Douglas Jacoby Podcast

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introduction

• North American slavery had precedents in the Arab slave trade, though slavery throughout human history was hardly limited to Africa.
  • 400 years' duration, 4 million dying in the middle passage.
  • "Enslavement is almost ubiquitous in human history. What made Atlantic slavery unique was its vast, industrial scale, its racial determinism, and its absolute nature, in which slaves' legal status was hardly distinct from that of animals" (Alex Ryrie, Protestants: The Faith that Made the Modern World [New York: Viking, 2016], 184).
• American Civil War.
• Racism still an ugly issue in the United States.
  • "Slavery was abolished in Great Britain in 1807 and in all the British Empire by 1833. In the revolutionary U.S. it would not happen until the 1860's, and at a cost of at least 618,000 lives and the destruction of much of the South. Staggering. Can we really argue for 'American Exceptionalism?'" (Tom Jones)
  • The Jim Crow laws persisted in the United States through 1968, in effect impeding the rights of citizenship for Black Americans, even after the Civil Rights Act and the legal right to vote.
• And slavery still exists globally (girls are abducted to become sex slaves [Asia], and boys to become child soldiers [Africa]).
• Does the Bible support slavery, a thoroughly demeaning, dehumanizing institution? Slavers quoted the Scriptures to support their inhumane practices. Yet American chattel slavery was very different from slavery in the ancient world. As we shall soon see, Antebellum slavery provides a false analogy.

Slavery in the Ancient World

• Became slaves because of poverty or war, often by personal choice. Usually they were not kidnapped; they entered servitude in other ways.
• Not permanent.
  • Hope of eventual emancipation.
  • Indentured servants paid off debts.
• Slaves possessed some legal rights.
  • Due process.
  • Right to own their own slaves.
• Not racially based:
  • Only one's clothing indicated his status as a slave.
  • Not the color of his skin!
• Not socially based.
  • Not necessarily lowest rung of society. Not necessarily degrading. Could in fact be upgrading. Consider Joseph, promoted under Potiphar and Pharaoh.
  • Could own property, lead a normal family life, and sometimes even participate in the same clubs as their masters!
  • Easiest for city slaves, then farm slaves, and hardest for those working in the mines, or even as prostitutes.
• Not necessarily menial positions.
  • Civil service, doctors, nurses, accountants, writers.
  • Some famous ex-slaves in the ancient world: Felix (Acts 23-24), Aesop (5th century BC), Patrick (5th century AD).
  • Sometimes freed because their labor was cheaper when the master wasn't paying room & board.
• Around the first century they were so often freed that Augustus Caesar made a law that none could be freed before the age of 30.
• Obviously if this is slavery, it has far less in common with the North American variety than we ever imagined.

Slavery and the O.T.

• Dignity: regulating an inferior work arrangement, not idealizing it.
  • Anti-kidnapping laws. Amos and other prophets spoke of the evil of human trafficking.
  • Anti-harm laws: Freedom for bodily abuse. Exodus 21:20, 26! No other ancient law holds master accountable for treatment of his slaves. Code of Hammurabi permitted master to slice off disobedient slave’s ear. Law held master’s to account for their own servants, not just someone else’s. Exodus 21:6-7.
  • Hittite laws – fines for sheltering runaways. Hammurabi: death for abetting runaways. But slaves were still just property. Babylon: returned slaves were branded, ears slit…. Anti-return laws – Deuteronomy 23:15-16.
  • Laws in favor of the poor, e.g. automatic debt cancellation.
  • Deuteronomy 15:4,11 – God did not desire poverty or servitude.
• Hebrew slavery was an oasis of liberty compared to typical slavery among the pagans.
  • In other law codes in the Ancient Near East, this subject is dealt with at the end, but in Exodus it follows the Decalogue immediately. Direct connection between righteousness before God and righteous dealings with our fellow man.
  • Slaves were to be set free if master knocked a tooth out. Human rights.
  • Indentured servitude (Exodus 21 – dramatic improvement over slavery). Servitude existed because poverty existed.
  • Slaves freed in the 7th year, though with the option to make the slave relationship permanent.
  • Suboptimal (Nehemiah 5).
  • Re: Exodus 21:9 ("He shall deal with her as a daughter"): "She is virtually his foster-child. The old Chinese custom of buying a slave-girl, as wife for the son in days to come, is an exact parallel. Probably the origin of the custom was the same in either case: to avoid paying a higher bride-price at a later age, and to rear the future daughter-in-law within the family, ensuring that she 'fitted in'. Such an attitude to slaves abolishes slavery, except in name" (R. Alan Cole, Exodus: An Introduction & Commentary, in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, IVP, 1973).
  • Exod 21:16 and Deut 24:7 have serious implications for the slave trade.
• Non-Hebrew slaves
  • Kidnapping forbidden (Exodus 21:16), yet that did not mean there wasn't a supply of slaves.
    • They did not enjoy the same freedoms as Hebrew slaves. Leviticus 25:42-46: Male and female slaves from the pagan nations.
    • Could be bequeathed to their master's children.
  • Yet given the biblical emphasis on compassion, and the imperative to love the alien, it seems likely even foreign slaves were treated with a modicum of dignity.
    • Leviticus 19:33-34 – Israel to love the stranger in the land.
    • Exodus 21 – protect all servants from abuse.
    • Slaves could acquire servants themselves, and even purchase their own freedom.
    • Foreign servants might be elevated (as in 1 Chronicles 2, with marriage to an Egyptian servant). Inheritance rights.
  • Non-Israelites could not acquire land, so they might have had no option but to attach themselves to an Israelite family.

