Oct 8, 2012

Scriptural Teachings About Money Seldom Heard

Common Sense Commentary: It was because of sin that God decreed it so, that, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread ...." Gen.3:19.  Therefore, every bite of food, every swallow of water, every bit of clothing, heat in winter and cool in summer, every watt of electricity is supplied by someone's sweat, labor, time, talent and treasure.  There is no free lunch.  Somebody pays for it. Either you, your friend, parent, or child pays for it ... or the person you stole the money from, or someone else's taxes pays for it, or some church using member's tithes and offerings, or the restaurant owner, if you sneak out without paying.  But whoever pays for it now, you will, in some other way pay for it yourself  sooner or later, you will ... sweat for it.


When I warn of Socialism, I am agreeing with Jesus and the Apostle Paul.  Jesus rebuked Judas for complaining that the precious ointment poured on Jesus by Mary should have been sold and given to the poor.... "For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. Mk.14:5-7.  Judas was a Socialist.
The Apostle Paul condemned Socialism, some people living off of outer people's labours without paying. "Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you...    For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.    For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.    Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread ....   And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Doesn't apply to disabled people of course.


When I condemn Politicians and the FED for inflationary policies that rob the elderly and savers of the buying power of their savings, I am agreeing with Moses and God about "False Measures"..."Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.  But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God". Deut.35:13-15. Means of measuring things of value. Accurate means of exchange, including constant dollar value.
 

When I recommend diligence and honesty  for financial success and a better quality of life, I am agreeing with Solomon and God... "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich."  Pr.10:4.  
"Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase." Pr.13:11. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Gal.6;7.


When I rebuke corporate CEO's for paying themselves Millions and cheating
employees and stock holders, I am agreeing with Jeremiah and God."Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work."  Jer.22:13*


When I condemn merchandising in God's House, I am agreeing Jesus.... "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,   And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." Matt.21:12-13. Selling stuff, even religious stuff like (doves for sacrifice), ought not be done in God's house.


When I plead for fair treatment of the faithful, elderly poor, I am agreeing with Jesus, when He said of the faithful, elderly poor widow concerning her abuse and poverty..."Beware of the scribes.... Which devour widows' houses.... And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much (those scribes?)..... And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites (the robbed widow?) ... And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury ....For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mk.12:38-44.  It is my opinion that the lawyer robbed widow in v.38 is the same poor widow as in v.40 (in same context) and she was poor because she had been robbed by political lawyers through theft or taxation, and they were rich for that reason ... even as today. You can disagree.  I am reading a bit into it.


When I point out abuse of political authority in misuse and abuse of tax money,
I am agreeing with Jesus when, immediately after He rebuked Judas about his evil
Socialistic intrusion, "Why wasn't this ointment sold and the money given to the poor",  he, Judas, went straight to the highest authorities and sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. "And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.  And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him." Mark 14:10-11.
They had no money to give except what they had gotten from the people. This is clearly an abuse of power and misuse of the money these men were overseers of and whether it is in the church or in government, it is to be challenged.


When I ridicule our government for promising billions of dollars we do not have, I am agreeing with with Jesus when he warned of such foolish and hurtful actions ...."For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him....
Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Luke 14:28-31. 
"Counting the cost" before you build or make war is wisdom.  To do otherwise is foolish and destructive.  U.S. Politicians have laid a foundation of welfare and war upon which there are no funds to "finish it", but they are still hammering the boards to pieces without nails.


When I speak of the illegalities of  Government taxing, I speak in agreement with Jesus.... "Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him
(Jesus) in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth....Tell us therefore.... Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?  But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?    They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Matt.22:15-21. Notice, first, that the religious crowd joined the political authorities in an effort to put Jesus in a corner with his own words. They asked him an insincere, trick question which, if he answered "yes it is legal" he would turn all the jews against Him, and if he answered "No, it is not legal" He would have been in deep trouble with the Roman political powers.  But Jesus turned the tables on them. He knew they were not sincere and were setting Him up either way He answered.  "Show me the money" Jesus said and then asked "whose image (picture) and name are stamped on this coin". His interrogators answered, "That is Caesar's image and name".  To which Jesus responded, "If it has Caesar's image and name on it, it must be His...Give it back to him." In my opinion, Jesus was dealing with these lying hypocrites and Herodians in the same vein as their insincere question, to put them on the defensive, with an answer that neither endorsed nor denied the taxation of an occupying, foreign, power, the Roman Empire.  I can't imagine Jesus saying, "Yes, Roman domination and taxation are LEGAL". Neither can I imagine Jesus saying "No you shouldn't pay taxes to these Roman pagans, and get them all in trouble with Rome.
Does this infer that we, today, should only pay taxes to those whose image and name are on our money?  If so, I will gladly give back to Obama any money which I might have with his picture and name on it.  I also promise to return any currency I might ever possess,  with whoever's picture and name are on it ... the next time I see them,
whether it be George Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson, Grant or Franklin. But I must confess, I pay taxes with those green pictures of dead men to Uncle Sam whose image is on none of it, because I can't write this blog in prison. RB



 


 



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