of Thanksgiving. A time set apart for us to give thanks for all the ways that God has blessed us. But how do we do that? Well, I suppose we could think of it in the simplest terms possible and just say, “Thanks God.” Or we could choose to be more elaborate and dramatic, being sure to use plenty of adjectives and adverbs to color the sentiment, while still communicating a simple thank you message. But maybe there are some steps that you and I could take to help make our giving of thanks to God even more meaningful even if it is still simple. The point is not to multiply the words used but to deepen the understanding of those things for which we are thankful. As the old saying goes it is the thought that counts. Reflection Even if we do not come up with any better words, intentional reflection on our blessings should drive us to prepare our hearts to genuinely express our appreciation to God. This kind of reflection means that we are thinking about the things that have happened in our lives and the gifts that we have received from the hand of God (James 1:17). The purpose of this reflection is to count or recount those blessings. In this way, we are acknowledging the reality of the meaning of those privileges and advantages and receiving them as blessings that were given to us as the kind intention of our great God! Meditation In this step we are not only remembering and recounting the gifts but also thinking deeply about the effects and purposes of those gifts. It is at this point that we may even realize that some things that we had not formerly thought of as positive had a greater purpose to be used for the edification and encouragement of others. In these cases we often cannot know in the middle of the circumstance the glorious purpose and comfort that God intends in the future (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). This is not the worldly idea of emptying our minds but rather we want to fill our minds with God’s word and works so thoughts of God and His grace and goodness are produced and promoted. Here we are considering the riches of God’s sovereign plans and the great depth of His thoughts (Psalm 92). Proclamation When we have taken the time and effort to consider all these ways that God has lavished His goodness and love on us then we should tell it! This is not only Thanksgiving season but also moving into Christmas season. One of my favorite Christmas carols is “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” and that is exactly what we need to do with our Thanksgiving. Yes, of course, we need to tell God thank you in private prayer and private praise but also in public proclamation and corporate worship. LOOK what our God has done! I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving full of faith, family, and fellowship (oh and turkey, lots of turkey!!).  Word
What makes words of any kind powerful? Most of us probably remember that old saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." The thing is, we know that is not true. Words can hurt us. Words can do damage to our emotional well being. They can cause discouragement, despair, and even depression. Words can also do social and theological damage through lies and false teaching. So many of the problems in our world are because of the spreading of false words, fake news, and pseudoscience. Words are really at the core of our lives and our world. Communication is key to everything we do as image bearers of God. Our ability to use language to convey deep and complex issues, beyond the concrete realm, is part of what separates us from what scripture calls the irrational beasts. God is a communicator and He has made us to be communicators. Language is both God’s invention and His tool. This means that words and language are powerful because our sense of self, society, and civilization is built on it. Equality However, are all words of equal power? The answer to this question must be a resounding NO! Not all words are of equal weight and value. As a matter of fact, in many cases the problems mentioned above are because we give undue power to words and ideas that do not deserve it. Not every idea is worthy of consideration. We must discern the value of the content of the words being spoken. Just because the sentences are well structured or the voice is silvery smooth does mean that the concepts are true and sound. Along with the issue of content we must also realize that the source of the words also factors into the value of the statements being made to us. Does this person or entity have authority or competence to speak on the matter at hand? I once read that during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson, he called the residency of economist Ken Galbraith. Galbraith was napping and had instructed his housekeeper to hold all his calls. When Emily Wilson, the housekeeper, answered the phone the President said: "Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson." To which Emily responded: "He is sleeping, Mr. President. He said not to disturb him." To which the President commanded: "Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him." Emily then informed the President: "No, Mr. President. I work for him, not for you.” Ken Galbraith recounting the story says: When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. He said, "tell that woman I want her here in the White House.” (Sumagaysay, 2012) Ms. Emily Wilson understood that the value of the words was vested in the position of authority that the person held. In this case the position was one of employment. However, the position could be one of expertise, honor, esteem, or legal authority. In each of these situations the word carries the weight of the person that gives them. Do you know, trust, and respect the source? Answering these questions is at the foundation of understanding the power of words and communication. Scripture What about God’s word? In Isaiah we are told that God’s word will not return void but will accomplish the purpose that God has for it (Isaiah 55:11). So does this mean that there is some kind of mystical effect that the Word of God has when we read it? The short answer is no. Please let me explain. The Bible is supernatural but not superstitious. The Bible has been given to us through the instrument of language and as such it must be heard, interpreted, and rightly applied. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God through our minds and applies the truth to our hearts. I do not mean that this is simply an intellectual exercise. Scripture must be spiritually appraised (1 Corinthians 2:11-16). This spiritual illumination that the Spirit does in use is through our cognitive abilities. The power of the word of God is in the work that the Holy Spirit does to cause us to understand and receive the things that the natural man cannot understand on our own. Some people, however, believe that the Bible is doing some spiritual battle with the forces of darkness. No doubt the Scripture is our sword when we are engaged in spiritual warfare but again it is not meant to be flung around aimlessly but rather wielded precisely and intentionally for purposes that God has for it. The demons are not frightened by a recording of the Scripture playing in the sanctuary when no one is there or a person mindlessly reading the text without considering and consuming the meaning and the message. The power is absolutely in the word, but the word is a message. Paul said that he was not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. The power of the Bible is in the message of life that it contains. This gospel message tells about the one true and holy God against whom you and I have sinned. And it tells us about the mercy and grace that God has had on hopelessly sinful men and women, meaning us, by sending His own Son the Lord Jesus Christ to live the life of obedience and righteousness that we should have lived, to die the death as the wages of our sin that we should have died, and to be raised on the third day gaining the victory over sin and death so that everyone who turns from their sin and wickedness to trust in Jesus as the perfect Savior and sovereign Lord will have eternal life! This is the power of the Word of God!  Ego