Slavery and the N.T.

• In the context of the Roman Empire.
  • Perhaps 1/3 were slaves, another 1/3 freedmen. If this figure sounds too high, consider that when the Czar freed the serfs in Russia (1861), one third of the populace were toiling in this enslaved condition.
  • Romans ruthless in putting down slave revolts (e.g. under Spartacus).
  • Anachronistic of us to fault Paul and other early Christians for not stirring up dissension.
• N.T. scriptures
  • 1 Corinthians 7 — slaves should take the opportunity of freedom if possible, otherwise be content.
  • Ephesians 6, Colossians 3-4: powerless mentioned first: wives before husbands, children before parents, slaves before masters.
  • Galatians 3:28 and Colossians 3:11: status in Christ not dependent on socioeconomic factors.
  • Paul sending Onesimus back to Philemon: freedom of travel. Compare Deuteronomy 23:15.
  • Slave trade mentioned in Revelation 18:13, condemned in 1 Timothy 1:10.
  • 1 Timothy 6:1-2: Nowhere are masters told to demand submission from their slaves.
  • Romans 6, 1 Corinthians 7, John 8 etc -- true freedom has nothing to do with political rights, and real slavery is slavery to sin.
• The early church (after 1st century)
  • Ministrae tortured under Pliny (Bithynia, early 2nd century). Slaves occupied positions of leadership.
  • No automatic exemption from requirement to show good character just because one was a slave.
    • "Those, that first come to the mystery of godliness... let them be examined as to the causes for which they come to the word of the Lord; and let those that bring them exactly inquire about their character, and give them... testimony. Let their manners and their life be inquired into, and whether they are slaves or freemen. And if any one is a slave, let him be asked who his master is. If he is slave to one of the faithful, let his master be asked if he can give him a good character [reference]. If he cannot, let him be rejected, until he show himself to be worthy to his master. But if he does give him a good character, let him be admitted. But if he is a household slave to an heathen, let him be taught to please his master, so that the word isn't blasphemed (Apostolic Constitutions 8.32).
    • Perhaps this was requiring more than the church expected in the first century, but it is an interesting piece nonetheless.
  • 1 Clement 55:2 (about 96 AD) -- people selling themselves into slavery to free others.
  • "But when Christ came he annulled even [slavery], for in Christ Jesus 'there is no slave nor free.' Therefore, it is not necessary to have a slave; but if it should be necessary, then only one or at most a second... Buy them and after you have taught them some skill by which they may maintain themselves, set them free" (John Chrysostom, Homily 40 on 1 Corinthians 10).
• Many slaves were attracted to the Christian faith.
  • Why, if (as some critics allege) Christianity put them down?
  • For the same reason that minorities and women were attracted: they were respected, welcomed, loved, and honored.

Conclusions

• Hebrew slavery saw increased humaneness over that in slavery in the secular world.
• Through the course of biblical history, an ethic of dignity and respect is cultivated. Pedagogical function.
  • Progressive revelation: God enlightening his people more and more through the course of biblical history.
  • There is a difference between recording and approving; between regulating and approving.
  • God's highest standard and will are revealed only in the New Testament.
  • Overall trajectory
    • Chattel slavery—Israelite treatment of foreign slaves—Israelite treatment of Hebrew slaves—socioeconomic freedom. Those who labored for emancipation, esp. in Britain and the United States, were inspired by biblical principles.
    • Through Christian influence, slavery was eventually eliminated in most of the world. This did not take place because of the influence of Hinduism, or Islam, or any other major world religion.
• Slavery in N.T. times was radically different from slavery in the more recent American experience.
• Most criticisms of slavery in the Bible are based on caricatures of Christianity, ignorance of Hebraic law, and lack of exposure to the true message of the gospel.
• Christianity is not a cause for the injustice and brutality of slavery. It was through the effects of the Spirit of Christ, after all, that the great emancipation movements were inspired and to some degree successful.
• As believers, we need to be ready to defend the Bible from unfair attack. In our interactions with outsiders, you and I need to know our stuff.

Further thought & study

• Paul Copan, Is Yahweh a Moral Monster?
• Brian J. Dodd, The Problem with Paul
• Chinua Achebe, Home and Exile
• Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin
• A biblical response to chattel slavery, by Richard Rodriguez

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

What is your take on the recent Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriages? And advice?

Following the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision to legalize "gay marriages," here are a few bullet points that may prove helpful in guiding our thoughts.

