by Brian Shilhavy
The evil culture we live in today has conditioned us to believe that capitalism and socialism are two opposing, non-compatible philosophies, and this perceived conflict is used to create social tension, and even wars.
It might surprise people to learn that you can find both concepts in the teaching of Jesus, and that in their pure, biblical form, they are totally compatible.
One of the best places to observe this is in Matthew chapter 25, which is part of what is called “The Olivet Discourse” where the disciples of Jesus asked him:
What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? (Matthew 24:3)
Within this discourse, Jesus told the following story (parable):
Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.
To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.
The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
(Matthew 25:14-30)
This is ethical capitalism, something that for the most part is not practiced in the world today. It sees God as the owner of all resources, and it views whatever resources that come into our possession as belonging to God.
We are his servants to manage these resources to benefit the Kingdom of God, not to benefit tyrannical world rulers who enslave us.
Here is the very next passage in Matthew 25 directly after this story, which deals with the final judgment:
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
(Matthew 25:31-46)
Here we have the biblical basis for ethical socialism. It actually flows out of biblical capitalism, and both philosophies actually compliment each, they don’t compete with each other. We seldom see this kind of socialism in the world today, sadly.
I don’t think it is an accident that these two passages appear together in the Olivet Discourse concerning the end of the ages.
Ethical capitalism that invests God’s resources into building up the Kingdom of God, includes using those resources to help those who are poor and oppressed.
In both of these passages, unbelievers are cast into hell for what they did not do.
The statement about the “goats” who represent “the devil and his angels (demons)” is very profound when you contemplate it. Think of all the horrible demonic things that happen in our world today, which would compile a list probably hundreds of pages long, and include such hideous evil things as murder, rape, torture, child sacrifice, child sex trafficking, etc.
And yet, what Jesus said condemns them to “eternal punishment” it is for not helping the poor and oppressed, the “least of these” (which certainly would include children!), as a representative of Jesus Christ on earth.
Is it any wonder that we see so much hatred and anger today among those who have been fooled to believe they are fighting for a just cause, when both sides are actually meant to be one and the same in harmony with God’s purposes to oppose the rule of Satan by seeking the Kingdom of God on earth?
This is the perversion of Satan and his influence upon our culture. The correct response is for us to stop fighting each other, and fight back against Satan by fulfilling the words of Jesus to promote the Kingdom of God on earth. In fact, this is the overall purpose for why we were created, and put upon this earth.
It is the great cosmic battle, and when you fight against people that you believe oppose you and your cause, you are in fact serving Satan and his purposes.
I will close with a passage written by the apostle Paul that also describes the harmony between these two principles when God is in control, rather than tyrannical governments or human authorities carrying out Satan’s plans.
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
(2 Corinthians 9:6-12)
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