Politics- The Bible and Life

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The Bible and Life

Rev. Young Lee

Christian Life Ministry

Tuba City Arizona

koreanfona@gmail.com

000. Introduction

001. Everybody deserves DECENT LIFE based on God the Creator's Intention

002. The Ten Commandments

003. The Jubilee

004. The Sabbatical Year

005. Biblical Slavery and Modern Employment

006. Warning for Riches

007. Take Care of Widow and Orphan

008. Basic Income

009. Fair Trial

000. Introduction

The Bible is the One greatest book in which I found the most important teachings of things and life.

I happen to find it reading and studying the Bible.

So, this is my own effort to share, with myself and others, what I have found in the Bible, admitting every effort might be very small portion of the whole.

In God, We;

Live Together, Believe Together, Serve Together,

To Be Blessed, To Be Blessings to Others, For His Glory.

001. Everybody Deserves DECENT LIFE

based on God the Creator's Intention.

Genesis 1:

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." (all quotes from NIV)

Human Being is very unique, made in the image and likeness of God Himseves.

It bestows mankind favored status over any other creatures so the privilege and responsibility to live harmoniously with God, fellow human being, and even nature.

He also provided sustainable resources for mankind to live a decent life with His abundant/enough provisions.

29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

Of course, mankind brought all those bad things into the perfect creation of God with his/her own voluntary action of disobedience eating the Forbidden Fruit for his/her own physical lust, mental satisfaction, and spiritual pride.

It is our duty, however, to do our best to bring the God's original blessings to our daily life as a new born creature through our faith in the Savior Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we learn and share the teachings of "how to live," with the perspective of Social Justice, in the various but consistent teachings of the Bible.

It is our duty to bring God's will and Kingdom to this earth in this current age not only in our prayer but also in our action.

Actually the teachings of the Bible are very clear and obvious;

"In God, we;

Live Together, Believe Together, Serve Together,

To Be Blessed, To Be Blessings, For His Glory.

But the world, the big part of it, and even the big part of self-claiming Christians are way far from this simple teachings of the Bible.

So we repeat, wanting to be a wake-up call, and appeal even to fellow believers to follow the true teachings of how we would live/love with others.

002. The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:

1 And God spoke all these words:

2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 "You shall have no other gods before me.

4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

13 "You shall not murder.

14 "You shall not commit adultery.

15 "You shall not steal.

16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (all quotes from NIV)

The Ten Commandments is the basic ethic code for those who believe that God is the Creator and Savior of all.

Jesus summarizes these ten to the Two Greatest Commandments;

29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mk. 12)

The first four is about our relationship with God as God intended and expected.

God did not expect the same thing to any other creature than human being who is very special in terms of being solely made in His image and likeness, which means to be spiritual as God Himself is the Spirit.

The latter six is about how we are supposed (made) to live with other fellow human being.

It is very obvious and strong indication for us to live TOGETHER, taking care of each other to live GOOD LIFE TOGETHER.

LOVE means to know the true value and to commit yourself in knowledge, understanding, willing decision, and action to effortfully, and even sacrificially, cherish the true value; the LIFE.

Loving God, Loving myself, and Loving neighbors as myself is the best and the most effective way to the goal of the Total Maximum Happiness of me and others all together.

Sacrificing or hurting others for my selfish desires is not wise, right, and the best way even for my own life.

We say it's wrong and God calls it Sin.

Let us remember the Creator and We be created.

Let us try not to harm ourselves and others.

Life should be good all together.

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jere. 29)

003. The Jubilee

The law of Jubilee is an another biblical teaching to make sure people live together in spite of unequal living conditions which may caused by natural disasters, wars, exploitation of human race to the same kind, etc.

There should be very good/extensive articles on this in English for further study but I give up to find them and share.

You may search yourself but the little I found here.

In a nutshell, these things happen in the year of Jubilee:

Recover the original native lands,

Recover the freedom from slavery and debts, etc.

Origin of the Jubilee

The word "jubilee" comes from the book of Leviticus in the Hebrew Bible, known in Christianity as the Old Testament. Jubilee is an English variation of the Hebrew word jobel, which means "ram's horn," the curved horn used as a trumpet to signal the year of the Jubilee [source: Pacomio]. In Leviticus 25, God commanded the House of Israel to observe a year of Jubilee every 50 years. The Jubilee year, the Bible explains, was to be a year of rest, including the forgiveness of all debts, and the liberation of slaves and servants to their native lands.

