Pursuing Holiness

With all of the populist rhetoric flying around this election season, there are a few themes worth addressing. The idea that the government providing “universal health care” is the Christian thing to do, for example. The idea that Christians should work to compel the government to solve the problem of poverty, for another. I’m told, “It’s not socialism, it’s social justice.”

In what bible verse can I find Jesus telling his disciples to petition the government to forcibly confiscate other people’s money to heal the sick, feed the poor, or buy a cloak for someone who is cold?

I can understand the desire to “do something” when we see someone suffering. I know about poverty first hand – well, about as much as any American will, because obviously even our poor are abundantly wealthy compared to third world countries. I’ve been cold, hungry, underclothed, dirty, and evicted. I did things to get by that I’m still ashamed of today. Anyone who accuses me of being mean or unsympathetic is way off base. We choose, as a society, to have a welfare system, and I have benefited from it and I have supported it. But don’t ever tell me that taking care of the poor in this way is the Christian thing to do, or that Christians should seek to expand it.

Jesus made it clear that the poor “will be with us always.” We’re not going to ever completely solve the problem of poverty. But in spite of that Jesus gave explicit instructions on what we should do about it. And the result of those instructions is that God is glorified. When Christians cede their responsibility to government, God is NOT glorified. Government is glorified. Voluntarily giving in order to show those in need the love of Christ glorifies God. Forcible income redistribution empowers and glorifies government.

We draw people away from God and teach them to depend on government – and further facilitate the weakening of the Church as we fail to obey Jesus’ instructions with regard to the poor. We don’t just harm the poor, we harm ourselves. When Christians see – instead of poverty and a mission field - our commission taken over by government, we don’t see the results of a lost world to the extent that we should. We fail to grieve over these people and fail to get motivated to do OUR JOBS. Why do our hearts break over people in countries far away, who are just as lost as our countrymen – the ones that God placed in our lives and surely wants us to minister to? We neglect our own mission field because the government tends it for us, but government only addresses the problem we see - and we ignore the eternal issues that go unaddressed. I’m not suggesting that we completely abandon the foreign mission field. I’m saying that because government already does so much of our jobs, we fail to tend to the bigger job that He gave us right here at home. If we did our jobs at home, we would be better able to serve other countries.

The question at the heart of the matter is what, exactly, is our mission? Is it to eradicate poverty and to make this world a better place? Or is it to glorify God and enjoy Him forever? How can we best love our neighbor? By teaching him to rely on government, or on God? It’s not social justice. It’s ungodly socialism.

Added: Wayne Grudem, on why poor nations remain poor and the Christian influence on economies.   And this video documents the amazing effects of capitalism in Africa.  As Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda put it, “What man or nation has ever become rich by holding out a begging bowl?”

written by Laura