Tag Archives: Bible

October 30, 2012 · 10:12 AM

Is It Too Late For America To Have Hope?

Many Christians have expressed deep concern over the presidential election 2012.  Vital issues related to faith and family remain at the forefront of national politics.  Policies and appointments made by our next president will almost certainly contribute to either the healing or the declining of our country.

But this election presents a much bigger question than who will be in the White House for the next four years.  Rather than simply choosing the lesser of two evils, concerned believers should be asking why we are faced with the current choice of candidates.

Some Christian voters say that Mitt Romney’s Mormonism makes no difference.  How can that be?  Mormonism may present some attractive morals, but what about the underlying teachings about the character and plan of God?

Many evangelical believers were outraged when Barak Obama announced that we are no longer a Christian nation.  Yet many of those same people are now apparently willing to vote for a man who professes a religion that is in direct competition with Biblical Christianity, a religion started by a man who declared that all Christian movements and leaders before him taught a false gospel.

Others remind us that the Bible calls for a just society that cares for and provides for the weak and the marginalized.  They believe that Barak Obama’s policies will ensure that we live in a nation that expresses these Biblical values.  But how can we forget that Obama scoffed at the notion of using the Holy Bible as a guide for government policy?

In addition, at a time when God’s design for family is under siege, how can we overlook Obama’s record of promoting abortion and supporting so-called “gay marriage”?  The deconstruction of marriage and family threatens to unravel the fabric of our culture.

By almost every measure the U.S.A. is declining, especially by the most important measure: spiritual vitality.  The spiritual condition of America is shaky at best.  Unless something changes we will find ourselves in a desperate situation.

Pragmatists will insist on limiting the focus of the debate to the two men who are running for office.  But we must honestly ask ourselves why we are faced with such a discouraging dilemma in this election.  How did we sink to our current spiritual state and what should we do about it?

Zedekiah faced a desperate situation.  He was king of Israel about 600 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  He ruled at a time when his nation was threatened by a hostile and powerful enemy.

King Zedekiah needed a word from the Lord.  So he went to the prophet Jeremiah and asked him, “Is there any word from the Lord?”

The prophet Jeremiah had a word from the Lord for Zedekiah.  The king and his nation would be handed over to their enemy, Babylon.  Zedekiah and Israel had ignored God far too long and it was too late for deliverance.

What is the word of the Lord for our country?  Is it too late for America?  I hope not.  But we need to do more than vote for the lesser of two evils.  We need to seek a word from the Lord.

Although the Lord’s word for Zedekiah’s generation was a word of judgment, there was still hope.  A remnant would survive and rebuild at a later date.

More than seeking the right leaders for our government, we urgently need to seek God’s word for our generation.  Our Lord’s policies and decisions are more important than those from Washington, after all, “The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord” (Proverbs 21:1).  Indeed, “there is no authority except that which is from God” (Romans 13:1).

God’s kingdom plan in this age will not be thwarted by either the schemes of his enemies or by the disobedience of his own people.  When one generation fails, God patiently waits and raises up another generation who will faithfully carry on his work.

What will become of our generation?  Let’s exercise our right and responsibility as citizens of this great nation to vote in the election Tuesday November 6.  As we go to our polling places let’s prayerfully and carefully consider the spiritual needs of our society.

Above all else, let us urgently and with open hearts seek a word from the Lord for our time.

Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, October 2012
Printed 10/26/12 by Camden News

 

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October 8, 2012 · 12:11 PM

The Sheep from Another Pen

Jesus painted wonderful and memorable word pictures that describe God’s marvelous love for his people.  In John chapter 10 he pictured God’s people as a flock of sheep.  The Good Shepherd, Jesus, calls his sheep by name and they recognize his voice.  He goes ahead of them and leads his flock out to pasture.

