Original material will be forthcoming this weekend, but I wanted to consolidate the topic to this site.
We know the present reality in which we live! We should be living as if our actions are meant to shape the universe we live in, because they are! How many of us know for example that biblical law not only limits the size of the government but the size of the church as well!!
Many American Christians feel that scripture always justifies their position. Many used scripture as justification for slavery while others claimed slavery was always unbiblical, although scripture speaks of definite laws regarding slavery and the stealing of men. This will not be the volume to defend or attack those positions, I merely point out the ways in which Christians use scripture to justify their own views. The same has been seen throughout history in various political debates concerning economics. Some claim scripture teaches unfettered capitalism. Some feel scripture teaches unfettered communism. Both are to be disappointed with this exegesis of the actual economics of scripture. Capitalism is to be bound by biblical mandates which do limit profits in some cases and provide for those in need in a much more aggressive way than straight capitalism. Communism is in its essence theft and is not amenable to a biblical economics, although the spirit of providing for the lesser among us is contained within scriptural economics. Exploration of biblical economics is both fascinating and convicting.
Sabbath Years and the year of jubilee are the basis of a biblical economic system. Inflationary systems, communism, socialism, and Keynesian all have one thing in common, the maximization of distribution to their chosen class. Biblical economics has one goal, the eternal sustainable dominion of man over the earth for his own benefit. Many Christians deny environmental concerns based on the dominion mandate. This misses half of the biblical model. Other Christians deny the dominion covenant in the attempt to reach sustainability through environmental fiat. Ignoring either half of the biblical purpose only leads or tyranny and exploitation, and an increasing reduction of the number of people the land is able to sustain. The earth was created to sustain man and provide him wealth, if ti is treated as god has demanded. We will need to explore what this means in terms of sustainable use of the earth, a great deal of this is based on the principles of sabbath and jubilee as taught in scripture. We will also need to explore what dominion means, as taught in scripture. Finally, we will need to explore what God’s law and economic policies do in provision for the poor and alien in our midst. As we are now in the New Jerusalem, we are to finally be practicing the economics as laid out in scripture. Even Israel failed to follow God fully in this regard. Preterism means not that we shed the principles of biblical economics, but that our world is finally the first place where it can be put into its full and final form.
I have been contemplating the way Christians live in America today. It seems to me they are much more concerned with getting the latest Republican candidate elected than worrying about whether that candidate will actually uphold scripture in his/her governance. We are so set on winning little battles we have lost the war for our culture and the future.
Now I can excuse the futurists somewhat. I mean heck, if the world is going to end or God is going to miraculously transform the world into a perfect place to live instantly, why make an effort? What’s the point. The dispy adage about polishing brass on a sinking ship is true, if you are a futurist. Working for cultural transformation, biblical economics, biblical justice and Godly government are futile from the futurist perspective. But I cannot excuse preterists.
