THE SALT SHAKER BOOKLET NO. 5
By Wyn Fountain
There are a lot of people who see the global economy as benefiting no one except the huge greedy trans-national conglomerates, or worse, as preparation for the Anti-Christ. But the bible promises a one-world government, under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. How about recognising the possibility that God is now working behind the scenes in preparation for that wonderful climax of history.
Why do we have to talk as though the devil is sovereign instead of God?
Didn't God use the Roman Empire, much of which was evil, to spread the Gospel.
Didn't he use Egypt, much of which was evil, to set up the Israelites.
Didn't he us Babylon, Belshazzar's dream and Daniel's interpretation to foretell that God's kingdom will fill the whole earth.
The world of government certainly makes scant reference to the recognition of God's hand in the affairs of the world economy, nor the hand of the devil. The world system, we can safely assert, is the ten-toed system of Belshazzar's dream in Daniel 2:34 and will be replaced by the Rule of the King of glory. But that doesn't mean we have nothing to do with it. Joseph participated fully in the Egyptian system. Daniel participated fully in the Babylonian system.
However, Politicians still talk as though it is possible to create Utopia through human government ignoring God. Capitalists favour the free market, in varying degrees. Socialists are still trying to do it through central governmental control, in varying degrees. But in spite of the fact that there are Marxists among the staff of our universities, teachers training institutions and parliament, the world, by and large, has rejected Socialism. Yet there is a widespread fear that whilst the free market and unbridled capitalism is creating immense wealth as never seen before, a huge gap is growing between the 'haves' and the "have-nots'.
Hence today there is much talk of a THIRD WAY, particularly by left-wing politicians. The final "Third way" will be that which the Messiah himself will set up. In the meantime however, it is our lot now to do what Joseph and Daniel did. That is to introduce biblical wisdom into our government to the limit of our ability and opportunity.
THE CENTRAL QUESTION
In this quest for the Third Way, the question being asked is "How do we encourage the kind of creativity and entrepreneurship that capitalism promotes, but at the same time control man's selfishness and greed with socialist style control by central government?" People still talk about 'Left' and 'Right', but it is high time we dropped those terms. They are emotive and unhelpful. We need to seek wisdom together.
On the one hand it has become obvious that unregulated capitalism produces huge wealth, but tends to leave the poor to their own devices. On the other hand, we depend on capitalism to provide the financial resources to provide for the poor whilst the altruistic socialist policies of providing for the poor from the cradle to the grave, has resulted in demonstrating that greed and selfishness is not only restricted to capitalists, hence the quest for a third way.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the remedy is not found in economic systems but in developing a conscience that is informed and active, individually and corporately, in order to ensure that government starts with self-government. No "Third Way" will succeed without that. Corruption reigns in those countries where conscience does not play a big part.
The quest for a third way is an admission that neither socialism nor capitalism have given us the Utopia that man has been seeking without God. Politicians are still looking for an economic solution to a problem that has its roots in character. Modernism, in declaring that God was dead proclaimed with great optimism that education and scientific enquiry would bring mankind to maturity and Utopia. Post modernism is a declaration of disillusionment with that philosophy. New Age philosophies are a quest for a spiritual basis with which mankind can succeed in self-government, in order that we may be able to live together in harmony. New Age concepts are providing people with a point of reference outside of themselves. The Humanist dictum is that "man's pleasure is the measure", but man must relate to something that is bigger than himself. He needs to believe in something very meaningful, worth living and dying for, to overcome his inherent selfishness.
The Communist youth had such a point of reference.
The German youth found this in the nationalism of Nazism.
The Japanese kamikaze pilots died for something bigger than themselves.
Osama Bin Laden has offered his Islamic youth a point of reference outside of themselves that creates a willingness to become a suicide bomber.
Does our Christian gospel provide an exciting point of reference to capture the minds and hearts of a new generation empowering them to exceed the fervour and commitment of those mentioned above? I believe it does, but one would not think so judging by the way that thousands never enter a church door.
WHAT POINT OF REFERENCE OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES DOES THE GOSPEL PROVIDE?