• On this topic, God's word isn't difficult to understand, and can be ascertained quickly using any Bible concordance. Both testaments teach the same, and studies may be found elsewhere at this website. Taking our stand on the Word is not always fashionable. And yet modern liberal interpreters would have us believe that the unanimous understanding of the church has been flawed for 2000 years -- as was that of Judaism before (from the 13th century onwards). This means one of two things: that the apostles seriously misunderstood sexual ethics, or else that God intended his revelation to apply only to earlier centuries, and to be updated as society became more sophisticated. Neither one of these possibilities seems convincing. Note: modern Judaism no longer holds to a biblical view of heterosexuality.
• God will judge those outside the church, as Paul reminds us in 1 Cor 5. This is not our task. Moreover, we can still accept the person even if we don't accept the teaching. This is the meaning of tolerance. (Please refer to the two newsletter articles on tolerance: part 1, part 2.)
• This is nothing new! Building on the foundation of the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s, the Gay Rights Movement, well organized and widely supported in the courts, media, the arts, and higher educational institutions, has been advancing powerfully. I am amazed that anyone would be taken off guard. 40-50 years of rhetoric, judicial verdicts, and the idolization among the youth of film stars, sports stars, and others who approve of nearly every sexual behavior -- so many years of the liberal agenda add up. Legalization and even promotion of homosexual lifestyles has been the reality in many western nations for many years.
• It's unrealistic to expect government to adopt biblical morals.  In our world -- as in the world of the Bible -- the government does not normally side with the church on moral issues.
• Jesus said, "Render to Caesar..." (Matt 22:21). Jesus rejected the ethics of Caesar, yet he respected Caesar’s right to govern as he saw fit. It is not the place of Christians to fight with the weapons of the world (2 Cor 10:4), nor do we put our hope in the arm of flesh (Eph 6:10-18).
• Not all homosexuals reject the Bible outright, and some re-interpret the principal passages on homosexuality as supporting gay lifestyle choices. Please watch gay apologist Vines, and read my response to the significant points raised by this young man.
• A civil union is not a biblical marriage. From Genesis to Revelation, biblical marriage is always between one man and one woman. Rather than use unbiblical terminology ("gay marriage"), let us refer to this relationship in a more neutral manner. I would suggest using "same-sex union" or "gay union" or "civil union" in place of "gay marriage."
• Serious Christians ought to be informed on the issues. Guy Hammond of Strength in Weakness ministries (SIW) has published a thoughtful assessment of the current situation. There is also a permanent link to SIW at the bottom of my homepage. You might also take a look at one of the studies in Christianity Today.
• Let's shatter the stereotype of the bigoted Christian. Reach out to men and women who self-identify as LGBT. Have them over to dinner (the way of Jesus). Defend their rights -- don't oppress them. Strive for empathy. Avoid caricatures. Don't talk about them; talk to them. Act in love.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

THE QUESTION: Why did the man Jesus come to earth? Why not a woman: the daughter of God—a female Messiah?

JESUS CAME AS A SON NOT BECAUSE:

• Male is better -- Galatians 3:28 contradicts this.
• God is only analogically masculine, not sexually masculine. When we pray Our Father, it’s not because God is male – since he isn’t a sexual being. If this intrigues you, please hear the podcast on The Shack.
• Random genetics (50/50).

LAMENTABLY, WOMEN WERE DISCOUNTED IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

• Christianity hadn't transformed attitudes towards minorities, the disenfranchised, foreigners, the needy, women--since Christianity did not exist yet. Jesus entered a Jewish world.
• Would be discounted in Roman eyes:
  • “Only foolish and low individuals, and persons devoid of perception, and slaves, and women, and children, of whom the teachers of the divine word wish to make converts” -- Celsus in Origen, Contra Celsus, 3.49
  • "...Augustus confined women to the back rows even at gladiatorial shows: the only ones exempt from this rule being the Vestal Virgins… No women at all were allowed to witness the athletic contests…" -- Suetonius, Twelve Caesars, Augustus 44.
• Would be discounted by Judaism:
  • "... happy is he whose children are males, and woe to him whose children are females." -- Talmud Kiddushim 82b
  • "But let not the testimony of women be admitted, on account of the levity and boldness of their sex, not let servants be admitted to give testimony on account of the ignobility of their soul, since it is probable that they may not speak truth, either out of hope of gain, or fear of punishment." -- Josephus Antiquities 4.8.15
  • "Sooner let the words of the Law be burnt than delivered to women." -- Talmud Sotah 19a
  • "Any evidence which a woman [gives] is not valid, also they are not valid [to offer]. This is equivalent to saying that one who is accounted by the rabbis as a robber is qualified to give the same evidence as a woman." -- Talmud Rosh Hashannah 1.8
  • Yet some Talmudic passages are more positive towards women, like Niddah 45 and Ketubot 2.6-7.
  • (Compare to Islamic view: Female legal witness worth half that of a male “because of deficiencies of a woman’s mind.”  -- Hadith of Bukhari, 3.826)
     

