Redsitribution of wealth is currently under consideration in Washington. It is presented as being kinder and therefore better than capitalism. Socialists have long advocated that capitalism, also called free enterprise, is unfair, and even immoral, based on selfishness and greed.

But a book held in high esteem by our Founding Fathers, and by many in this country today, The Holy Bible, paints a different picture.

In Matthew chapter twenty-five, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a businessman! When the man went out of town, he left his talents divided between three men. He didn't even divide them equally. One man was given ten talents, another five, and another just one talent! According to socialism, that is evil, and makes the businessman unfair. But this is the picture that Christ Jesus paints of the kingdom of heaven! When the businessman returns, he wants his talents back, with profit! When our businessmen want to make a fair profit, socialists call them greedy! But even God wants us to use and improve our talents! The Bible even begins with that demand, "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1).

Christ Jesus never compared God or the kingdom of heaven to something evil. Being a businessman does not make one inherently immoral, unfair, selfish or greedy. Capitalism leaves one free to operate in the economy of God, to use the talents He gives.

The parable ends with the summary, "For unto every one that hath, shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he hath." These are Jesus' words! It is similar to another familiar Bible passage, "He that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully" (II Corinthians 9:6). Is this fair?

Socialists think it is unfair. They want to take from those who sow bountifully, work faithfully, put their talents to use, are fruitful and multiply. They want to give to those who sow sparingly, who hide their talent, and are reaping what they themselves have sowed. Man does not have any true ability to prosper except what God has given him. And if he doesn't use it or squanders it, he has no one to blame but himself.

But there is a Redeemer, and it is NOT the United States government, or any world government. God is the Redeemer!

This is illustrated by Christ Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). The younger son asks his father to give him his inheritance early. The father does, and the son promptly leaves the country and wastes his substance on riotous living. He took the talents he was given, and wasted them. When hard economic times hit, he was starving. No one gave him food. His hunger humbled him, and he realized his mistake. He decided to return to his father, apologize, and ask to be a hired servant. When he did, his father ran to him with love, and celebrated joyfully. He wasn't given part of his brother's inheritance, but he is headed in the right direction now, and he won't go hungry.

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. "One way to think of this is, "to him that hath a good idea (going home to his father), shall be given more good ideas. But from him that hath not good ideas shall be taken away even that which he hath." To him that hath some useful talent, shall be given more useful talents. But to him that hath not a useful talent (or who hides it in the earth), shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Lest you worry that some will find themselves with no talent and no hope, remember Job, covered with boils, having lost all his earthly good. When he humbled himself before God, Job used his spiritual talent. "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before" (Job 42). We always have the ability to forgive, to love, to pray. When we put these talents to work, we have what we need. Christ Jesus promises, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (food, clothing, etc.) shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6: 33). God has wealth enough for EVERYONE! His pie is infinite.

God alone can save us from our mistakes. That is why the poor stay poor and the rich stay rich. Human governments cannot overrule God's law that you will reap what you sow, and you will be rewarded according to your use of the talents He gives!

In a sense, socialists would have government take the role of God. They want the government to be the moral force to correct unfairness in society. They want the government to enforce their economic morality. If it were sexual morality, they would be the first to condemn such a government. But should economic morality be an exception?

Governments that legislate morality may change behaviors, but they do not necessarily change hearts. Following the parable of the talents, comes the passage that much inspires Christendom, "When saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? or a stranger, and took thee in? or naked and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And he shall answer them, ... in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." No one is exempted from this requirement. Christ Jesus praised the poor widow woman who gave the only mite she had to the collection plate. We all must give, voluntarily! It is our individual duty to God. Voting to take money from the rich and give it to the poor does not satisfy this requirement. Even the tax collectors do that!