The gospel (GOOD NEWS) of Jesus Christ is that Jesus died primarily for his heavenly father's sake, to provide him with kingdom citizens who would glorify his name by stewarding creation with Christ, in order that he, God, might dwell with mankind. This life is but a preparation for that Great and Wonderful Day of the Lord. A more exciting destiny cannot be imagined.
"He saved them for his name's sake that he might make his mighty power known" Ps 106:8
His kingdom cannot be compared to Utopia or the Muslim hope of the world being controlled by Sharia law. Then why is it not capturing the imagination of more people? Why are not more people getting excited about our destiny? Why are the local churches regarded as irrelevant? There are several reasons.
1. Many non-believers think that the gospel is just about providing for our after-life, so that we can avoid going to hell and go to heaven instead. Many Christians interpret the gospel in this way too. There is no talk of the future life on this earth that Belshazzar's dream foretold. They see as minimal, any relevance in the gospel, to the government of this world. Hitler rebuked the churches, telling them to stick to the job and prepare people for the next world because he would look after their needs in this one.
2. Many pastors do not recognise our destiny described above (elaborated in booklet No. 1), and therefore see no responsibility to prepare their membership for it. They and the full- time staff of churches are fully engaged in running the church programmes and do not consider that it is their job to be aware of the issues that society is dealing with. They do not accept any responsibility to see that their members receive training in leadership as Christians in society outside the church. Some pastors even discourage their members to be involved outside the church because there is so much to do in keeping the church programme going. Issues such as "The Third Way" are not regarded as the concern of the church. Some churches engage in social work and do a good job of picking up the pieces at the bottom of the cliff, but few wrestle with the task of building fences at the top.
HAVE WE AS CHRISTIANS ANYTHING TO OFFER IN THE QUEST FOR A THIRD WAY?
I believe we have. Politicians are seeking an economic answer in wealth creation because it is obvious even to the rabid socialist that without the creation of wealth we cannot have a state welfare system. But the answer is not to be found in economics alone. It is to be found in the character of the individual citizens, which in turn depends on the exercise of a good conscience, which requires a point of reference outside of the individual.
So our first question is:
Does the Christian ethic and morality embrace wealth creation and prosperity for all, or is poverty a virtue, as some Christians would have us believe?
POVERTY IS NOT A VIRTUE
Wealth creation is no less godly than poverty. It is God's desire that we should all prosper. He had no problem blessing Abraham, Joseph, David, Solomon, Daniel and the whole of the nation of Israel when they were not corrupting the culture with other Gods. Jesus was laid in the tomb of a rich man, Joseph of Arimathea. During his life he wore a valuable cloak without seams. He had no hesitation to create an abundance of food for the thousands who came out to hear him preach. He could find money in a fish's mouth. This is not the behaviour of a man who regards poverty as a virtue. BUT, he has told us to, "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you". It is a question of priorities. The rich young ruler had his priorities wrong. His wealth in itself was not evil, but it possessed him, he didn't possess it. Poverty is nowhere glorified, neither is financial wealth. If poverty was a virtue, why would Jesus tell us to give to the poor and look after the fatherless and the widows, and deprive them of a virtuous life?
On one hand we have preachers pronouncing a "name it and claim it" doctrine of prosperity and on the other we have those who preach that poverty is a virtue. Neither of these two extremes can be justified. If politicians are seeking a "Third Way" they will hear no unified voice from the churches. Some take a strong socialist stand and others a strong capitalist stand. Both quote scripture. So where do we stand on this issue?
The answer is, on the one hand God has promised prosperity and abundance to those who seek his will. On the other hand we are directed to sublimate our propensity for seeking wealth by seeking first the kingdom of GOD. He is not our big "sugar daddy" in the sky waiting to meet our every plea for economic prosperity. But John writes, " May you prosper even as your soul prospers". True prosperity involves much more than money. It has much more to do with relationships.
WHAT RESTRAINTS HAS GOD PLACED UPON OUR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY?
Having recognised that wealth creation is God's idea, we need to recognise that there are restraints that God imposes on us which are not to restrict our enjoyment of life, but they are for our own good. Some call them laws, but like the 'cats eyes' and white lines on the highway, they are restraints and boundaries set for our own good to stop us from doing ourselves a great deal of harm. The consensus amongst world famous economists such as ex -socialist Michael Novak and Paul Johnson is that Capitalism works better than socialism, so let's run with it. But as Michael Novak points out, capitalism will not ultimately prove to be better unless we allow our conscience to govern our creativity.