The text of Leviticus 25 explains how the Jubilee is supposed to work. All outstanding debts between members of the House of Israel must be wiped clean. All people must be allowed to return to their "own property." In an agrarian society, it was common for indebted people to forfeit ownership of their land to a creditor [source: Kinsler]. The accepted interpretation of this commandment is that all land must be returned to its original owners. Likewise, if a Hebrew has taken a fellow Hebrew as an indentured servant, he must release the servant and cancel his debt in the Jubilee year.

004. The Sabbatical Year

The law of Sabbatical Year might be a repetition of the Jubilee because the Jubilee is a sum of seven Sabbatical Years.

So, briefly mentioning here with the Biblical Perspective of Social Justice in mind.

Not like the Jubilee, English Wikipedia gives a very extensive article but here just an intro.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shmita

Exodus 23:10–11, Leviticus 25:2–7 Leviticus 25:20–22 and Deuteronomy 15:1–3.

The sabbath year (shmita; Hebrew: שמיטה‎, literally "release"), also called the sabbatical year or shǝvi'it (שביעית‎, literally "seventh"), is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah for the Bet HaMikdash in the Land of Israel[1] and is observed in contemporary Judaism.

During shmita, the land is left to lie fallow and all agricultural activity, including plowing, planting, pruning and harvesting, is forbidden by halakha (Jewish law). Other cultivation techniques (such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, spraying, trimming and mowing) may be performed as a preventive measure only, not to improve the growth of trees or other plants. Additionally, any fruits or herbs which grow of their own accord and where no watch is kept over them are deemed hefker (ownerless) and may be picked by anyone.[2] A variety of laws also apply to the sale, consumption and disposal of shmita produce. All debts, except those of foreigners, were to be remitted. [Deut. 15:1-11]

The Teachings of the Law

Do not abuse but Maintain the Productivity of the land.

Support those who are in need.

All debts of own people forgiven.

005. Biblical Slavery and Modern Employment

The history of slavery should be very long as much as human society.

Many artificial or natural phenomena cause this "generally evil" happening; exploitation of human labor.

Evil happens because human being left the Good of God the Creator.

It is, therefore, from sinful mankind but not from God who wants us to live in equality.

In the ancient Old Testament time (even to modern days) the slavery system was widely practiced.

So the Bible mentions many, and very importantly, about it.

The Bible is not permitting/justifying the slavery but telling us how we handle the "human-made evil slavery system" which has been inherited to them/us.

Let us see some biblical teachings.

Deuteronomy 15:1-18, especially 12-18

1 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.

2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD'S time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.

3 You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you.

4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you,

5 if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today.

6 For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.

8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.

9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.

10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

12 If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, sells himself to you and serves you six years, in the seventh year you must let him go free.

13 And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.

14 Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.

15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.

16 But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you,

17 then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.

18 Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do. (All quotes from NIV)

I will quote a few more from the New Testaments rather than exaggerating too much of my own words.

Mt 22:

39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Lev 19:18)

Eph 6:

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,

8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Col 3:

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,

The teachings of the Bible are very clear.

We all are equal in spite of inequality caused by exploitation of evil heart.

Now, we may not see any claimed slavery system in modern free world.

But that does not erase the sinful human nature in our everyday life.

What about the modern employment system and the labor market?

While many employer treats their employs fare enough to live better life together, is there no bad employer who exploit the employee's labor resources in here and out there?

We have to do our best to live after the original intention of God in this distorted/ contaminated world.

Each one of us can be a ruler or slave, and employer or employ etc. but we all have our own share to make this labor market better place for everybody.

To live together maximizes the happiness individually and corporally.

So, we share to double.

006. Warning for Riches

We may say that being rich is to have (more than) enough so can have what they want to have more than needed.

The Bible warns for those riches multiple times.

Some of them are...

Mt 6:

24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (All quotes from NIV)

Mt 19:

24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

1Tim 6:

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

James 5:

1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.

2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.

3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.

4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.

5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.

6 You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

Are Jesus and His followers radical socialists denying the wealth?

Certainly not, guessing the resource/wealth itself is neutral from good or evil.

Person/People is the problem if they make themselves good or bad with the wealth.

Obviously though, it is not easy for an ordinary person to manage the wealth(money) in such a way so that not only him/herself blessed and not to hurting but bless others so that God be pleased and glorified.

It's all due to the irresistible/incontrollable greed for it.

When one has it more up to the level of being able to control others for more pleasure and more gain it becomes very fun and desirable god; Mammon.

As the wealth becomes your god, you become its subject who lost control of self.

If you didn't have enough for not working good enough, you are lazy.

If you thought that you would be happy with those materials only, you are foolish.

If you didn't care other needed people, you are selfishly ignorant, still guilty.

if you hurted others to have more than enough, you are committing SIN.