Who am I? This is crucial at the very heart of our human psyche. The question is important because it is about how we perceive and understand ourselves. Most people look to others to help them answer this question. We often look to our family, community, ethnicity, or social groups to help us answer this question. The prominent place that social media has taken in most people’s lives is evidence of this, not only as a trend, but a fundamental reality. But should we be basing our answer to this question on these external factors? I believe that the answer is both yes and no. In the yes column, we need to understand that social motivation is a necessary part of sanity. The idea that a person should just be themselves regardless of what that means to others, individually and corporately, is not only selfish but unsustainable. There are thoughts that you and I have that should not be said. I am not saying that we should seek to be conformists to everything in our culture, for the Apostle Paul said that we should not be conformed to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2). But Paul was not saying that we should throw out all behavioral norms. Instead, he was referring to patterns of sin and worldly philosophies. We have a name for people who genuinely do not care what other people think. They are sociopaths. However, in the no column, the most fundamental answer to this question about ourselves cannot be fully answered by looking to other individuals or groups. We need that community to support us and help us, but we also must know ourselves. Self Deception The first thing that we need to realize is that we can lie to ourselves. We can deceive ourselves into thinking that we are something that we are not. This can happen in at least two ways. We could interpret everything that happens to us and that is done by us in such a way that we believe that we are the consummate hero of our own story. In this scenario, the problem is that we spin the relevant facts to our advantage, in order to protect our inflated self ego. The other way that we can deceive ourselves is more debasing and sinister. We can deceive ourselves by making ourselves the victim in every encounter and the consummate underdog. In this situation, we consider ourselves to be deserving of a better life. This drives so much of the dissatisfaction, depression, and despair that is rampant in our world today. We must become people who are self suspicious enough to guard against our own self deception. Self Awareness This kind of self suspicion is to lead us to be aware of who we really are. Reflection on our lives is not a bad thing unless it becomes a never ending spiral. The point of self reflection is not to just keep navel gazing but to understand what is true about us and our lives so that we can turn our focus away from ourselves to others. We need to search our hearts and know ourselves. But we need help! We need someone who is closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). We need someone who can search our hearts and find everything that needs to be removed from our lives (Psalm 139:23-24). The point is that we need to find ourselves in Christ. We should not define who we are according to the standard of the world around us, but neither should we be defined by what is in us. We must be defined by the one who made us! And it is Him who is remaking into new people (2 Corinthians 5:17). The reality is that we are not personally or collectively at the center of reality or meaning. So our meaning and value is defined by our relationship to the one who is at the center of all things. Since it is the Lord who is the point and focus of all existence and meaning then our lives are about His purposes and His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31)!  Stuff
We live in a material world. Back in the 80’s Madonna boldly confessed that she was a material girl, and she was not the only one. We are people who love our stuff. We spend money we don’t have, to buy things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t know or like. I know that is a bit jaded but physical things can become idols for the very reason that they are so tangible. It is easy to place too much importance on the things that we experience through our five senses to the neglect of things that we can’t see or touch. However, we must also be careful that we as spiritual people do not overreact to this and conclude that the physical world is unimportant. Paul says that we are not meant to be “unclothed” meaning without bodies but rather clothed (2 Corinthians 5:2-4). Jesus has a physical body right now and he always will. Even after the current heavens and earth have passed away God’s word will not pass away (Mark 13:30-31). He will create a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13). Possessions But it is not only our physical bodies that matter, it is also our possessions in this life. The Bible has a lot to say about greed, idolatry, covetousness, and envy. Yet, throughout both the Old and New Testaments, the individual rights of people to possess things and own property is repeatedly upheld. Even in Acts when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and forfeited their lives, Peter states that the land and the proceeds were their own property and under their control (Acts 5:1-12). They did not die for only donating a portion of the sale, but rather for lying about it. Propriety is serious business in the Bible, and when King David is going to sacrifice to God to save the people from the ravages of his own sin, he is not willing to offer to God something that cost him nothing (1 Chronicles 21:18-27). Economy Societally, our economy depends on individuals owning property. I don’t simply mean under the capitalist system that we have in America. Even where socialist or communistic systems have been or are being tried they must allow for some kind of private ownership of something. Imagine if you don't own anything, not even the clothing you are wearing. If every person had an equal right to everything then the tuffiest bully on the playground would have whatever they wanted. In this case, the tuffest bully is the government and you and I would have nothing. To lose the right to have personal possessions and property is to lose freedom. I don’t mean that having things makes you free, but rather that having the right to own things is necessary to true freedom. Ownership I believe that God has ordered our existence in this way so that we can understand that His relationship to all things,especially humanity and the elect, is one not only of love and faithfulness but of sovereignty and ownership. All of humanity belongs to God by way of His right of creation. Inventors own the property rights to the things that they create, and in the same way God has every right to do with His creation as He sees fit. He is the potter and has the right to mold the clay into the vessel He choses (Jeremiah 18:1-12; Romans 9:19-23). However, God also has a special right of ownership of His people. Paul tells the Corinthians to remember that they have been bought at a price and do not belong to themselves (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul also reminds Titus that Christians are a people for Christ’s own possession (Titus 2:11-14). Therefore God has a right to us and a claim on us that is legitimate. We are then responsible before God, as his treasured possession, to live for Him and serve Him with our whole lives. |