BUT BECAUSE ONLY A MAN COULD FREE BOTH MEN AND WOMEN

• Liberates males from stereotype (and rut) of maleness: "strong, dominating, independent, self-sufficient"
  • Jesus taught Paul the important lesson, that "Christ's power is perfected in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
  • Jesus taught, and lived out, servant leadership (Mark 10, John 13).
  • Jesus was emotionally vulnerable (e.g. John 11:35).
  • He was connected to others, not a lone wolf.
    • Delayed his ministry till he was in his 30s—as oldest of 8 or more children and head male in a family.
    • Worked with and through others. He knew men need friends, support. Jesus in this way is the paradigmatic male--showing us men how God meant for us to live all along.
    • Doesn’t just model it, but walks us through it.
    • Women typically understand this better than men—they're more relational.
  • Probably “macho” isn’t the word you’d first apply to Jesus, but in a way he was far more masculine than most men today who are viewed as powerful.
    • It takes strength not to go with the flow (get drunk at a party).
    • Physical fitness – manual labor as stonemason or carpenter; then walking all over Palestine for 3 years!
    • Jesus also showed great emotional strength:
      • It takes strength to forgive (Luke 23).
      • It takes strength to be patient when others repeatedly let you down.
      • It takes strength to receive ugly censure without lashing back, or at least defending yourself.
    • Jesus taught that true greatness doesn't lie in how others serve you, but in how you serve others.
      • We need this message to sound out not only in our communities, in the government, and in the workplace, and even
      • in the church, where the charismatic alpha-male senior pastor paradigm is dominant!
  • In short, women were expected to be nurturing, caring. One not expected to behave this way—namely, a man—was able to create a more subversively powerful example of love in action.
• Jesus frees women too, in several ways.
  • He shows that gender doesn’t determine worth or rank.
  • Treated women with highest respect – unlike the world.
  • Completely pure in how he viewed women: they were not objects, but subjects.
  • Traditional way of blessing women depended on childbirth – Luke 11:27 – Jesus contradicts this.
  • Discipleship:
    • Luke 10 – called women to spend some time away from daily chores to sit at his feet as disciples. See also Luke 8.
    • John 4 – the Samaritan woman is more the evangelist than the 12 apostles!

CONCLUSION

• Of course there’s more to be said:
  • We haven’t even discussed the doctrine of the Trinity – how Jesus Christ was eternally the Son of God. (God couldn't send a "daughter" if he didn't have one.)
  • or the scandal that would have surrounded an itinerant woman preacher gathering disciples…
  • And we've only just begun to work through the implications for the current feminist controversy.
  • I acknowledge the influence of Stanley Grentz's Theology for the Community of God, pp.289-292. For me his work was seminal, and helped me begin to think through this issue.
• In short, Jesus, in order to accomplish his mission, had to be a man.
  • Not because men are better than women,
  • but because otherwise life-bringing his message would have been:
    • discounted
    • diluted or obscured
  • And the most effective modeling could only take place—in a patriarchal society—by a man.
• Hopefully this perspective will prove useful to you in your evangelism, in answering questions from outsiders but also from insiders.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Scriptures read or referred to in the podcast:

• Matthew 6:9 -- "Our Father..."
• Matthew 23:37 -- Jesus compares himself to a hen.
• Isaiah 66:13 -- God compares himself to a mother.
• Ephesians 5:22-32 -- We all stand corporately in a femine relationship to Christ as our bridegroom.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:6-12 -- Paul, his relationship to the Thessalonians, thinks of himself as a nurse, a mother, and a father.
• John 15:8, Luke 8:11, James 1:21 -- his seed is planted in us, and we are to bear fruit. This is a strongly feminine metaphor.
• God as husband -- meaning spiritual unfaithfulness is adultery -- is a common biblical metaphor (as in Jeremiah, Hosea, Ephesians, James, Revelation).
• Genesis 1:26-27 -- God's image is reflected in mankind, both male and female (and even better when the two are together).
• Nowhere does the Bible tell us to address God as "mother."

Conclusions
1. God is not lonely. He does not need a consort. (Note: in ancient religions, it was common for a god to have a goddess as a wife/consort. The worship of Yahweh strenuously rejects such thinking.) Among the persons of the Trinity there has always been love.
2. God is not sexual. He's neither male nor female, though he created us in his image as males and females. And yet...
3. God is personal, and therefore we have no choice but to relate to the Lord in a personal way.
4. God is analogically (not biologically) masculine. Nor will he be held captive by a pronoun ("he" or "she").
5. One suspects that what really bothers some critics of Christianity is the Lord's sovereign claim over their lives.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

I. PRINCIPLES OF CRIME & PUNISHMENT

Principle 1: God is a God of Justice

• Ultimately all crimes against God (Psalms 51:4). What does the Bible say about crimes against man (person/ property)?
• Proverbs 24:25, Ecclesiastes 8:11, Ecclesiastes 5:8-9.
• Lex talionis: Limitation: a maximum, not a minimum. See Exodus 21:24, Matthew 5:38.
• “Let the punishment fit the crime” – Gilbert & Sullivan, The Mikado (1885).

Principle 2: There will be a Judgment Day, and it will be Fair

• There will be an ultimate judgment – and it will be fair (Genesis 18:25; Luke 12:47-48; Romans 2:5, 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrew 9:27; 2 Peter 3:7; 1 John 4:17, etc).
• Yet there may be a delay.
  • Habakkuk wondered…
  • Numbers 32:23.
  • 1 Timothy 5:24.