Keep in mind that you maybe unknowingly hurting others because of your greed.

We as God-Created mankind all are connected socially, physically, energy-wise, mentally and spiritually by the original design in One God Creator.

We either bless together or hurt each other.

Happiness is not what we have but what we live for; the Graceful Provision and Glory of God.

Let us think about the deeper meaning of "Have It Free Give It Free."

Isn't that true "Sharing Doubles?"

A couple more...

Ps 23

1 A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

Mt 5

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

007. Take Care of Widow and Orphan

Family has been the most important organization God-intended for the survival and prosperity of the individuals; healthy family healthy members.

So, widows and orphans (and any other needy) are the weak, weaker, and weakest members of the society, being vulnerable without the head of the family who's responsible for the safety of family members.

The Bible explicitly command to take care of those widows and orphans.

Ex 22:

22 "Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan.

23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.

24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

25 "If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest.

26 If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset,

27 because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate. (All Quotes from NIV)

(And many more biblical references.)

Deut 10:17-18, 14:29, 16:11, 14, 24:17-21, 26:12-13, 27:19,

Job 31:18, Ps 68:5, 146:9,

Isa 1:17, Jere 7:6, 22:3, 49:11, Zec 7:10, Jas 1:27

Negative Mentions...

Job 22:9, 24:3, Ps 94:6, 109:9,

Isa 1:23, 9:17, 10:2, Eze 22:7, Mal 3:5,

The simplified summary of teachings of the Bible is...

-Protect and provide what they need; survival and social justice.

-Will be awarded or punished according to your good or bad actions toward them.

They are weak but should not be considered to be less.

God is their Father and Defender.

Ps 68:

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

Mt 25:

40 "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.'

45 "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.'

We must examine ourselves how we have been engaged with these teachings of the Bible for this issue.

And plan for our action from now on.

008. Basic Income

Time to time people or politicians are talking about the minimum wage.

Hopefully, they might guarantee the higher minimum wage for those underprivileged laborers.

Jesus talking about not only the minimum wage but also the need of employment to earn fair wage for their lives, and also, the need of basic income for every family with following parable.

Mt 20:

1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.

2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 "About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.

4 He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.'

5 So they went. "He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.

6 About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'

7 "'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. "He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'

8 "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'

9 "The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius.

10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.

11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.

12 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'

13 "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius?

14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you.

15 Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'

16 "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

There some "seems like" unjust here, because five groups of laborers who worked for more hours got paid the same amount of wage; a denarius.

As a result, some who worked longer complained.

The landowner, however, obviously has a reason or two.

One denarius of wage was on the contract, because, it was an enough pay for a day long work.

It was enough because that was the life cost of one day living.

He also paid the same amount to those worked less hours because they all needed the amount to live a daily life.

One denarius was the daily Basic Income to survive.

The very important lesson we must learn from this teaching.

-Everybody has a right to work and earn for daily life; if employer or just employed.

Who made this rule?

God did, and Jesus confirmed.

Can it be done?

Why not?

I believe the sum of all resources in the world is enough for everybody on the planet.

The problem is GREED, the Great Greed of human being, to have more than enough to make other slaves under their monetary manipulation.

The Great Greed is one of the greatER powers in making human history, Period.

We have to remind ourselves, however, that there is the GREATEST POWER; LOVE, Love for self and others, SHARING to live together.

Of course, we see not all will do share theirs with others to make everybody happy.

What about us, you and me, who are claiming to follow Jesus for His glory?

This should be our challenge to give ourselves for His glory.

Let us light a small light just to illuminate my place first.

One step at a time.

009. Fair Trial

We'd better live without any trial in our everyday life.

Because of our own shortcomings, living together, whenever we got involved in any dispute or conflict, however, social justice system steps in to resolve the issue fairly according to the established laws.

It is to prevent criminal and unjust acts which might be hurting others by penalizing the offenders.

Guess what, obviously, there some evil manipulation of the process to bend justice for evil advantage appear.

Bible tells us we have to practice the justice system fairly regardless of status of those who were involved in.

Lev 19:

15 "'Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. (All quotes from NIV)

Deut 1:

16 And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien.

17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.

But we see so many and much unjust judgments and trials in real life.

We may say that the whole world is distorted and infiltrated with evil selfish thoughts by the sin of mankind.

As a renewed person in Christ, we have to do our share to make this world just as much as we can.

If we love our neighbors as we love ourselves, if we treat others as we want to be treated, it shouldn't be a difficult task, but can be done.

God be honored with our effort for justice for ALL.

In God, We;

Live Together, Believe Together, Serve Together,

To Be Blessed, To Be Blessings to Others, For His Glory.