The commandment not to steal respects private ownership of goods. God never qualified the commandment with an exception if the person stolen from is wealthy. Therefore neither absolute equality, nor communal living, is the will of God. A measure of equality, as the rich alleviate the plight of the poor, is God’s command, but absolute equality is not.
God’s disallowing of theft, shows that if a man has earned money, that money belongs to him, and he has the right to choose how he spends it. And he should be able to do this with security.
The law against theft also teaches that if God wishes us to have something, He will allow us to obtain it by lawful and just means. If we do not have something, it is because God does not wish us to have it yet. Perhaps this is to give us depth of character or patience. Or perhaps this is to teach us to work harder, or to obey God’s commandments more faithfully. If we steal, instead of learn from God, we will never graduate into heaven.
We go through times of deprivation to teach us the importance of the word of God: he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna . . . that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord . . . Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. (Deut 8:3-5)
The apostle Paul learned not to esteem material things of first importance. He writes: I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Phil 4:12,13)
Although greed is wrong, money and riches are not inherently evil, as there are to be these in the next life (Luke 12:33). The bible allows having riches. Solomon writes: Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. (Prov 24:3,4)
Abraham, our example of faith, was rich. His servant said of him: The Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels and asses. (Gen 24:35)
Job was another example of a good, wealthy man: His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. (Job 1:3) Yet God did not condemn him for his riches. To the contrary: the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? (Job 1:8) Although God allowed Satan to take everything away from Job for a time, the end of the story is that God gives him back twice as much as he lost.
But we should note that Job was not a selfish man. He says: If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof . . . if I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering . . . and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep. (Job 31:16-20) So we see in Job a balanced approach; he knew how to enjoy wealth for himself, but he also recognised his responsibilities to others, which responsibilities I will discuss in another article.
God ordains that under normal circumstances, most of the wealth of the parents go to the children. Solomon writes: A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children. (Prov 13:22) And Moses commanded regarding the distribution of inheritance, that the firstborn should be given: a double portion of all that he hath. (Deut 21:17) And Job left inheritance to his children, not only to his sons, but to his daughters also: their father gave them inheritance. (Job 42:15)
These principles are still valid under the New Covenant. Paul writes: the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. (2 Cor 12:14)
An exception to the general rule that most of the parent’s wealth go to the children, could perhaps be made in the case of extreme wealth, or where the parents accumulated money by neglecting to give adequately during their lifetime.
The way to obtain is not to steal, but to obey God and work diligently: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. (Prov 22:29) It is also written: The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. (Prov 13:4)
Diligence is also required in the preservation of wealth: Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds; For riches are not for ever, and doth the crown endure to every generation? The hay appeareth, and the tender grass showeth itself, and herds of the mountains are gathered. The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. And thou shalt have goats milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance of thy maidens. (Prov 27:23-27) We can pray briefly each day that God will help us to do the work before us, as it is promised: Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. (Prov 16:3)
The opposite of diligence is slothfulness, which is a form of theft if we are being paid. Rather than be slothful: whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Col 3:23) So it is not only in evangelism that we serve the Lord. And whether or not our labour is adequately rewarded in this life (and I think it usually will be,) we will be rewarded in the next life with a heavenly inheritance. I am not saying that a Christian must make up for others’ sloth. He must only do his duty as agreed with his employer. This does not mean hard rigour, but rather the best job he can comfortably do.
Jacob is an example of God’s rewarding of His servants for their labour, allowing no man to defraud them. Jacob worked for Laban, who deceived him and tried to defraud him. But God took away Laban’s wealth and gave it to Jacob (Gen 31:1) How? Whatever colour cattle were to be Jacob’s wages, God made the cattle bear. Why? God said to Jacob: I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. (Gen 31:12) And Jacob said: God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands. (Gen 31:42)
When we work diligently, we are benefiting mankind. The garbage collector is as important to public health as the doctor is. Therefore we can have a sense of satisfaction knowing that we are earning our bread usefully.