Any third way therefore is dependent upon our character, much more than any economic system of central governmental control. But our conscience requires a point of reference outside of itself.
When we buy a new car we don't throw out the handbook, calling the instructions a bunch of old-fashioned laws to spoil our fun. We accept them as the manufacturer's advice to assist us to get the maximum benefit out of our new purchase. Our freedom is restricted in certain areas, but only as a means to an end, that of maximising our satisfaction. Similarly we must accept the restraints of God, and such acceptance is a matter of character.
Jonathon Sacks, chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British
Commonwealth has made some very interesting comments about these restraints to which we need to give due heed, in view of the fact that Christianity has its roots in Hebrew thinking, not Greek.
The following are some of his comments:
ON THE CREATION OF WEALTH.
"By our labour we become, in the striking Rabbinic phrase, 'partners with God in the work of creation'."
"Animals FIND sustenance, only man CREATES it".
"The active participation of man in the creation of his own wealth is a sign of spiritual greatness".
"No less important than the value placed on work is Judaism's positive attitude to the creation of wealth. Asceticism and self-denial have little place in Jewish spirituality. The world is God's creation, therefore it is good and prosperity is a sign of God's blessing. God has handed the world over to human stewardship, commanding 'Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.' God deliberately left the world unfinished so that it could be completed by the work of man. Industry is more than mere labour. It is the arena in which
we transform the world." "Economic growth has religious significance because it allows us to alleviate poverty which is not a 'blessed" condition as in some faiths. The rabbis taught that poverty is a kind of death, worse than fifty plagues."
"The sages were not so much concerned with the elimination of poverty through the redistributive taxation. Instead, what they sought to create was a society in which the poor had access to help when they needed it, but also and especially through job creation. Hence with wealth came responsibility. Successful businessmen were supposed to set an example of philanthropy and to take on positions of community leadership. Conspicuous consumption was frowned upon. Wealth was a divine blessing and therefore with it carried the obligation
to use it for the benefit of the whole community".
ON THE RESTRAINTS TO WEALTH CREATION.
"Needless to say, in a strong moralistic faith like Judaism, alongside the respect for markets went a sharp insistence on the ethics of business."
"The perennial temptations of the market; to pursue gain at someone else's expense, to take advantage of ignorance and to treat employees with indifference, needed to be fought against. Canons of fair-trading had to be established and policed, and much of Jewish law is taken up with these concerns. The rabbis recognised that a perfect market would not emerge of its own accord."
THE SO-CALLED FREE MARKET HAS LIMITS.
It may be necessary for central government or international agencies to impose limits, but by far the best limits are those imposed by our conscience informed by revelation as we commune with God. As believers in Jesus Christ we should be leading the world in that regard.
Saks continues;
"The fatal conceit for Judaism is to believe that the market governs the totality of our lives, when in fact, it governs only a limited part of it, that which concerns the goods we think of as being subject to production and exchange. There are things fundamental to being human that we do not produce; things we have received from those who came before us and from God himself. And there are things which we may not exchange, however high the price".
As Christians those sentiments would surely correspond with our own unless one has been captivated by Marxist philosophy. In which case, it is no longer Christian. Any third way must encourage wealth creation, but it cannot depend upon the capitalist edict that "enlightened self-interest" will control avarice and greed. There are biblical institutions that are not generally regarded as relating to economics, but which are essential to any "Third Way". The recognition of these institutions constitutes very important restraints upon a free market economy. What are those institutions?
In answer to this question, Jonathon Sacks goes on to say;
" I want to draw attention to FIVE FEATURES OF JUDAISM, essential to its way of life, that on the face of it stand utterly opposed to the market ethic.