The flock is endangered by a wolf and made vulnerable by a hired hand.  The wolf slips in to steal and destroy the flock.  The hired hand flees, leaving the sheep to be attacked and scattered.  Although the hired hand protects himself at the expense of the flock, the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus’ metaphor is a striking way to think about God’s people (the flock of sheep), Jesus (the Good Shepherd), Satan (the wolf), and false teachers (the hired hand).  The great affection of the Good Shepherd for his sheep is expressed by his willingness to die for his flock, an obvious reference to Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross at Calvary.

In his lovely portrait of God’s sacrificial affection, Jesus introduced the idea that he also has sheep that are from another pen.  In other words, the people of God include more than citizens of Jerusalem or Israel.  In fact, God sent Jesus to be Savior for people from every tribe, language, race, and nation.

Jesus emphasized his global mission to tell all people everywhere about God’s plan of salvation after his resurrection, just before he ascended back to heaven.  We should not, however, mistakenly get the impression that the Great Commission was a sort of afterthought or last-minute addition to Jesus’ mission.  The worldwide scope of Jesus’ mission is in the DNA of his words and works.

Missionary work is not an afterthought in Christianity; it is the very heart of God.  The Good Shepherd has a love that leaves the ninety-nine in order to find the one lost lamb.  And he rejoices when that endangered sheep is found.   And the Good Shepherd calls his followers to share in the toil and the triumph of God’s global mission.

May the love of Christ compel us to go and tell the Good News,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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October 7, 2012 · 1:12 PM

Faith: Finding Faith, Growing in Faith and Saving Faith

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (10:17, NIV).  This verse is speaking to all those who are followers of Jesus Christ.  It reminds us of our task and our method.

According to Romans 10:17, our goal is “faith.”  We serve together in order to help people find faith.  And for those who already have faith, we help them to grow in faith.  As we help others, we grow in our own faith, too.  God’s Spirit knits our souls together with him and with one another into a thriving community of faith that serves his Kingdom and enjoys his blessings.

The faith of Romans 10:17 is not just any faith, but faith that comes “through the word of Christ.”  The Bible tells us that some faith is in vain.  Faith in anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ is not saving faith.  Other faiths may be comforting faiths, or satisfying faiths, or popular faiths, or even impressive faiths.  But only faith in Christ is saving faith.

Faith comes from “hearing the message.”  We need not worry about finding a message; we have one already.  Jesus sacrificed himself as a sin offering so that all who place their faith in him will be completely forgiven and eternally blessed by God.

Faith comes from “hearing the message.”  The message is the word of Christ.  As followers of Jesus we have the great opportunity and challenge to tell the Good News about Jesus Christ.  We participate in God’s Kingdom work by making sure that every child and every adult possible hears and understands the great message of saving faith through Jesus Christ.

Every local church exists in order to help people find faith and to grow in faith.  As people are saved and strengthened in faith, the Body of Christ is built up.  And as we carry out our God-given mission we bring glory to God the Father who saves us through his Son Christ Jesus.

May the Lord empower us to grow strong in the faith,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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September 22, 2012 · 4:16 PM

If God is so good, why do people suffer?

Mary Baker Eddy started a movement called Christian Science.  She spent her life in nineteenth-century America struggling with poor health.  Traditional methods of healing failed her and so she explored alternatives.

Along the way, Mary Eddy wrestled with the ancient question of how God can be all-powerful and all-good if evil exists in the world.  Her answer was to conclude that all evil is an illusion and that pain and suffering are not real.  According to Eddy, people only hurt because they are deceived.

Most people have experienced enough pain and suffering to be skeptical of the notion that their sorrow is only imaginary.  But if pain and suffering are real and evil is real, then what about God?  Is he truly all-powerful?  Or is he too weak to stop evil?  Is he truly all-good?  Or is there a dark side to God’s personality?

The Bible clearly reveals that God’s goodness is flawless and his strength is unmatched.  So what is the answer?

