Sorry, this isn't a post on the Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ, but that'd be a good idea too.
No, what kind of good news is there in a down world economy? Simon Jenkins of the London Times has some answers.
My current tension involves this: I really don't fear the economic turmoil but I'm not sure if it's for the wrong reasons. I ought not to place trust in human institutions because they will fail me over and over again. But I also rest on the common sense of historical perspective, which assures me that everything really is going to be ok, it's just a matter of how soon.
So, where's the balance of not trusting in human economies, as the Psalmist exhorts not to trust in chariots (Ps. 20:7), and on the other side not basing any decisions upon fear (1 John 4:18)?
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3 comments:
Nice link; good article, even if I'm still way too much of an amateur when it comes to economics to understand all the author's arguments.
As for the tension you mention... consider Prov. 30:25 - "Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer." I find in this proverb an important caveat to the many biblical injunctions to trust in the Lord rather than wealth, human institutions, etc.: Don't be stupid. When you have extra money, it's often a good idea to save it.
Consider also the context of 1 John 4:18 - John is talking about fear of God's judgment; the person who is in a genuine love relationship with God does not need to fear God's wrath. The text doesn't say we should never be afraid of anything. That said, Psalm 27 (and other passages) show us that the woman or man of God need not live in fear, even in the face of great danger.
So, how might I systematize all that to fit the context of this conversation? Well, I say go ahead with an ultimate trust in the Lord, an historically-informed calm, and wise financial decisions on a day-to-day and long-range-planning basis. Feel free to assess accurately the situation as you see it without worrying about the fact that our motives will ALWAYS be mixed on this side of glory. If an accurate assessment of the situation causes fear (which it doesn't for either of us at the moment as it's related to the financial "crisis"), don't dismiss that fear altogether... but submit it to the Lord & ask him for the peace that he gives (John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-7).
Hopefully that's not trite...?
I'm on your side of this issue Ben.
Christians sanctify God's will to be hard to discern and super-spiritual, when good, godly wisdom doesn't contradict but actually upholds God's will.
Thus, I was really frustrated during chapel a few weeks ago when this economic "crisis" was dealt with in what I thought was an over-spiritualized way. I thought we should also extol common sense and not fear-mongering. I agree that the 1 John thing is not explicitly about money (in the way that James is), but I think the principle extends beyond its context to a degree. We shouldn't fear God's judgment and thus be assured of our salvation, so that would seem to apply to the security or lack thereof that money offers. Fear, in the sense of terror (and not awe), is never a tool of God.
To change the subject a little, don't be so quick to dismiss all "terror"-type fear altogether - even if we need not be terrified of God's wrath, a certain kind of terror (not just awe) about God can be healthy. Consider this post on Nancy Buschart's blog. Food for thought...
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