The first is the SABBATH and its related institutions, the sabbatical year and the jubilee. The Sabbath is the boundary Judaism draws around economic activity. The day on which we neither work nor employ others to do work. What is at the heart of the Sabbath is the idea that there are important truths about the human condition that cannot be accounted for in terms of work or economics, in which all manipulation of nature for creative ends is forbidden. For countless generations of Jews it is the day in which we renew our attachment to family and community and in which we live the truth that the world is not wholly ours to
bend to our will. It is something given to us in trust to conserve for future generations, and to which the inequalities of a market economy are counterbalanced by a world in which money does not count, in which we are all equal citizens. It was and is the day, the one day in seven in which we live out all those values that are in danger of being obscured in the daily rush of events. The day in which we stop making a living and learn instead simply how to live."
Surprise! Surprise! Here we are talking about a 'Third Way' for society, everybody is expecting an economic or a political answer and out comes the question of the Sabbath!. Even many Christians reading this will immediately get upset and declare, "But we are no longer under the law, how can you introduce the question of the Sabbath?" We do not introduce it as a matter of religious law, but of economics.
There is a law in our land that we drive on the left-hand side of the road, and there is a yellow line down the middle of the highway to restrain us from not doing so. Neither the law nor the restraining yellow line is there to curtail our freedom, but to prevent us from killing others, and ourselves so that we can go on enjoying our freedom.
There is a law that says, " Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." This is a "yellow line" on the highway of life. We don't earn any 'Brownie points' by keeping to it, nor do we incur the wrath of God if, as Jesus said, a sheep falls into the ditch on the Sabbath and we pull it out. Jesus said, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath". If we want to keep living we "keep to the left of the yellow line", if we want to extract the best out of life we take one day off a week as unto the Lord. Not as a legal issue, but as common sense.
It is my personal opinion that Christians should not keep working on the Sabbath nor ask their employees to do so. I repeat, we are talking here in economic terms, not religious. Workers need a day of rest and family relationship. If they have to work on Sunday for some pressing reason, they should take another day off as a Sabbath unto the Lord. If we are offering a 'Third Way" to society, this is where we start, by acknowledging the Lordship of God our creator, provider of our prosperity. If every Christian employer kept to this 'yellow line' we would receive a lot of support throughout the community. At a meeting of the Businesses for Social Responsibility, a secular organisation that I attend, a prominent businessman asked for suggestions as to how he might improve his business, socially. No less than three people suggested, close your shops on Sunday. I was not one of them, but I would have been a fourth.
We can argue about which day of the week is the Sabbath, but that is not the point. The point is that the bible says we should keep one day in seven, not only as a spiritual exercise to demonstrate that we have not made commerce an alternative god, but as a social, family, economic, health exercise for our own benefit. Traditionally, Sunday was a family day, the lack of such a family day, today, is one of the reasons why families are falling apart and creating huge economic issues. The state tries to step in through legislation and social agencies to replace the family. A third way will not be found without the reinstatement of family values.
So this is the first agent of erosion in our national economic life, our disregard for the Sabbath. The quest for a third way is the quest for the restrain of our greed and selfishness as we engage in a capitalistic system. Our stewardship of time as unto the Lord and our recognition of him as Lord of creation is the best restraint we can produce, because it provides a reason for existence beyond our own selfish satisfaction.
Jonathon Sacks continues;
"Secondly, consider MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY.
Many of the supreme religious moments take place in the home as a dialogue between husband and wife, or parents and children. Ultimately Judaism saw marriage not as a contract but as the supreme example of a COVENANT, namely a commitment based, not on mutual benefit but on mutual belonging, whose key value is fidelity, holding fast to one another especially during difficult times because you are part of who I am. A concept that is utterly at odds to the market concept."
The family today so frequently has to play second fiddle to the acquisition of wealth and assets by both parents. The short-term benefit may be economic betterment for the family, but the social cost is resulting in huge economic burdens not only on the family, but also on all taxpayers.
When our Prime Minister admits that she only married for political reasons, and that marriage is against all her principles, we are in trouble. Economically, the lack of respect for marriage is causing more waste of taxpayers funds than any other single item. Billions are spent on welfare and the DPB because fathers will not accept their marriage responsibilities. Recent surveys demonstrate conclusively that the greatest root cause of delinquency in N.Z. is caused through the breakdown in marriages and the dysfunctional family. The stupendous cost of crime can be demonstrated to relate to this problem. Taxes are going to have to be increased to meet the need for more D.P.B., increased police force and prisons, better facilities in schools to compensate for bad training in families, more funds for health and welfare because of poverty that is the direct result of the breakdown of marriages.