Some people believe that they can solve the apparent riddle about suffering by suggesting that God does not create evil, he only allows it.  But even so, the Lord of heaven and earth would still be responsible for standing idly by and allowing horrible acts of violence.  There must be more to the answer.

The Bible says that God works all things together for good (Romans 8:28).  God can and does use evil to bring about good, but when we see and experience the deep sorrows in this age our souls are easily overwhelmed by the cost of such a good.  And when the pain is personal we are especially tempted to doubt that any goodness can result from suffering.

Our quest to find some satisfaction and understanding about the dark valleys in this age cries out for something more than words.  To gain real insight we must know about a place and an event.  The place is a barren hill outside Jerusalem and the event is a cruel execution: Jesus’ death at Calvary.

Jesus’ voluntary sacrifice on a Roman cross, despite his innocence, is the ultimate example of God’s ability to bring good from evil.  Jesus died to save God’s people from sin.

But Jesus’ death is more.  Jesus came not only to defeat evil but to expose it.  The Lord could have defeated evil without our knowledge, but then we might be curious about evil.  Like Adam and Eve, we might think that God is hiding something good from us.  But Jesus’ death on the cross shows how dark and dangerous evil truly is.

And there is still more.  Jesus’ sacrificial death not only exposed and defeated evil; Jesus dying on the cross is God joining with humanity in the experience of pain and agony.  Never can we say to God, “You just don’t understand.”  The Lord understands suffering better than we do, because he endured the full measure of punishment for all our sin.

The picture is still incomplete.  Jesus’ suffering at Calvary was not the end of his story.  God raised him up from his temporary tomb.  Death no longer has power over the Lord Jesus.  His pain and suffering came to an end and gave way to eternal glory.  As a result, our pain and suffering, although real, is temporary, if we belong to Christ.

The entire thought from Romans 8:28 is this: “And we know that for those who love God, he works all things together for good, for those called according to his purpose.”  When we love the Lord, even the difficult times in our lives have meaning and purpose.

So it turns out that Eddy’s Christian Science is neither Christian nor science.  To deny the existence of suffering is not very scientific.  To take away the very real meaning of Jesus’ suffering is certainly not Christianity.

But to say that God brings good results out of bad circumstances is not an appeal to rush out and actively pursue pain and suffering.  God may allow suffering but he also pours out abundant blessings that are meant to be received with joy and gratitude.

Enjoy the times of blessing in your life.  Jesus did.  Avoid unnecessary suffering and pain whenever you can.  Jesus did that, too.  But when pain and suffering cannot be escaped, you can find the good if you love the God who makes all things work.

Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, September 2012 –

Printed 9-14-12 by Camden News under title “If God is so good, why do people suffer?”

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September 8, 2012 · 10:39 PM

How Do We Make Disciples?

Our common love for the Lord Jesus unites us in our work, and our common desire to obey the Lord Jesus binds us together with a single goal: to glorify Almighty God.  Our Lord’s commands will keep us focused as we face many challenges and opportunities along the way.

Our Savior summarized his instruction for all of his followers in all places at all times in this age when he spoke to his disciples after his resurrection.  As they stood on a certain mountain in Galilee Jesus came to them and gave them, and us, a mandate for action.

Jesus prefaced his instruction with a statement about his right to command the people of God.  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him, he said.  When we obey the Lord Jesus, we are in step with the highest authority in all the cosmos.

So what has Jesus commanded his followers to do?  The short version is this: Go make disciples.  In other words, go make more followers of Jesus.  Before explaining how, Jesus addressed the question of whom; to whom should we go?  He simply said, everyone, make disciples of all nations, all peoples.  Jesus placed no limit on the type of person who can become his disciple.

How do we make disciples?  First, we baptize them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Baptism means conversion.  We announce and explain the Good News about salvation through faith in Jesus.  Then we invite people to trust the Lord and become followers of Jesus.