Principle 3: Moral Authority must Speak Truth to Power or No One is Above the Law

• The prophets spoke out against social injustice:  Elijah, Amos, John the Baptist, and many others…
• Jesus challenged leaders of his day. Reminded high priest, governor, and other authorities about some important spiritual principles...
• There are times when believers must speak up -- speak out!

Principle 4: Law is Good

• Much of modern law comes from the Romans.
• Even more may come from the Jews: property law, torts, worker’s compensation, litigation, etc (Exod 20-Deut 33).
• Even studying OT law shows us God’s wisdom, providence and justice. Even though it is not the law of God for us, it is still the word of God for us, and we have much to learn!

Principle 5:  Civil Disobedience is Occasionally Justified

• Henry David Thoreau
• Daniel 3:18, 6:10 – obey government except when contradicts law of God
• On the other hand, we should pay taxes, even if they’re unfair -- we disagree with how the government chooses how to spend them. Give to those who ask you (Matthew 5:42). Insistence on “rights”?

Principle 6: The State has the Right to Punish Infractions

• Fines, traffic tickets, etc
• Imprisonment
• Execution: Romans 13.

II. THOUGHTS ON INCARCERATION

• Ancient times:
  • Temporary, awaiting trial.
    • Long-term – more likely for king’s prisoners. Or those rulers did not want to make martyrs of.
    • Paul (Acts 24, 28) and Joseph (Genesis 39+) are unusual in the length of their incarcerations.
  • Prisoners were visited by friends or relatives -- fed, clothed, care for by them. The state did little (see Jeremiah 37-38).
• Does our system of incarceration work? “Correctional,” or “penitentiary”? Or just a punishment?
  • It works poorly, though in some nations the penal system is more effective than in others.
  • Two extremes: soft and hard; focus on prisoners' rights vs. focus on society's rights
  • Reformation of character?
    • Not usually. Rather, recidivism!
    • US – 5% of world population and 25% of world’s prisoners. China – less glorious human rights record – far fewer incarcerated!
• Prison ministry?
  • In NT times, prisoners would normally have been believers (Hebrews 13).
  • And yet prisons present a great evangelistic opportunity. Implication of Philippians 1:7,12-14; 4:22).

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

The purpose of this talk is not to lay down the law, nor to defend the status quo, nor to encourage us not to engage in society. (If anything, Christians need to be more engaged.) The aim is to consider how Jesus approached power—how he lived, what he permitted, and what he prohibited. As we seek for zealous obedience to God’s Word in a spirit of grace, we stand to benefit greatly by looking to Christ. In this talk (39 minutes) I will make four observations, under the headings of alignment, agenda, amalgamation, and attitude.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

What about survivalism? Are these people on the right track biblically? Can Christians be "survivalists”?

Survivalism as a popular movement is well worth understanding, especially as some Christians are attracted to it. This attraction is increasingly common in society at large; think of the many TV programs, like Survivor, or movies, like The Book of Eli, or video games, like Fallout.

Survivalists believe that the responsible thing to do before the inevitable breakdown of society is to become self-sufficient. One will need adequate supplies of food and water to last for months (if not years) of anarchy and chaos. People need to provide for their families. Those who fail to take measures should not count on hand-outs. "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty" (Prov 22:3).

Further, one would be foolish to trust that normal human civility will suffice to maintain possession of one's cache. It may be necessary to defend it with force. Further, the time to load up on ammunition is now—before gun stores close.

It would be foolish to stay in or near a city. Better to plan on surviving in a rural and (preferably) isolated area. A sturdy shelter will be needed (underground is best -- maybe a luxury doomsday condo, if finances allow), and a generator may also prove helpful if and when public utilities are completely disrupted.

Assumptions
What are the fundamental components and assumptions of survivalism?

• Things are going to get bad. (Even if they don't, it's wise to be prepared.)
• God wants us to stay alive. Injury and death must be avoided (at all costs).
• We should stockpile water and food so that we have enough to survive until such time as things are safe again. (Think Old Testament siege conditions, as in 2 Kings 6 and 2 Kings 18.)
• A cache of weapons and ammunition is crucial. If someone trespasses onto my property I am justified in using lethal force, especially if he is attempting to raid my provisions.
• Since society will be in a state of chaos, we should plan to live in a secure shelter (amply furnished and supplied).
• Since money will lose its value, wealth should be converted to gold, silver, or other intrinsically valuable media of exchange.
• We shouldn't count on rescue. Normal disasters elicit assistance from the government; this time the cavalry won't be coming to save us. In effect, God helps those who help themselves.

These, then, are the fundamentals of survivalism and the assumptions on which it is based. Now it's time to evaluate. Survivalists make some good points, a number of which resonate with thoughtful Bible readers.

1. Society may well collapse one day. No empire lasted forever, after all.
2. The prudent take this into account. He or she prepares. One should not bank on rescue.
3. "Paper money" is arbitrary. Banknote values depend wholly on the strength of the government backing them.
4. Wicked men will try to rob us. This is already the reality, and crime only tends to increase in times of civil chaos.
5. It is right take up arms to defend the innocent, like oneself and one's family.

