As we speak, many corners of the American Christian church, particularly the main line denominational churches are enduring huge convulsions among their ranks. Apparently the leadership of a great many of these churches have decided that Karl Marx (the atheist) was closer to biblical truth regarding economics and society than plain and obvious principles found in both the old and new testaments regarding every issue that can be applied to economics. There is so much to discuss, in fact, regarding the overwhelming evidence that God's plan was for something we would recognize as a free market economic system that I could not even give this subject justice in one post let alone twenty of them. Free market economics is one of my great passions and I’m going to try to scratch the surface with a discussion regarding the Ten Commandments, the covenant and what that means in regard to economics. Just this past year President Obama invoked the Ten Commandments in his defense of the Marxist “health care reform bill” (you know the one legislators don’t bother to read because you would need three lawyers just to understand it). The president went so far as to say the bible teaches that we are to “be our brother’s keeper”. I’m guessing he is referring to Cain’s response to God after murdering his brother, but I still don’t understand what that has to do with my PPO, but I digress.
To understand the significance of the Ten Commandments, you first must take a look at the principles of covenant. God first cut a covenant with Abraham when he made the promise that he would give him a piece of land, he would subdue it and his descendents would become a great nation. After numerous generations God’s people became enslaved by Egypt primarily due their disobedience to his original covenant with Abraham. God intended to deliver his people from the bondage they found themselves in but he first needed to establish some prerequisites. The first principle God established for the slaves at first, and later the free nation was that they are a chosen people, called apart to be different than the other nations in general and from Egypt in particular. Just as a point of reference, Egypt was a totalitarian society where people were not allowed to own private property as everything that was produced belonged to the gods and privileges reserved for a few of the connected were granted at the discretion of the pharaoh. Not only was Pharaoh the political leader but he was exalted as a god. Jehovah God made clear that he was the only God they were to have and that his laws were the final authority on all matters. God made clear that what made his people great was adherence to his ways and not the idolatrous form of nationalism practiced by the Egyptians. The first and most fundamental principle of capitalism (capital accumulation) is that of private property. God promised the Israelites that he would return to them the Promised Land and they were to subdue it. When the people would ultimately return a generation later, the people occupied the land and staked out claims; stewardship was the overriding principle that guided them. Stewardship in short, is maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of what you have been blessed with.
“Thou Shalt Not Covet” (I had to use King James English for effect). This might seem like an obvious statement but indulge me for a moment and think about covetousness. God said do not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor. This has many really obvious implications; primarily that God intended private ownership. What does this have to do with modern progressivism? I would say making young people pay for health insurance for the sole purpose of subsidizing health care for other people qualifies as covetousness, let alone theft. Oh yeah that’s another one of the Ten Commandments too isn’t it?
fides quaerens intellectum
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