Poor parenting means that young people are not taught how to choose a partner, nor what marriage is all about. These young people in turn have nothing to pass on in generational transfer and we are producing generations of people that will escalate misery and poverty. Any third way must bring these facts into the equation. If they continue to be ignored, social conditions will deteriorate.
Today, even Christians are following the ways of the world and co-habiting without a marriage covenant. There are as many divorces among Christians as there are among non-Christians. No wonder the church is seen as irrelevant. The world has every right to say, "What have you got that we haven't got?"
This is not merely a question of religion or morality; it is a serious question of economics, health and welfare. It must be taken into consideration if we are looking for a "Third Way".
"Thirdly", Sacks continues, "Consider EDUCATION. Even in the days of Moses, the Jews were instructed to set the highest religious value on education. 'You shall teach these thing diligently to your children, speaking of them when you sit at home or travel on the way, when you lie down and when you rise up'. Education, the life of the mind, and ability to follow a train of thought and see the alternative possibilities that give rise to argument, are essential features of Jewish spirituality, and ones to which everyone, however poor, must be given access".
In our N.Z. culture we tend to think of education primarily as reading, writing and arithmetic, broadening out to technical knowledge to provide the ability to create financial wealth. The granting of degrees by technical colleges promotes them to the level of universities, which reinforces the concept that education is all about equipping for industry, commerce and the professions. That is making money as the chief end of man. Wealth creation is important, but for the Christian, in order to impress the student that the acquisition of wealth is a means to an end, not an end in itself, education must provide, as early as possible, the answers to the four basic philosophical questions.
1. Where did we come from? How did we get here? Our origins.
2. Where are we going to? Our destiny.
3. Why are we here? What is the purpose of our existence on earth?
4. How do we know what is the difference between right on wrong?
The biblical answers to these questions give us that point of reference outside of ourselves, which gives us the motivation to seek first the kingdom of God. Those answers should determine what we study and what kind of education and training we engage in. Furthermore they give the very reason for commerce and politics and how they should be conducted. The LOVE of money is the root of all evil, not money itself.
Education therefore is not just a matter of gaining knowledge and technical skills in order to create wealth. It must provide the very reason for our existence and future destiny and inculcate those virtues and values that will equip us to steward the resources God has provided on our planet in recognition, with eager expectation of the return of Messiah to rule and reign here.
Parents are primarily responsible for the education of their children. We cannot afford to leave it over to the state system to provide the answers to the four questions above, or to peer pressure to mould the values and virtues, or more probably the misunderstandings of the peer groups.
Education starts in the family. The Jewish injunction to teach their children incessantly, as Sacks enumerates above is referred to today as "Generational Transfer". Every parent should aim to transfer to his children the wisdom he or she has accumulated, so that the children can stand on the shoulders of the generation before them and reach higher than their parents have reached. How else can the human race progress?
If each generation has to go back to "reinvent the wheel", being left to find out for themselves what life is all about, there will be no progress. But this is exactly what the young are encouraged to do in many schools. The government funded Family Planning Association booklets for school children, encourages
sexual activity before marriage as being natural, to discover what life is all about for themselves. The law tells children that if they get pregnant and want an abortion they don't have to tell their parents. Economically this is disastrous. We are short of funds for health, no wonder.
The demand for progress creates a tension, however, because each generation must allow the next generation to think outside the square in order to progress. That must lead to mistakes, but mistakes can be learning experiences, which the previous generation must help to negotiate. That is generational transfer. That is why history is important in education, to avoid repeating the mistakes of past generations. But even the study of history is denigrated today. One of my sons was taught at university that history is bunk. Any third way must recognise the value of the generational transfer of accumulated wisdom so that we can learn from history and avoid further disasters such as the communist and totalitarian disasters. A generation is now coming of age who have not experienced these disasters or even noticed them, they must be warned.
The 4th concept in seeking a "Third Way" is that of PRIVATE PROPERTY.