Saving souls is the beginning of a new life that requires instruction.  So Jesus has commanded us to teach disciples after we make them.  And he has given us the curriculum; we are to teach all that he taught his disciples, which is recorded in the Bible.  Our textbook for discipleship is God’s Word.

We have a mandate from the Lord of heaven and earth.  Our shared labor of love is to help people find saving faith and then to help them grow in their faith.  As we obey our Lord’s command we, too, grow spiritually.  Jesus himself is our model.  Our goal is to become more and more like him.

Not only is Jesus our model in discipleship and our authority for making new disciples, he also has the power to enable us in our work.  He finished his instruction by promising his very Presence will always be with us no matter how long the job lasts.  “And look!” he said, “I am with you all the days, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

May we always bring glory to God through our obedient service to Jesus,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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August 26, 2012 · 5:18 PM

Would You Wash Judas’ Feet?

Jesus spent time with his disciples just before his crucifixion.  John chapter 13 begins with the account of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.  Just imagine how flabbergasted they were to see their Master on his knees with a towel and a bowl of water performing such a menial task!  Jesus had to argue with Peter before the proud fisherman would allow it.

After washing their feet Jesus returned to his place of honor at the table and asked his disciples if they understood what he had just done.  They learned three things which still apply to the followers of Jesus today.  First, if the Son of God is willing to perform such a humble task, then all who follow him should be willing to accept assignments that are less than glamorous.

Second, Jesus washed the feet of all twelve of his disciples, including Judas.  Judas had been treated like a close friend, walking side by side with Jesus and his other disciples for almost three years.  Nevertheless, he was about to shamefully betray Jesus, handing him over to his enemies for shocking and cruel treatment.  And yet Jesus washed Judas’ feet, too.  In following Jesus we will find ourselves sometimes serving those who are less than deserving.

Finally, Jesus’ footwashing was more than just a physical act of kindness.  Washing feet symbolized the cleansing of souls.  In fact, Jesus pictured his entire ministry with that one act of service.  When he took off his outer garment and left the table it pictured him setting aside his glory in heaven and stepping into human history at Bethlehem.  When he washed the feet of his disciples it pictured his humility on the cross outside Jerusalem, sacrificing himself to cleanse the souls of sinners.  And when Jesus stood up and assumed again his place of honor at the table, it symbolized his resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the throne in heaven.

In the same way that Jesus’ footwashing was filled with great symbolic meaning, our service is filled with great spiritual purpose.  We do not serve simply to make this world a better place, although our actions will often ease suffering and increase joy.  But much more than that, we are serving in a cosmic rescue mission led by an Eternal Savior who is pulling souls out of the vast kingdom of darkness and opening a way for them to have a permanent place in the everlasting kingdom of Light.

May we always represent our Lord Jesus Christ well through our humble service,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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August 26, 2012 · 5:05 PM

Can You Do Greater Things than Jesus Did?

Just before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus said things to his disciples that were nothing less than astounding.  He told them that he would soon be leaving and returning to the Father.  As a result of his going to the Father, Jesus revealed to his followers that they would do greater things than he had done (John 14:12).  Do greater things than Jesus did?

Jesus turned water to wine at a wedding.  He satisfied over 5,000 hungry people with only five small barley loaves and two small fish.  He walked on water.  He gave sight to a blind man.  He went to a funeral and told the dead man to come out of his tomb, and the man did.  How could Jesus be serious in saying that his followers would do greater things than these?

Jesus made this promise to his disciples before he died on the cross, before giving his life as a ransom for lost sinners.  His death and resurrection was greater than anything he had done before because his sacrifice made eternal salvation available.  After all, what good is it to make a heart merry with wine, a stomach satisfied with food, a pair of eyes able to enjoy light, or even a dead man to get up and walk, if they still face an eternity in hell?

