Pastor’s Post #32: “YOUR WEALTH IN GOD’S WORLD(10/21/’17)

 

Part of my teenage pilgrimage in the turbulent 1960s included a flirtation with communism.  I was particularly attracted to its view of the progress of history toward an economic utopia of  “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.”  (I learned later that this – like all utopias crafted by human imagination – was actually a counterfeit of the Christian doctrine of New Heavens and New Earth.  Utopia will only come after Christ’s return.)   My flirtation cooled as I came to the realization that no communistic utopia in human history has ever worked.  Something was wrong with that system.

After my conversion in 1970, I began re-thinking my – for want of a better term – “worldview”.  And, with respect to economics, I was struck by the fact that the 8th of the 10 commandments – You shall not steal necessarily assumed private property.   You can’t “steal” something unless that “something” is rightly owned by someone else.  And communism – at least theoretically – is no friend of the concept of private property.            Now, while you read the Holy Spirit-inspired account of the first generation of the Christian Church – the Bible book of Acts – you’ll find a couple of instances of the early Christian believers “selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” – this was hardly enforced communism.  It was the spontaneous outflow of generosity by those who realized they had a new family in Christ – and they helped one another even as we help our biological family members when they’re in need.  Later in the same book of the Bible, Ananias (who lied about his supposed generosity) was told by the Apostle Peter: “While (your property) remained unsold, did it not remain your own?   And after it was sold, were not (the proceeds) at your disposal?”   God is hardly against private property!

And – throughout the Bible -God has a lot to say about economics.   How many of Jesus’ parables make use of images of wealth, work, and investments:  Treasure hidden in a field.  A pearl of great price.  Wise and foolish builders.  Debtors. Shrewd money managers. A lost coin.  And don’t forget the warnings in the rich fool (who trusts in his riches) and the rich man who sought only the good things of this life.   Money is not a root of all kinds of evil.  But the love of money is.

The apostle Paul twice uses the language of investments and the market place when he tells us to redeem the time– literally, “to make market of the time”: to use time to bring eternal profit – because the days are evil.

And, when you read it with economic things in view, the Old Testament is full of illustrations.  Tending a garden.  The development of trades.  Purchasing fields.  Purchasing gravesites!  Property inheritance for families. Making provision for the poor.  Assistance to those of the covenant people – and to others.  This is the “stuff” of life – and that “stuff” teems in the Word of God – words that speaks to us in our real worlds.

But it’s in the Bible book of Proverbs that we are given lesson after lesson about wealth:

  • We should prefer wisdom more than gold and silver. The one who trusts his riches will fall.  And righteousness –not riches – deliver from death.  BUT:
  • The hand of the diligent makes rich.
  • The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.
  • One who gathers by labor increases wealth.
  • The righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
  • A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.
  • And many others….

            What does the Word of God say about economics – or what we often call “stewardship”?   While Jesus very clearly tells us: You cannot serve God and money – money is still a servant to fulfill many of God’s purposes in the world.   In fact, the apostle Paul very boldly says that the rich in this present age (and that includes most – if not all – of you who have the luxury of listening to this program through various means) – the rich of this present age are not to be haughty or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather are to set their hopes on God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.   With our riches, we are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for ourselves) as a good foundation for the future so that we may take hold of that which is truly life. 

God isn’t against investments.  He’s against bad investments!

Our topic on today’s Visit to the Pastor’s Study is one that I know will interest all of you:  Your Wealth in God’s World.

            My guest today is – to say the least – well-equipped talk about the Bible and economics.  David L. Bahnsen is a Certified Financial Planner and a Certified Investment Management Analyst.  He is founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Investment Officer of The Bahnsen Group – a bi-coastal private wealth management firm with offices in Newport Beach, CA and New York City.   Managing over $1.1 billion in client assets, David has been named as one of Barrons America’s top 1200 Advisors, as well as Forbes top 250 Advisors, and Financial Times top 300 Advisors in America. He is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business, and is a regular contributor to National Review and World magazine.  Among other leadership roles that David has, he’s also Senior Fellow of Economics for the Center for Cultural Leadership, and is a long-time faculty member for both the Acton Institute and the Blackstone Fellowship of the Alliance Defending Freedom.  David is passionate about the relationship of faith and economics, and he has lectured and written for years about a theology of wealth and the marketplace.

And that’s just what today’s program is all about:  Your Wealth in God’s World.