Sacks says; "Judaism has a high regard for private property as an institution for governing relations between human beings. Ultimately however everything belongs to God and what we hold as our own private property we hold in trust as stewards".
Tribalism, whilst providing certain advantages in community, has made scant allowance for this concept of private ownership. We in N.Z. see the result of this in many polynesians who regard the misappropriation of property not as stealing but just as using common property. For centuries tribal food and resources have been freely shared. Anything left about is fair game. Graffiti "artists" have scant regard for private property.
Private ownership is not only a privilege to be preserved but it is a responsibility. It is frequently observed that people who live in communities without private ownership do not take the same care and pride in property and equipment as they would if it was their own.
In companies today there is an increasing trend for senior employees to be given shares in the company because it has been demonstrated that when they own part of the 'cake' their attitude towards it changes dramatically. Every father of teenagers knows what it is to observe an entirely different attitude in his teenager towards a car when the teenager owns it. Further elaboration is hardly necessary.
From an economic point of view communism has demonstrated the futility of destroying the concept of private ownership. Socialism has failed because of the lack of it. Capitalism also fails however when private ownership becomes avaricious, a vehicle of idolatry. Private ownership without responsibility can be disastrous. There is no better way of developing a sense of responsibility than that suggested by Sacks. "Ultimately everything belongs to God. What we have we hold in trust." This is important for any 'third Way'.
Fifthly and finally, Saks says; "There is the Jewish tradition of LAW itself". Speaking in relation to free Markets and wealth creation and distribution, "Inflation comes about through a failure to understand that energy, to be channelled, needs restraint".
The creative energy of western civilisation that has its origins in the Judeo/Christian work ethic created disastrous conditions during the industrial revolution. Laws became imperative to correct abuses. The rule of law is a non-negotiable prerequisite in any civilisation, otherwise we produce the hellish conditions we see in so many African and Asian ountries, where chaos reigns. But freedom demands that law and central government must be kept to
a minimum. The revolutionaries of France called for Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood. But when equality was legislated freedom was denied. Equality of opportunity is necessary, but equality of outcome is impossible. We are all equal before God and before the law, but not equal in ability and potential. The best way of resolving this tension is to acknowledge the brotherhood we have before God, as together we accept that "Point of Reference Outside of
Ourselves".
BUT HOW ARE LAWS FORMED TODAY?
There is no need to labour the need for the rule of law. It is so self-evident. But what is not so self-evident is what is the origin of the wisdom to formulate our laws. Our modern democracy has not only separated the church and the state, but also religion and the state. Laws are formulated in parliament by the majority of opinions, and today one opinion is regarded as good as another, there is no Truth. There are no absolutes. There is no point of reference outside of man's own ego to relate to. We are therefore doing exactly what the devil told Adam and Eve to do. "Decide for yourselves what is right and what is wrong and you will be as gods". That is the essence of the fall and sin. Man was created to do the will of God. Christ came to do the will of God and show us how to do that lead by the Holy Spirit.
How then do we play our part as believers in the law making process of our society? Do we stand aloof from the sinful world of politics watching as things get worse and wait for Jesus to come and clean up the mess or do we recognise our stewardship and seek to play our part?
Firstly, we must demonstrate the superiority of a biblical philosophy in our family lives, and our conduct at work and recreation. If we can't our theology is mere theory.
Secondly, we must, as far as we are able, understand what are the issues of concern in society, what is the root cause of the problem and what is the biblical solution, before we engage in any lobbying exercise.
Thirdly, we do not go it alone, but in fellowship with others discuss what needs to be done, formulating a strategy for the long haul.
Fourthly, create lobby groups that can influence the decision-makers and the lawmakers. Or support an already existing lobby group, by discussing solutions in our small groups and contributing our suggestions to the lobby group.
Fifthly, but most importantly, constantly be in prayer for wisdom and understanding to
discern the will of God in every action. The opposition is so vigorous, and the spirit of anti-
Christ so active that it will take every opportunity to disparage any promotion of biblical
principles. Support those in authority in prayer using the authority of the name of Jesus to
fight a spiritual warfare.
"You are the salt of the earth". Don't let us get too comfortable in the salt cellar.