After Jesus died to provide God’s forgiveness and rose again to offer new life, the greater work could be done.  Jesus entrusted the proclamation of his saving work to his followers.  Jesus’ followers still have the responsibility and the honor of telling the world about the greatest work ever done.  What could be greater than seeing lost souls transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light, to see a person’s eternity changed from everlasting death to everlasting life?  Eternal salvation is a greater work than food, sight, or even earthly life.

True, Jesus attended to people’s immediate needs, and so should his followers.  But Jesus did not get distracted from the greater work of eternal salvation and neither should his followers.  Our Lord has not only saved us to live a new life, but he has called us to proclaim this new life to others who are still lost.  To enjoy God’s blessings is a good thing.  To live holy lives is pleasing to God.  To help those in need is work worthy of our labor.  But to share in God’s work of salvation is truly the greatest thing we can do.

Please pray about your participation in the core mission of your church, proclaiming the Good News about God’s salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  Attend a personal evangelism class.  Tell others about the faith.  Invite people to church.  Go or help send someone else on a mission trip.  Find your place in God’s Kingdom mission and enjoy the excitement of doing greater things.

May Jesus Christ always be our greatest passion,

Brother Richard Foster, Pastor
Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR

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August 26, 2012 · 4:52 PM

Is Jesus a Democrat or a Republican?

Political parties attempt to recruit Jesus as a spokesman for their platforms from time to time.  This is nothing new.  On one occasion, Jesus miraculously fed 5,000-plus people by multiplying five loaves and two fishes.  Some people in that crowd suddenly realized that Jesus would be a great leader for their cause.  They tried to make Jesus king by force.  He declined the invitation.

Jesus was faced with several political choices.  His own people were subject to the sometimes harsh rule of Rome, which motivated various groups to respond in different ways.  One group was convinced that violent resistance was the only acceptable course.  After all, were they not to be ruled by God alone?  This group was deeply committed to throwing off the Roman yoke even if it meant shedding blood.  They were called Zealots.

Jesus rejected the politics of violence.  He refused to engage in brutality or terror in order to build his Kingdom.  The politics of violence is still alive and well in our world today.  Based on Jesus’ actions and teaching, we are persuaded that he would reject the politics of violence and intimidation today, too.

Near the place where Jesus fed the 5,000 another group made their home.  This group saw only evil in both Roman rulers and in the leaders of their own people Israel.  They rejected any kind of real participation in the politics of their day.  They withdrew into the wilderness and formed their own community, pursuing only personal religious goals.  They were called Essenes.

Jesus did not join the Essenes.  He was not absent from the public debate nor was he afraid to face the leaders of his people with challenging ideas.  The politics of withdrawal is practiced in our world, too.  Some groups see political participation as something beneath them, and so they avoid becoming entangled in the complex problems of this world.  We are persuaded that Jesus would not be a recluse from society today.

Other groups in the first century were more pragmatic about politics.  Rome was the center of power and likely to remain so at least into the foreseeable future.  Given the realities of the situation, why not deal with Rome on Rome’s terms?  This group compromised and served the Empire.  They shared power by collecting taxes for the occupiers.  As a result they made bitter enemies among their own people.  To be called a Tax Collector in first-century Israel was not a compliment.

Jesus did not join the Tax Collectors.  In fact, he refused to compromise with anyone about anything.  He claimed to have an independent and superior authority: God.  That claim disturbed those who were invested in the established power structures.  They recognized that Jesus represented a threat to the status quo.  Nevertheless, Jesus refused to soften his message in order to make friends with the powerful people of his day.  We cannot imagine that Jesus would compromise his message today.

Some may wish to argue that Jesus was not political at all, that he was only a religious philosopher or teacher.  But he was political enough to frighten both the Jewish and Roman officials.  They conspired against him and executed him, hoping to get him out of their way.  Ironically they were merely tools in the hands of God, used to advance his Kingdom, the very Kingdom that Jesus was working to establish.  The Kingdom of God challenges the politics of this age, both first century and twenty-first century politics.