God has ordained that Christian workers serving God, be supported financially, so that: they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. (1 Cor 9:14) But for others the will of God is that they seek secular employment. Paul even commanded that: if any would not work, neither should he eat. (2 Thess 3:10) The Old Testament says the same: The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. (Prov 20:4)
Although we can have more rest when there is not much work needed, when there is work: He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. (Prov 10:5)
It is wise to prepare for the future by hard work and saving, as we learn from the ant: Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gatherest her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as a prowler, and thy want as an armed man. (Prov 6:6-11)
Proverbs are sayings that are generally true, although not absolutely.
If God has infinite resources, it cannot be a sin for us to enjoy some of those resources, provided we do not squander excessively upon ourselves. Making a vow of poverty is like saying God only has limited resources, so I will help Him by going without. Although there are times when God may call upon us to make a sacrifice by going without, in general what we do is more important than what we do without.
Agur prayed: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. (Prov 30:8,9) God knows what is best for each of us, and for most, this is neither poverty nor riches.
But James says: ye have not because ye ask not. (James 4:2) God our Father will provide for us if we pray. Jesus said: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matt 7:11) In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus teaches us to ask our Father in heaven, not for millions of dollars, but only for necessities such as our daily bread. But God will give all that is necessary to satisfy our soul, if we are good: the desire of the righteous shall be granted. (Prov 10:24)
We have the promise: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:14) This promise has both temporal and eternal aspects. Temporally, Abraham was blessed, as we saw, with silver and gold and cattle. The degree to which we experience aspects of this blessing, will depend upon our faith and obedience, although not all faithful Christians will become rich.
God promised to lead the children of Israel to pleasant pastures if they were careful to be obedient to Him. If so, God said: Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it. (Deut 15:4) And God promised: if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God . . . the Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou setteth thine hand unto. (Deut 28:1,8) And Solomon says: By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour and life. (Prov 22:4)
Some Christians dispute whether these Old Testament promises are relevant under the New Covenant. But God has not changed since the Old Testament was written. He says: I am the Lord, I change not. (Mal 3:6) Nor has Jesus Christ changed: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Heb 13:8) If God wished His people to enjoy blessings under the Old Covenant, it is logical that He will wish Christians to enjoy blessings under the New Covenant.
Where possible, we should seek interpretations of doctrines that unify the bible, rather than those which treat the Old Testament as irrelevant. God’s word is eternal; the Psalmist saying: Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89)
Jesus promised under the New Covenant, that if we seek: first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things (food and clothing) shall be added unto you. (Matt 6:33) Peter also promised blessings for goodness, saying: he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil. (1 Peter 3:10)
And Jesus promised to those who forsake what God does not want them to have, that they: shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses . . . and fields. (Mark 10:30) I do not know how literally to take this promise. But certainly it is a promise of great blessing to the faithful and tried.
But those disciples who inherit greater reward, must often be proved through poverty, before, later in this life, or in the next life (remember Lazarus), receiving the blessing. Jesus said to one who wished to be a disciple: the son of man hath not where to lay his head.
When you are blessed, you should: remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. (Deut 8:18) But there is a temptation to think that as we have so much, we can look after ourselves, and can forget about God. God warns about this error, saying: When thou hast eaten and art full . . . beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgements, and his statutes . . . lest . . . thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. (Deut 8:10-17) Forgetting about God could mean neglecting to go to church, read the bible and pray, or it could mean sinning in other ways, such as being selfish with the utilisation of the blessings.
The preceding argument applies to riches given by God. But if a person tries to become rich by wrong means, there is an additional danger. They may gain the means to obtain pleasure, but the Lord Jesus will not shepherd them and lead them to safe pastures where such pleasures can be safely enjoyed. Instead the Devil will surround them with forbidden fruit: they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts. which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Tim 6:9,10)
But if our money is righteously obtained and possessed, we do not fall into this type of temptation. Contrarily: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. (Prov 10:22)
So we see a contrast between riches given by God, and those given by Satan. Those given by God may be safely enjoyed in the pastures to which God brings us, provided that we do not forget God. But riches given by Satan are associated with many evil temptations and snares, which the Devil will bring.