 

Here’s a link to the full program: Pastor’s Post #32: “YOUR WEALTH IN GOD’S WORLD” (10/21/’17)

Part of my teenage pilgrimage in the turbulent 1960s included a flirtation with communism. I was particularly attracted to its view of the progress of history toward an economic utopia of “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” (I learned later that this – like all utopias crafted by human imagination – was actually a counterfeit of the Christian doctrine of New Heavens and New Earth. Utopia will only come after Christ’s return.) My flirtation cooled as I came to the realization that no communistic utopia in human history has ever worked. Something was wrong with that system.
After my conversion in 1970, I began re-thinking my – for want of a better term – “worldview”. And, with respect to economics, I was struck by the fact that the 8th of the 10 commandments – You shall not steal necessarily assumed private property. You can’t “steal” something unless that “something” is rightly owned by someone else. And communism – at least theoretically – is no friend of the concept of private property. Now, while you read the Holy Spirit-inspired account of the first generation of the Christian Church – the Bible book of Acts – you’ll find a couple of instances of the early Christian believers “selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” – this was hardly enforced communism. It was the spontaneous outflow of generosity by those who realized they had a new family in Christ – and they helped one another even as we help our biological family members when they’re in need. Later in the same book of the Bible, Ananias (who lied about his supposed generosity) was told by the Apostle Peter: “While (your property) remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not (the proceeds) at your disposal?” God is hardly against private property!
And – throughout the Bible -God has a lot to say about economics. How many of Jesus’ parables make use of images of wealth, work, and investments: Treasure hidden in a field. A pearl of great price. Wise and foolish builders. Debtors. Shrewd money managers. A lost coin. And don’t forget the warnings in the rich fool (who trusts in his riches) and the rich man who sought only the good things of this life. Money is not a root of all kinds of evil. But the love of money is.
The apostle Paul twice uses the language of investments and the market place when he tells us to redeem the time– literally, “to make market of the time”: to use time to bring eternal profit – because the days are evil.
And, when you read it with economic things in view, the Old Testament is full of illustrations. Tending a garden. The development of trades. Purchasing fields. Purchasing gravesites! Property inheritance for families. Making provision for the poor. Assistance to those of the covenant people – and to others. This is the “stuff” of life – and that “stuff” teems in the Word of God – words that speaks to us in our real worlds.
But it’s in the Bible book of Proverbs that we are given lesson after lesson about wealth:
• We should prefer wisdom more than gold and silver. The one who trusts his riches will fall. And righteousness –not riches – deliver from death. BUT:
• The hand of the diligent makes rich.
• The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.
• One who gathers by labor increases wealth.
• The righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
• A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.
• And many others….
What does the Word of God say about economics – or what we often call “stewardship”? While Jesus very clearly tells us: You cannot serve God and money – money is still a servant to fulfill many of God’s purposes in the world. In fact, the apostle Paul very boldly says that the rich in this present age (and that includes most – if not all – of you who have the luxury of listening to this program through various means) – the rich of this present age are not to be haughty or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather are to set their hopes on God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. With our riches, we are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for ourselves) as a good foundation for the future so that we may take hold of that which is truly life.
God isn’t against investments. He’s against bad investments!
Our topic on today’s Visit to the Pastor’s Study is one that I know will interest all of you: Your Wealth in God’s World.
My guest today is – to say the least – well-equipped talk about the Bible and economics. David L. Bahnsen is a Certified Financial Planner and a Certified Investment Management Analyst. He is founder, Managing Partner, and Chief Investment Officer of The Bahnsen Group – a bi-coastal private wealth management firm with offices in Newport Beach, CA and New York City. Managing over $1.1 billion in client assets, David has been named as one of Barrons America’s top 1200 Advisors, as well as Forbes top 250 Advisors, and Financial Times top 300 Advisors in America. He is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, and Fox Business, and is a regular contributor to National Review and World magazine. Among other leadership roles that David has, he’s also Senior Fellow of Economics for the Center for Cultural Leadership, and is a long-time faculty member for both the Acton Institute and the Blackstone Fellowship of the Alliance Defending Freedom. David is passionate about the relationship of faith and economics, and he has lectured and written for years about a theology of wealth and the marketplace.
And that’s just what today’s program is all about: Your Wealth in God’s World.

Here’s a link to the full program:

Yours in the King of Kings,
Pastor Bill

Yours in the King of Kings,

Pastor Bill