True, Jesus did not join the Zealots or the Tax Collectors, but a Zealot and a Tax Collector joined him.  Simon the Zealot and Matthew the Tax Collector would normally have been bitter political enemies, more so than democrats and republicans of today.  But with Jesus they found someone who was greater than their personal politics.  In Jesus they found another way to do politics, leaving behind their previous ideas and embracing his.

So, is Jesus a Democrat or a Republican?  No, he is not.  Jesus does not have to conform to any pre-determined political dogma.  Jesus is himself a power greater than all others and he does politics his own way.  How then do we label Jesus?  Some may say that we cannot and should not, but I disagree.  There is a label for Jesus, the perfect label: Jesus is Lord.

– Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR, May 2011
Printed May 2011;  Camden News;  Camden, AR.

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August 23, 2012 · 9:56 AM

Should Marriage Be Defined By Tradition or Truth?

In the ongoing debate about marriage, conservative voices often use the word “traditional.”  The legal definition of marriage, they say, should be based on tradition.  Is that right?

Cultures tend to evolve and ours is no exception.  In the last few decades attitudes have shifted dramatically about what behaviors should be accepted, and therefore, should be promoted and protected by our legal system.

First, voices began saying that not every sexual relationship should be restricted to marriage.  As this idea gained acceptance immorality and adultery multiplied.  Decades of progressive attitudes about sex have left their mark.  Has sexual immorality become a new American tradition?

Then people began to say that not every baby deserves to live.  As a result our society legalized and accelerated the destruction of what came to be called “fetal tissue.”  After destroying tens of millions of unborn babies, can we say that abortion has become a sad new American tradition?

Next, people decided that not every marriage is worth fighting to save.  The result was an explosion in the number of broken homes.  Higher and higher percentages of marriages ended in divorce.  Another new American tradition?

It also became popular to say that not every child needs both a mom and a dad.  Single-parent homes emerged as a valid choice for family.  With so many children growing up in one-parent households, could we say that single parenting has become an American tradition?

Now our culture wants to say that not every marriage must be between one man and one woman.  A vocal and politically powerful minority is working hard to establish another new American tradition: so-called “gay marriage.”

If the definition of marriage is determined by tradition, then it is doomed to be tossed about by the fickle cultural breezes that constantly swirl in our country.  Traditions come and go, some good and some not.  Marriage is far too important to be left to the shifting winds of culture and tradition.

The Bible reveals God’s original design for marriage.  Early in the account of creation, in Genesis 2, God’s Word says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and join with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

Note the beginning: For this reason.  For what reason?  Because God made them male and female.  Marriage begins with the unique compatibility between a man and a woman.

Jesus affirmed God’s ancient design for marriage more than a millennium later.  When asked about divorce he quoted Genesis 2, and then he added, “So what God has joined together let no man separate.”  Jesus agreed with God’s original definition of marriage, rejecting the idea that family evolves or that it must bow to popular cultural notions.

Conservative defenders of one-man-one-woman marriage often claim to believe in the authority of the Bible, yet they choose to argue that tradition should define marriage.  Why?  Do they believe that tradition will be more agreeable to a secular culture than the Bible?

Another argument says that traditional marriage is the best foundation for a healthy culture.  This line of reasoning also attempts to persuade culture about godly marriage without mentioning God or the Bible.

One-man-one-woman marriage does offer the best foundation for any culture.  But marriage is more than a strong platform for society.  Marriage is meant to be a visible expression of God’s love for his people.

The risk of rejection is no excuse for softening God’s Truth.  God designed marriage to be one man and one woman totally and freely committed to one another [f]or a lifetime.  Jesus affirmed God’s unchanging design for marriage and added a statement about the permanent nature of the relationship.

So, why not boldly and honestly promote God’s Truth about marriage?  The Bible itself promises that God’s Word is eternal and unchanging: “The grass withers and the flower falls, but the Word of the Lord remains forever.”

