Spreadin’ the Wealth Exodus: 20:17; 22:14; 23:6

Spreadin’ the Wealth

Exodus: 20:17; 22:14; 23:6

The World of the ReligiousLeft

• The Old Testament is key for them to argue for a socialistic form of government and economy.

• “Justice” is the key word.

• “Fair or Fair Share” are other words they use.

The World of the ReligiousLeft

• In their minds “God is on the side of the poor”

• The rich have gotten rich by “exploiting” the poor.

• Or they have used the resources of society that belong to everyone, as they see it

The World of the ReligiousLeft

• This comes through in phrases like “you didn’t build that”

• To be right with God, one has to be on the right side (i.e. liberating the poor from their oppressors)

What Shall We Say To These Things?

1. Property is Personal

• The government does not own us

• The government does not own what we have

What Shall We Say To These Things?

• Exodus 20:17 prohibits stealing or coveting

• Dt. 19:14 calls for property boundaries to be observed

• We are warned about the intrusive power of government (1 Sam. 8:10-18)

What Shall We Say To These Things?

1. Property is Personal

– Marxism’s summation: “the abolition of private property”

– Socialists may not go that far, but they see government as the arbiter to the distribution of society’s resources. They are in the same family

What Shall We Say To These Things?

2. Justice—A Slippery Word

– Liberals use the word “justice” in ways the Bible does not.

– The Bible calls for “commercial justice” and “remedial justice”

What Shall We Say To These Things?

2. Justice—A Slippery Word

– The Bible does not call for “distributive justice”

– Liberals wrongly equate justice with equality of outcomes

What Shall We Say To These Things?

3. The Poor and the Helpless

– The Bible does call for us to look out for the truly poor and helpless. (Gal. 6:2; 1 John 3:17)

– It places the responsibility on the shoulders of individuals

What Shall We Say To These Things?

3. The Poor and the Helpless

– Government should provide a safety net and provide for general welfare

– That is a far cry from redistributive “justice”

What Shall We Say To These Things?

• Where government does help it must

– Not promote indolence (2 Thess. 3:10)

– Not breed envy and cause people to sin.