We are coming down to the last few principles in this series. Today’s principle builds on those discussed in the previous articles. It concerns the role of wealth within society. We’ll see that it doesn’t matter how much wealth we have; the only essential thing is what we do with it.
We’ve previously seen Biblical principled societies put self-sacrifice over self-interest.[1] They place stewardship above ownership. There are several reasons why this is so, and we see them at our country’s founding. First, Biblical principled societies recognize a common set of rights that all share. Second, they hold a shared commitment to the common good. Our first institutions including; schools, hospitals, and libraries were all created by individuals wanting to give back to society. Look it up. Third, they recognize our rights come from God, and we have a duty to care for our fellow man. Because everything belongs to God, and He’s asked us to learn how to properly use them while we are here. Within Biblical principled societies,
Wealth’s purpose is supporting the common good.
Government’s Purpose …
To see this, we’re going to look briefly at governance. Thomas Aquinas made a distinction between divine and human governance. Divine governance is supreme; human governance’s purpose is to secure the common good by instilling virtue within its citizens. It does this through enacting law reflecting our natural rights. Further, the church is to teach society what these natural rights are, and it is parent’s responsibility to teach their children by modeling them. Bear in mind this was all written over seven hundred years ago.
For we observe among beings of nature that what is best comes to pass either always or most of the time. This would not be the case were not there some providence guiding such beings to an end, the good. Such guidance is what government means…. Now the highest perfection of any being consists in the attaining of its end. Hence it is appropriate to God’s goodness that, as he has brought things into being, he also guides them towards their end. This is what governing them means.[2]
We gain a good in many ways. One is by its becoming a quality inhering in us…. A second is by the good’s being something produced by us…. A third way is by the good’s being held or owned by us.[3]
The Law excluded no race from the worship of God and from whatever conduced to the salvation of the soul.[4] Note this difference, however, that what creatures receive from God constitutes their natures; what a man imposes artificially on the beings of nature is a coercion.[5]
What comes from God comprises our very nature—who we all are. Human governance at best only builds upon that foundation.
… and Its Structure
So what does this governance look like?
There are two things to be observed concerning the right ordering of rulers in a state or people. One is that all should have some share in government; this makes for peace among the people, and commends itself to all…. The other regards the kind of government, or how the rulers are instituted. There are various kinds of regimen … but the principal ones are monarchy, in which one man rules as specially qualified, and aristocracy, that is the rule of the best…. Hence the best system in any state or kingdom is one in which one man, as specially qualified, rules over all, and under him are others governing as having special endowments, yet all have a share inasmuch as those are elected from all, and also are elected by all. This is the best form of constitution, a mixture of monarchy, in that one man is at the head, or aristocracy, in that many rule as specially qualified, and democracy, in that the rulers can be chosen from the people and by them. This was the form established by divine law.[6]
Wealth’s Biblical Basis
So what does all this have to do with wealth? Good question. It comes down to charity and stewardship. The latter being what we do, and the first why we do it. These come from the Bible. Within the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:9-10)
So what does heaven look like? Within God’s kingdom, we will know no want or sorrow. (Isa. 62:8-9, Isa. 51:11-12) In fact, the city’s foundation is decorated with every type of precious stone. (Rev. 21:19-21) There is no poverty in heaven.
The proverb of the talents is a test of prosperity. (Matt. 25:14-30) Will we each choose to use what we have in a way that produces more; or will we simply hoard, squander, and consume it? In other words, will we use it to increase God’s kingdom by caring for others? This test goes beyond money. It concerns every ability, talent, skill, and resource we’ve been blessed with. After all, they all came from God. We are to use them to assist those in need. Money is just a tool. It is the love of it that is evil. (Matt. 6:24)
Clement of Alexandria knew this in the second century; it comes from learning who we are. Understanding our true identity. “It is then, as appears, the greatest of all lessons to know one’s self. For if one knows himself, he will know God; and knowing God, he will be made like God, not by wearing gold or long robes, but by well doing, and by requiring as few things as possible.”[7] This is the man of great wealth.
A Lesson for Today
Why am I going through this? Today, the world seems like it’s upside down. What is good is called evil, and what is evil is called good. Make no mistake, those embracing such ideas will not succeed. (Isa. 5:20) But when I consider the preceding passages, it is clear as a country we’ve strayed far from this series’ principles. What we are seeing today is the result of doing so.
What I am about to say is not aimed at our small businesses. They are an integral part of our communities. It is also not aimed at employees, who are just trying to make a living and care for their families. Instead, it is aimed at those who see themselves as the elite. The globalists, corporatists, their flunkies within the governmental deep state, the CCCP, media, and entertainers who buy into that culture. They’ve committed themselves to evil.
They’ve also all failed the prosperity test. There is a time yet to repent and change; soon that time will pass if it is not already closed. We are living in the day of Revelation 12. The woman is Israel; the child is the Church. I believe we are entering a great awakening, a return to the first century for the church. God has already won (Rev.12:10)
Those supporting the economic lockdowns, mask use, gene therapies, drug trade, human trafficking, adrenochrome production, and legislation contrary to God’s commands and values are guilty of crimes against humanity. Justice will roll at every level. It is truly right and fitting.
The Evidence
Are there any big businesses not preaching today that diversity is our strength? That do not follow the gospel of critical theory and social justice? It is their religion. They are wrong. Unity is our strength in both ideas and sense of purpose. The only true justice is God’s. There is no God within critical theory’s framework. These people are slaves.
They try to divide us by whether we comply with their silly mandates such as the lockdowns, masks, and taking experimental gene therapies as vaccines. These actions are illegitimate, immoral, and illegal. Business tries to deflect by taking a page from the deep state playbook. They simply hire someone else to implement what they want so they do not appear responsible. News flash. It is the action that is evil, regardless of who performs it, and they are responsible.
The reality is they need every one of us, and we don’t need a damn one of them. They’ve forgotten who serves, and it is those proclaiming to be the elite. They’ve tried to influence legislation and policy. As it backfires, they now want to seek “common ground.” There is no common ground with evil. We must use our purpose to act and remind these businesses of their purpose. They cannot divide us if we do not let them. Their time is up.
I believe we are entering a time unlike any in human history. We have the opportunity to see and know God in a very special way. Our focus on God, truth, unity, and related actions are the means. The battle in the heavens has been won; the battle for the earth begun. God’s already won; Satan has lost.
Footnotes:
[1] Wolf, Dan, Whose Charity—Man’s or God’s, Virginia Christian Alliance, 4/11/2021, https://vachristian.org/whose-charity-mans-or-gods/.
Wolf, Dan, What Do We Own?, Virginia Christian Alliance, 4/9/2021, https://vachristian.org/whose-charity-mans-or-gods/.
[2] Aquinas, St. Thomas, Summa Theologicae, Vol. 14, pp. 5-7, McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. 1970. Part 1a, 103, 1.
[3] Ibid, Vol. 14, p. 11, 1a, 103, 2.
[4] Ibid, Vol. 29, p. 299, 1a2ae, 105, 3.
[5] Ibid, Vol. 14, pp. 7-9, 1a, 103, 1.
[6] Ibid, Vol. 29, p. 269, 1a2ae, 105, 1.
[7] Rev. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Fathers of the Second Century: Hermas, Tatian, Athenagora, Theophilus, and Clement of Alexandria (Entire), Vol. 2, p. 271, Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1989. Paedagogus, III, I.
