Economics 101: An Economy under God? – The Law of God and Public Policy

Economics 101: An Economy under God?
The Law of God and Public Policy

All economic transactions occur under the watchful eye of God.

“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another.” Leviticus 19:1

In His Law, God commanded His people to treat one another with honesty and fairness in all transactions. They must not lie about the quality of products put up for sale. They must maintain just weights and balances when weighing out one commodity or one sum of currency to be exchanged for something else. “A full and fair weight you shall have, a full and fair measure you shall have, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Deut. 25:15).

To treat a neighbor dishonestly was a violation of the fifth, eighth, and ninth commandments, and to commit an abomination before the Lord (Deut. 25:16).

All units of measure were to be strictly maintained and observed: “You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or quantity. You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin; I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (Lev. 19:35, 36). People were to remember that property is a stewardship from the Lord and is to be used with a view to furthering His goodness in love for one’s neighbor. To deceive one’s neighbor, or to take advantage in any transaction, was to offend against God.

In a just economy, therefore, people will regard all transactions as being done under the watchful eye of God with a view to benefiting one’s neighbor at least as much as oneself (Lev. 19:18). Violations of neighbor-love in economic transactions should be quickly redressed and punished. The fact that we still see a good deal of this principle in American law—think: Enron, Bernie Madoff—indicates among Americans the inherent sense, written on the human heart (Rom. 2:14, 15), that the Law of God is truly good (Rom. 7:12).

No policies enacted by government at any level should favor one property-owner over another. Thus, for example, the increasingly common use of eminent domain to seize private property, through forced purchase, and to sell it to other economic interests merely for the sake of economic advancement, rather than the common weal as traditionally understood, should be regarded as unjust. Other unjust practices of government would include: setting prices for goods or services at one level for certain buyers and another level for others, subsidizing certain producers with resources confiscated from the public, catering to business in contracts for political ends, and seizing inheritances or even a portion thereof.

Christians can most directly affect the shape of our economy by practicing love for God and neighbor in all their economic transactions. Beyond that, they should make the most of every opportunity and means for influencing the shape of public policy.

Visit our website, www.ailbe.org, and sign up to receive our thrice-weekly devotional, Crosfigell, featuring writers from the period of the Celtic Revival and T. M.’s reflections on Scripture and the Celtic Christian tradition. Does the Law of God still apply today? Order a copy of T. M.’s book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, and study the question for yourself.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T. M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.