Comments on: Herod and Shylock http://www.bullartistry.com.au/wp/2009/12/16/herod-and-shylock/ Theology you can eat and drink Fri, 10 Aug 2018 15:01:57 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.41 By: Mike Bull http://www.bullartistry.com.au/wp/2009/12/16/herod-and-shylock/comment-page-1/#comment-2152 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:36:41 +0000 http://www.bullartistry.com.au/wp/?p=3964#comment-2152 Byron
There is a Make Wealth History blog and it seems to be a common phrase – although I first heard it from you! I got the impression is was a campaign but it might just be a buzzword. Thank God.
The idea that amassing wealth destroys the world and oppresses the poor is common in Scripture. It occurs when man seizes kingdom instead of waiting patiently for God’s timing. We look at our resources and think that’s all we have to play with. But based on the Bible, if we had been faithful with them, God has a way of making the cup run over in unforeseen ways. Wealth is not the problem at all. Solomon was faithful so God made his kingdom wealthy. Same goes for Protestant Christianity, but we have followed the path of Solomon, who also ended up using oppression to build his kingdom “earlier” than God intended.
No, money is not the only way to be wealthy, but when the Bible says that righteousness exalts a nation, it is talking about prosperity and political clout. Europe had it and lost it. Britain had it and lost it. The US has it and is losing it. It seems the nation that faithfully invests by sending out missionaries ends up as a world power. The Christian’s refusal to pursue money ends up with greater wealth for all (Matt. 6:32-33). Like Christ, when we fall into the ground and die to ourselves, there is a greater harvest, and it is not just about winning souls. The gospel is holistic. To limit the harvest to pie-in-the-sky is gnosticism. Obama and his cronies might be well-intentioned, but they are wilfully ignorant of the history of socialism (ie. its blinding successes!) and will just end up spreading the poverty around.
So, I am not disagreeing with you, just saying there is a bigger picture. I highly recommend David Chilton’s “Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators” and also Ray Sutton’s “That You May Prosper”. Both are available free in PDF online, or as books for sale from http://www.americanvision.com
Kind regards,
Mike

]]> By: Byron Smith http://www.bullartistry.com.au/wp/2009/12/16/herod-and-shylock/comment-page-1/#comment-2149 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:17:13 +0000 http://www.bullartistry.com.au/wp/?p=3964#comment-2149 this misguided “Make Wealth History” campaign
Can you provide a link? I haven’t seen it.

You are right that debt is a crippling disease in our society. And you’re also right that wealth per se is not the issue. But when amassing wealth is based on the destruction of God’s good world, or on the denial of rights to the poor, then the pursuit of wealth is indeed a root of all kinds of evil.

Perhaps it is also useful to distinguish between different kinds of wealth. Money is not the only way to be wealthy. We ought to be rich in good deeds, and in community, and have a continual debt of love. If this is our wealth, let us all be millionaires!

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