Transactions – The Law of God and Public Policy: The Economy (9)

Transactions

The Law of God and Public Policy: The Economy (9)

Fairness and honesty must obtain in all transactions.

“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another.” Leviticus 19:11

In very few economies is a man required to supply all the needs of himself and his family by his own wits, strength, and resources. Money arose to facilitate the transfer of goods and the purchase of services. Where barter could not fetch a desired commodity or service, precious metal might do the trick.

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 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 was a stewardship from the Lord, and was 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). No policies enacted by government at any level should favor one property owner over another. Thus, for example, the practice of eminent domain, in which private property is seized, through forced purchase, and sold to other economic interests merely for the sake of economic advancement, should be regarded as unjust. Similarly, to set prices for goods or services at one level for certain buyers and another level for others would also be to conduct unfair transactions against one’s neighbor.

Subscribe to Crosfigell, the devotional newsletter of The Fellowship of Ailbe. Sent to your desktop every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Crosfigell includes a devotional based on the literature of the Celtic Christian period and the Word of God, highlights of other columns at the website, and information about mentoring and online courses available through The Fellowship.

–

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.