.
Let me respond to the previous 5 points. After that we will examine the teachings of Jesus and Paul with implications for survivalism. As we will see, there are numerous fundamental problems with survivalism.

1. Indeed, empires come and go. Even Rome fell (as intimated in Revelation); we should pay attention and learn. A breakdown of society, perhaps a massive technological failure or terrorist attack, is not a possibility to be dismissed. I recently read Marc Elsberg's novel Blackout. Although it is a work of fiction, even since it was originally published there have been attacks on the electrical power grid (in Europe) that demonstrate the plausibility of the scenario he envisions.
2. Preparing for contingencies is biblical. Yet we are not our own saviors; as much as we like to be in control, Jesus is the Savior. Yet that hardly means he shields us from hardship, suffering, or persecution. Romans 8 is no promise of peace and prosperity. There the only guarantee is that nothing, however horrific, can separate us from God's love.
3. This point doesn't go far enough. If we "cash in" our paper money for gold, silver, etc., these too are arbitrary. They have no intrinsic value (apart from, say, industrial applications). Further, the Bible warns us not to love money or allow it to become an idol. See Luke 16:13-15!
4. Since thieves break in and steal, we had best store our treasure in heaven (not in a bunker). Not fair that the evil men succeed? Relax; one day there will be a Day of Judgment. (See Psalm 73.)
5. Defending the innocent in court is a strong prophetic theme. Yet while the OT allowed limited violence in self-defense, in the NT we are told to relate to enemies in a different way. The use of lethal force was unacceptable even in the case of Christ—and no one was more innocent than he.

Jesus and Paul on Survivalism
To embrace survivalism as normally conceived requires a rejection of the teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, as well as of Paul's teaching in the epistles. Please take a moment to read over three passages, two from Matt 5-6, and one from Rom 12. They are somewhat lengthy, but if we want our convictions to come from scripture, we need to engage. Take your time; digest them.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:38-48).

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matt 6:25-34).

Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom 12:17-21).

• Jesus gave us the formula for surviving in any situation: Seek first the kingdom.
• Rather than hoard food and refuse it to one who is hungry, we are to feed him—even if he is our enemy! Further, hospitality is one of highest biblical virtues, including taking the stranger into our home. Recall the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14:15-24).
• As my friend David Berçot observes, "Survivalism is kindred to the spirit of the man Jesus described in the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21). The rich fool was hoarding his goods so that he could later take life easy. The survivalist hoards his goods to make sure he will have something for tomorrow, in case calamity comes. Neither person really trusts in God’s provident care. Both types of persons are focused on themselves (and their families), instead of others."
• Jesus forbade all forms of violence. "Put your sword away. He who draws the sword will die by the sword" (Matt 26:52). Now that we live in the Messianic Age, swords have been beaten into plowshares (Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3). We don't "study" (prepare) for war any more. No more killing.
• Interestingly (Berçot again), "Jesus told His followers that a horrible calamity was coming on Jerusalem in the near future (Matt 24), and indeed the calamity came with the Roman army (70 AD). Yet he didn’t advise his followers to start building up a survival cache; he said just the opposite! Once the calamity was at the door, he told them to leave everything behind and flee. That’s exactly what the Christians in Jerusalem did. God provided for their needs, and they all survived by fleeing to Pella (a town across the Jordan)."
• Biblical Christians do not choose life over faithfulness. We do not have to survive some coming apocalypse, but we do need to remain obedient to God's commands.

Thus we see that even a cursory reading of the NT scriptures reveals that survivalism as commonly presented is un-Christian on multiple fronts. If you are reading this article and have been attracted to this position, I urge you to rethink your position.

*          *          *          *          *          *

If you'd like to explore the topic in more depth, this will get your started:

• The website of Modern Christian Survivalist, which attempts to combine survivalism (as I have delineated it above) and the Bible.
• The article by Focus on the Family: A Biblical View of Survivalists and Preppers fear—"sanctified paranoia." This is a nice introduction to the issue.
• The Survivalism page at Rational Wiki. The article is very well done. "Meet Your Neighbor, The Survivalist" (CNBC, 29 May 2009), about someone who has stockpiled far more food than he could ever eat, so there's plenty to share with others.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

An out-of-work money manager in California loses a fortune and wipes out his family in a murder-suicide.

A 90-year-old Ohio widow shoots herself in the chest as authorities arrive to evict her from the modest house she called home for 38 years.

In Massachusetts, a housewife who had hidden her family's mounting financial crisis from her husband sends a note to the mortgage company warning: "By the time you foreclose on my house, I'll be dead." Then Carlene Balderrama shot herself to death, leaving an insurance policy and a suicide note on a table.

I. What crisis?

The "bubble" has burst. Whether this is a recession, a depression, or worse, conditions have changed in the global economy. There is a pervasive atmosphere of anxiety.

During one recent week (in 2008), global stock markets tumbled 7 trillion dollars! This is affecting the entire globe! Everyone is talking. We have felt the crisis, at least indirectly (through our friends who have been hit, and through rising prices).

