Can Socialism be compatible with
Christianity?
Aside from
Communism calling religion the opiate of the people, are the socialistic ideas
in Communism compatible with Christianity?
The description of the early church in Acts 4:32-37
sounds like Socialism. However, the account about Ananias and
Sapphira that follows in Acts 5:1-11 points out an important difference. Peter didn’t criticize Ananias for not giving
away all the money from selling the field.
He said it was their decision what they did with the field and the
money. He criticized them lying about
it. On the other hand, Socialism doesn’t
give people the choice, but forces people to share.
Paul
emphasized the importance of choosing to do good when he wrote to Philemon:
But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. (HCSB, Philemon 14)
The
importance of choosing to do good didn’t originate with Paul or the New
Testament. The Old Testament also shows
how God values choosing to be good. For
example, David said to Solomon:
As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. (HCSB, 1 Chronicles 28:9)
David prayed
to God before the assembly:
I know, my God, that You test the heart and that You are pleased with uprightness. I have willingly given all these things with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are present here giving joyfully and willingly to You.” (HCSB, 1 Chronicles 29:17)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed not only
making the choice, but having the right motive (Matthew 6:1-4).
He said giving to look good in front of others isn’t true goodness. Paul made the most definitive statement for
the motive in giving in 1 Corinthians 13:
And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor,
and if I give my body to be burned,
but do not have love, I gain nothing. (HCSB, 1 Corinthians 13:3)
Many
Christians live under socialistic governments.
Some Christians have even instituted such governments. Socialism isn’t the worst government
Christians have lived under, but it’s better when Christians have the freedom
to exercise charity out of choice and ideally out of love. On the other hand, freedom only has the
desired effect when people exercise their freedom charitably.
The problem
with charity coming from government is it takes away the personal aspect of charity. It leads to people expecting government to
take care of a needy neighbor, or even exchanging charity and gratitude for
entitlement.
_______________
HCSB
= The Holy Bible : Holman Christian Standard Version.
©2008 Perry Vernon Webb. You may
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1) do not alter the wording and
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