Does the Old Testament teach anything on economic matters like ownership and property? Kaiser examines the case some have made for a duality of the material and spiritual world. He then examines themes related to property, theft, land, and Jubilee. The stewardship responsibilities attributed to human beings are noted.
Kaiser summarizes what the Torah and Wisdom Literature teach on poverty and riches.
This article shows that minimum wage law hurts the poor it seeks to help, it takes away their freedom to create their own work or get work themselves, and it is against the biblical principle of charity. Therefore, it should not be embraced by Christians as a way of alleviating poverty.
To the Reformers all labour was accepted as a calling and performed as unto the Lord. This article maps the path that led the church to embrace the dualistic view of life and forget the implications of the priesthood of all believers. It shows that embracing the call to follow Christ is foundational to understand the theology of work. This is how the church can recover the biblical truth of vocation.
Tracing the development of government through the Bible, this article shows that the government must be limited in its reach. This limitedness is due to the fall and the reality that all authority belongs to God.
Every action of humans is directed towards happiness and flourishing. Looking at key biblical words, this article shows that true flourishing and well-being can be found only in relationship with God and through alignment with his kingdom. The concepts of peace, blessedness, and completeness point to this conclusion.
This article shows the impact that Matthew 19:16-26, Luke 12:33, and Luke 14:33 have on personal wealth and charity. It shows this by looking at how the church in history interacted with these texts, and what Jesus meant by them, and then it draws implication for the church today.
The Bible teaches a minimalist view of government. To show this, this article evaluates three worldviews and their impact of the role of government in society, it shows how to read the OT and NT on government involvement, and it distinguishes between positive rights and negative rights.
Failure to understand the implications of the ascension of Christ is failure to grasp the lordship of Christ and Christian ministry. This article shows what it means to apply the truths of Christ’s ascension to everyday life.
The church is paralyzed when it fails to see the relationship between knowing, feeling, and doing. This article shows the relationship between doctrine, piety, and reform. It shows that to lose one is to lose all, which impoverishes the Christian life.
The call to creativity is realized once believers understand what it means to be created in the image of God. To achieve this thinking we must see ourselves within the scope of the gospel narrative, which is creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. This article explains.
Human dignity is rooted in the truth that man is created in the image of God. This article shows what it means to think about man being in the image of God in terms of creation, fall, and redemption.
The priesthood of all believers is a teaching that is taught in the Bible, rooted in the priesthood of Christ. This article shows that recovering this teaching is crucial to the health of the church. It shows the privileges and responsibilities of being priests.
After looking at the threefold use of the law, this article looks at the use of the law as a guide. It shows how the Ten Commandments can be applied to public life.
The commandments "Do not steal" and "Do not covet" enshrine the right to private property. This article shows that this has profound implications for political and economic theory, and that it is against socialism.
How big or small should the rule of the government be? Acknowledging that the government is established by God, listening to biblical warnings, pondering the pervasiveness of the fall, and learning from the lessons of history are four areas to consider to answer this question.
This article looks at the work of the Holy Spirit in the OT, in creation, individuals believers, and the people of God as a nation. It draws implications for the church today.
True freedom can only be experienced once we are freed from sin and made slaves to Christ. This article shows how such freedom flows to bring freedom in the community.
It is assumed that the Year of Jubilee involved forgiveness of debt and land redistribution. This article shows that this assumptions and the objection to land ownership based on jubilee principle are myths. So what was the point of the Year of Jubilee? Let the article explain.
After looking at key passages from the New Testament, this article shows that good works should not be limited to works of charity. Good works include works done in the marketplace and home.
Based on the doctrine of creation, the eighth commandment, the sovereignty of God, and the Year of Jubilee, this article argues that ownership of property was sanctioned by God. However, property ownership can only happen as a result of hard work, inheritance, or a reward.
Is Christianity against capitalism? After examining Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-5:11, this article shows that all giving in the early church was a voluntary and joyful response to the gospel and its powerful attestations through the apostles. Therefore, Christianity cannot be used as an objection to capitalism.
Christians are called to full-time Christian service. This article argues for this by looking at the role of work in the life and teaching of Jesus.
After examining Leviticus 25, this article shows that the Year of Jubilee cannot be equated with social justice and land redistribution.
Upward income mobility can only be realized through a system that supports economic freedom. Looking at the biblical evidence, this article calls Christians to embrace income mobility.
Embracing free enterprise and economic liberty promotes human dignity and provides the institutional structure in which economic justice and mercy will most likely flourish. However, entrusting the good of society to government coercion leads to despotism and tyranny, which destroy society’s original object. This article explains.
The role of the government is to make sure that there is order, which allows people to live peaceful and quiet lives. This article shows that this truth forms the foundation for what the government must do and not do.
The Bible makes it clear that the poor will always be among us. This means that the fight against poverty will be a constant one. This article shows that globalization contributes to economic growth and development.
Entrepreneurs are basically agents of change. This article shows that entrepreneurship is rooted in the model of creation and the call to be creative in using what God has given us. Therefore, entrepreneurship is a form of stewardship. Let the article explain.
Economic freedom can be measured through higher life expectancy, lower levels of child mortality, better performing and cleaner environments, higher incomes for the poor, better protected civil liberties, less child labor, and less unemployment. This article shows that this can be achieved by economic freedom, and shows how the pillars of economic freedom are rooted in Scripture.
Economic freedom allows everyone to use their unique gifts to serve God and others. This article gives five reasons why Christians should embrace economic freedom.
Stewardship has to do with every choice you make. This is what the article calls whole-life stewardship.
Income inequality is a fact of the economic life. This is so because we are created with different gifts that yield different rewards here on earth. This article show how this principle functions in economics. This is part two of the article.
Income inequality is a measurement of the distribution of wealth across households. This article looks at six aspects that lead to income inequality: family structure, technology, growing markets, immigration, property rights, and income mobility. This is part one of the paper.