Can affect our faith, too.  (Not to mention marriages.)

This is complex! Involves multiple agencies – hard to nail anyone down.
We are not going to solve it in a day! -- but we can get a biblical perspective….

II. How are people responding to the crisis?

Angst

Finger-pointing: Democrats! Republicans! Government! God! The Devil! America! Businessmen! Consumers!

Disengagement, hopelessness

Refusal to even think about it. Keep head down, keep going…

In some places, people have no choice but to think about it. Zimbabwe’s inflation rate recently hit 231m%. Imagine having Z$1m yesterday, and today it’s barely worth $1!

“I believe there is God’s justice in action in what’s going on here and we haven’t seen the end of it… We’re going toward a one-world bank and a one-world monetary system, and if you believe the Word of God and you read Revelations… you will see clearly what’s being spelt out, and we are in the end times.” – James Bidgood, Australian MP

Easy to give up, either ignoring it or else rationalizing it with a Que será, será attitude.

There's a different sort of aloofness, a way to ignore the issues:

Some of us are doing just fine, and say “It is a blessing from God,” or “I must be a good person,” or “I am pretty good with money.”

But it ain’t necessarily so!

Ecclesiastes 9:11. Not everything is so neat and tidy, so predictable! There is a possibility that some of it comes down to chance – Black Swan. God allows some random things to happen.

The book of Job: Bad things do happen to good people. Could be a test from God.  Even if he didn’t custom design the crisis for you and me, it can still be a sort of test: how will we respond? James 1:2-15.

On the other end of extreme religious reactions, “It is a lack of faith,” as one eminent evangelist said on TV.  Blessing if you get everything you want?  If a child gets everything he asks for?

The reality is complex… Many consider money to be a personal matter.  Yet there are more passages on money and wealth and possessions than, say, all those on faith and repentance and baptism combined. So, how we respond is important. Nothing diminishes our need to live responsibly! Here’s where the Bible has a lot to say.

III. How does the Bible shed light on the crisis?

1. The financial crises in the Bible offer parallels.
   1. Famines had similar effects:
      1. In the time of Joseph [Genesis 41-47]
      2. In the time of Elisha [2 Kings 6-7]
      3. In 1st century Judea [Acts 11:28-30; 2 Corinthians 8-9].
   2. These are testing times, driving up prices, straining relationships, affecting families, removing comfort, leading to despair, revealing character.
2. Realize that money is not the answer!
   1. “Vanity of vanities” Emptiness! Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless (Ecclesiastes 5:10 NIV).
   2. The US government is throwing money at the problem. (Whose money?)  A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life happy, and money is the answer for everything (Ecclesiastes 10:19 CSB)
   3. “Daily bread” Moderation – Proverbs 30:7-9 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, `Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God (NIV). See also Matthew 6:11.
3. Balance hard work with generous liberality.
   1. Industry – Pull your weight. 2 Thessalonians 3:10: In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: "If anyone isn't willing to work, he should not eat" (CSB).  and yet there is a balancing principle: Kind to the needy, giving to those who ask (Luke 6).
   2. Generosity. Keep giving!  Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity (2 Corinthians 8:2 NIV).
   3. Although the N.T. does not command any particular percentage for giving, most of us western Christians are able to go beyond the O.T. norm!
   4. Note: Some believers have been generous to a fault. Those who are deep in debt and have not spent responsibly may need to give away less of their income until they get their house in order. The ultimate goal, however, is to be a generous giver.
4. Live responsibly.
   1. Stewardship. Matthew 25.
   2. Study the Proverbs and strive to become a disciplined person.
5. Watch out for materialism.
   1. Definition…. Pleonexia
   2. It was the sin of Sodom. Ezekiel 16: 49-50: This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it.
   3. The Lord never promises financial prosperity. Jesus in Matthew 6 – “seek first…. and all these things…” “You can’t take it with you.” Nothing is ours to keep forever anyway. Don’t spend money you don’t have!
   4. “Credit, not debit.”
      1. Credit card debt – The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7 NIV)
      2. Don't be one of those who enter agreements, who put up security for loans. If you have no money to pay, even your bed will be taken from under you (Proverbs 22:26-27 CSB).
      3. People before things. 1 Timothy 6:7ff. Value relationships. What’s more valuable? Relationships, family… Use things and love people, not love things and use people…
6. Be content.
   1. Philippians 4:11. We are still rich.
   2. We may have lost a lot. (Though is it only on paper?) But think of the rest of the world; most nations are poor.
7. Be humble. Deuteronomy 8: 6-18: So keep the commands of the LORD your God by walking in His ways and fearing Him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams of water, springs, and deep water sources, flowing in both valleys and hills; a land of wheat, barley, vines, figs, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without shortage, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and from whose hills you will mine copper. When you eat and are full, you will praise the LORD your God for the good land He has given you. "Be careful that you don't forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His command-- the ordinances and statutes-- I am giving you today. When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in, and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases, be careful that your heart doesn't become proud and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water. He brought water out of the flintlike rock for you. He fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers had not known, in order to humble and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper. You may say to yourself, 'My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,' but remember that the LORD your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today (CSB)
   1. Old covenant more physical, material…. Does not apply to us today.
   2. Still there are principles to learn:
      1. Be humble.
      2. We are not self-made people!  Quote from Jim McGuiggan, Genesis and Us.
      3. Guard your heart! (Proverbs 4:23)

