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IX. Long and Short Term Theory of Redistribution - Economics for Everlasting Life [Chapter 9]
Apostle Paul says he is who he is because of the grace of Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 15.
9. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Every material blessing that we enjoy comes from God. But humans don’t realize why God allows these material blessings. The result will be the disaster that nation Israel experienced before.
Let’s look at Hosea chapter 10.
1. Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself. As his fruit increased, he built more altars; as his land prospered, he adorned his sacred stones.
2. Their heart is deceitful, and now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will demolish their altars and destroy their sacred stones.
Nothing other than God himself should take the place of God, but our world idolizes nations, businesses, and even ourselves.
God wants us to live loving each other. Material blessings are given for this purpose. We must love each other as Jesus loved us.
We must love our brothers and sisters by sharing what we have because Jesus loved us by shedding his blood to death. We should share everything with others, not only through tithing and tax.
When Jesus was asked how to get the eternal life he answered in Luke 18.
18. A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19. "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.
20. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'"
21. "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said.
22. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
23. When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
24. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!
25. Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26. Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?"
27. Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
28. Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"
29. "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God
30. will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
Jesus didn’t just ask to pay taxes. He didn’t just ask for tithing. He asked to sell everything and give to the poor. The important point here is the poor is the target. They are those who cannot repay to me, not those who can pay back later. Is Jesus causing moral hazard here? Never! Let’s look at Luke chapter 14.
12. Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.
13. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
14. and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
But eternal life cannot be earned only through this. You need to follow Jesus after this.
What would be the most precious gift available to the people in the world? People are seeking for physical fitness, well-being, long and healthy life, but eternal life is what really matters to us all.
To those who line up to enter into those luxurious residence, we need to open the gate of Heaven. Let’s look at Matthew chapter 18.
21. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22. Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23. "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.
25. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26. "The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'
27. The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28. "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29. "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30. "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
31. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32. "Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.
33. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'
34. In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
How are Christians treat those who owe to them? How are those who cannot repay their debts being treated? I sincerely pray that those who call upon the name of our Lord on this earth would not end up on hell. Let’s go to Matthew chapter 7.
21. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'
23. Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
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