In the debate about marriage the church must decide whether to argue for tradition or for God’s design.  Traditions change but God’s Word stands forever.  Let’s take our stand with the Truth.

– Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR, May 2012

Printed May 2012;  Camden News;  Camden, AR.

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August 23, 2012 · 9:51 AM

Is Jesus a Communist or a Capitalist?

A young man approached Jesus and asked him how to inherit eternal life.  Instead of a spiritual answer Jesus gave an economic reply.  He instructed the young man to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor.

Jesus’ response would surprise almost anyone, but it was especially stunning for a very wealthy person.  And this man was very wealthy.

Was Jesus endorsing income redistribution?  Was he telling the man that he should give up his elite financial status and become part of the 99 percent?  Was he saying that economic justice should be top priority?  Is that not advice that Marx would appreciate?

What would the man do?  Apparently he was so attached to his great wealth that he could not bring himself to obey Jesus.  So he turned and went away sad.

The man’s love for his wealth is no surprise.  What is remarkable is that Jesus had nothing more to say to him.  He merely allowed the rich young man to choose his own gloomy destiny.

If Jesus believed in redistributing wealth, he certainly had a strange way of showing it.  He did not insist on passing a law that forced the man to give up his riches.  He did not start a revolutionary uprising among workers to take back what was rightfully theirs.  He did not even put up tents in the park and organize a protest against the injustice of economic disparity.

So Jesus agreed that the man had a right to own property, lots of property, when others were in desperate need, even though it could not bring him true happiness.  Jesus must be a capitalist.

But why did Jesus urge the man to sell all his property and give the money to the poor?  It was his wealth, after all.  Why not just give a generous donation and stay rich?  He could do more for the downtrodden by maintaining a healthy income stream, right?

As the rich young man walked away, Jesus turned to his followers and uttered one of his best-known sayings.  “Easier it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,” he said, “than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”  That sounds bad for rich people.

On another occasion Jesus told about a wealthy man who ignored a dirty beggar named Lazarus.  But a great reversal took place in the presence of God.  The rich man found himself in torment while the poor man was comforted.

Is that a fair outcome?  The beggar was just a welfare case who refused to work, right?  Apparently the Lord expected the rich man to do more than trickle down on the poor man.

Jesus taught that nobody can serve both God and money.  He warned about the riches of this world, pointing out that material wealth is prone to theft and decay.  He told his followers to give, and if someone takes what belongs to them, do not demand it back.  Does that sound like capitalism?

Change the terminology to socialism instead of communism or to free markets instead of capitalism if you wish.  The point is the same.  Jesus cannot be recruited to promote our popular systems of macro-economics, unless he is severely edited.  And editing Jesus is difficult because, as he said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words (all of them) will never pass away.”

How are we to understand Jesus on wealth?  He did more than instruct that rich young man to give his riches to the poor.  Jesus urged the man to come and follow him.  Wealth was not the issue; it was a distraction from the issue.  The issue was, and is, following Jesus.

If we could undo all the economic injustice in this harsh world, but we did not become followers of Jesus, then our efforts would be of no lasting value.  If we could produce a great fortune that creates jobs and income for millions, but we did not become followers of Jesus, then our accomplishments would be trivial.

The rich young man did not like what Jesus had to say about wealth so he walked away.  He elevated his ideas and feelings about wealth above Jesus.  If we elevate our ideas about wealth above Jesus, whatever they may be, then we, too, have missed the point.

Instead of hearing only the words of Jesus that seem to support our preconceived ideas about wealth, let us hear all that he has to say.  When we do, we will find that Jesus Christ has much more to offer than economic freedom or fairness.  Jesus is more than a reformer.  Jesus is Redeemer.

– Richard Foster, Grace Baptist Church, Camden, AR, January 2012

Printed January 2012;  Camden News;  Camden, AR.

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