IV. Why should we talk about the crisis?

• We should talk. This area should not be taboo. Feeling pressure… need someone to talk to. Therapeutic!
• Even talking with our kids is good…
• Questions to ask myself about money:
  • How did I get it? (Exploitatively? Legally? Ethically?)
  • What am I doing with it? (All used for my own comfort, or helping others, too?)
  • How is it affecting me? (Enslaving? Holding on to integrity? Distraction?)
• Questions to ask others:
  • "How is the crisis affecting you?”
  • “How are you handling things?”
  • “Do you have any counsel for me?”
  • We need to talk about this. Take advantage of the greater climate of openness.
  • We need to care enough to ask. People need us to ask…

Conclusion

• Let’s talk about it. This is a great opportunity to connect with people, to get them to open up, to meet them authentically and to minister to them in a place where it hurts.
• Keep studying for biblical conviction. Turn to God, study the scriptures – as we have seen, they have a lot to say about this matter!

Further study:

• Abraham & Lot (Genesis 12-19) – the contrast of the life of one swayed by materialism (Lot) with one more rooted in the Word
• 2 Chronicles 25:5-10 and Proverbs 6:1-5 – release from unwise financial commitments.
• The passages on famine in III (1)
• Proverbs — over 30 passages
• Luke – over 30 passages (see Acts, too)
• Take AIM! Spiritual Life DVD series. Nine speakers bring lessons on a variety of topics, including many vital spiritual and financial principles.
• Excellent books:
  • Ronald J. Sider, Rich Christians Living in an Age of Hunger: A Biblical Study (IVP, 1977) and The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005). Deeply challenging.
  • Robert Wuthnow, Poor Richard's Principle: Recovering the American Dream Through the Moral Dimension of Work, Business, & Money (Princeton University Press, 1996). Superb.
  • Craig Blomberg, Neither Poverty Nor Riches (Grand Rapids: Intervarsity, 2001). A thorough and scholarly study, with many practical ideas.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Some scriptures to consider

• Proverbs 30:7-9
• Revelation 3:14-20
• 1 Corinthians 1:26
• 1 Timothy 6:6-11, 17-19
• Ezekiel 16:49
• Proverbs 4:23

Concluding thoughts

• Make as much as you can, and we can give away more to others.
• Review the related podcasts on:
  • Serving the Poor
  • What the Bible Says About Tithing
  • A Christian Response to the Global Financial Crisis
• "Men of genius are admired; men of wealth are envied; men of power are feared; but only men of character are trusted."
• "There's nothing wrong with possessing riches. The wrong comes when riches possess us!"

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Consequences of breakdown of of ethics
 

• The breakdown of ethics in the workplace has dire social and personal consequences:
  • Resentment and ill will
  • Ruined relationships
  • Deep rationalizations
  • Seared consciences
  • Cycles of oppression, poverty, and retaliation
  • Incidence of crime
  • hopes pol
• Monday follows Sunday; what we claim to believe in church must be translated into action every day of the week. 
   
• Judaism unusual for its ethical monotheism:
  • Sabbath broke cycle...... was not just one day for righteous living (Isaiah 58).
  • Provision is made for the poor and the oppressed -- all of those at a disadvantage.
  • Its prophets spoke truth to power, challenging all those corrupted by the self-directed ethics of the world -- including those wielding illegitimate power, be they priests or even kings.

Passages to ponder

• Lev 19:33-37
• Deut 25:13-16; Proverbs 11:1, 16:11; 20:10,23
• Wisdom of Amenemope 16: "Do not lean on the scales nor falsify the weights."
• Amos 8:4-6
• Luke 19:8-9

Prevalence of compromise

• Abundance of biblical passages suggests there were widespread problems in this area.
• Since cultures vary widely, it is wiser to offer principles, rather than a list of practicals. (All the same, principles arepractical!)

A Dozen Principles

1. Pay taxes
2. Reject shoddy materials and workmanship (excellence)
3. Insist on transparency ("fine print," deception, honor)
4. Uphold employee contracts (integrity and clear communication)
5. Employee benefits (part of a fair compensation)
6. No threats, e.g. implying you might terminate an employee who won't work extra hours, do favors, and so on (abuse of authority).
7. Disingenuous advertising.
8. Thing theologically about involvement in promoting products that destroy life (e.g. cigarettes).
9. Neither shrink working hours nor stretch breaks.
10. Don't violate your conscience.
11. Treat foreigners (or those otherwise at a disadvantage) with equity.
12. Value people over goods and services.

Conclusion

• We live in the world -- most of us listening to this lesson are in the working world -- yet we are not to be of the world.
• Like Moses in the Torah, Jesus in the new covenant demands that we practice what we preach. He dismisses any notion that what we are in private is disconnected from what are do in public.
• Is it possible you and I have some thinking to do?  Some honest soul-searching, in which we consider whether we are living, and working, ethically?