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A good deal of misunderstanding exists at present concerning the purpose and status of the Law of God. By “Law of God” I mean the Ten Commandments and the attendant civil statutes and rules, given by God through Moses, that were to guide Israel in establishing a nation based on love for God and neighbor. I do not intend to include in this discussion of the Law of God the various ceremonial or religious laws – those laws connected with the work of priests – since, as the writer of Hebrews explains (chapter 7-10), those laws have all been set aside by the anointing of a new and eternal High Priest, even our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yet while the laws governing things like sacrifices and offerings, clean and unclean foods, and protocols for various kinds of bodily cleansings and restorations no longer apply, the New Testament is clear that the Ten Commandments remain in effect as holy and righteous and good statutes to guide our walk with the Lord (Matt. 5:17-19; Rom. 7:12; 1 Jn. 2:1-6). In addition, New Testament writers, following the precedent of Old Testament prophets, discerned in the various civil statutes and rules of ancient Israel abiding principles of love and justice that remain valid for these latter days (Lk. 19:1-10; 1 Cor. 9:8-11; Jms. 5:1-4; cf. Ruth 4; Hag. 2:10-18). These civil statutes suggest ways of applying the Ten Commandments to a wide range of situations so that we may understand the course love should take in human society. They were not meant to be exhaustive but merely suggestive; wise judges and interpreters, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, must ferret out the meanings of the Law and discern its proper applications on a situation-by-situation basis, to ensure that love for God and neighbor are maintained.
Interestingly, certain of the Ten Commandments and many of the civil statutes of ancient Israel bear on what we today would regard as matters of economic practice. Wages, prices, debt, the value of land, contracts – these are just a few of the economic matters touched on in the Law of God. Certain of these statutes became the basis for much of the preaching of the prophets, who held rulers and religious alike accountable before God for their violations of His standards for economic justice and neighbor-love.
Our nation has been characterized from its beginnings by an economy of getting-and-spending. The free market economics of Adam Smith have nowhere found a more welcome reception than among the American people. During the early years of the Republic, while Biblical and Christian values still largely defined the ethical and moral environment in which economic transactions were conducted, the “dark side” of capitalism – its tendency to deceive, exploit, and cut corners in the worship of the almighty dollar – was largely kept in check. Chattel slavery and the exploitation of Native Americans are, of course, glaring exceptions.
But in our day, when relativistic and pragmatic values increasingly set the tone for ethical conduct, the dark side of capitalism is more and more overshadowing the land. Corporate corruption, the hiring of illegal aliens, white collar crime, unequal wages, and exorbitant salaries for some while many cannot find work – all these and more are symptoms of a system that has become sick with self-love and materialism. If it were possible to discover principles of economic activity that could infuse more love into our society, principles and practices that discourage mere self-interest, preserve the value of property and currency, honor the dignity of all members of society, and promote justice, fairness, honesty, and, yes, love – if such principles could be discovered, even if they be found in the Old Testament Law of God, wouldn’t they be worth considering?
Start your own ViewPoint discussion group. This week’s series is available in a free downloadable format, suitable for personal or group study. Download the series, "VP Economics of Love".
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
VP Economics of Love
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