The Sanctity of Private Property 1
TEXT: Exodus 20:15; Eph. 4:28; Lev. 19:11,13,35-36
TITLE: The 8th Commandment: The Sanctity of Private Property 1
Exposition of Exodus LXX
OCCASION: Westminster Presbyterian ChurchDATE: February 21,AD 2009
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Introduction
If you will turn to New Trinity Hymnal p. 875:
Q73, Which is the Eighth Commandment? The Eighth Commandment is, “Thou shalt not steal.”
*****Q74. What is required in the Eighth Commandment? The Eighth Commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.
*****Q75. What is forbidden in the Eighth Commandment? The Eighth Commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may, unjustly hinder our own, or our neighbor’s, wealth or outward estate.
In the previous Seventh Commandment the Lord restrains the lust of the flesh and legislates to promote marriage from which human life is propagated. Here in the Eighth Commandment the Lord regulates men in the getting and use of riches as He restrains the lust of the eye and the covetousness of the heart. At the same time the Lord provides for the preservation of ourselves and our families for which we must have earthly riches. So we find that in these Commandments God wisely provides for the preservation of man’s life, the holy keeping of the marriage covenant, and now He provides for the right getting, possessing, using, and bestowing of wealth and worldly things so that we do not get them by theft or evil means, nor possess them unjustly or use them unlawfully.
With this Commandment let us follow the format which we have gathered from Scripture which reminds us that this summary of the Moral Law in the Ten Commandments engages us not only with what is forbidden, but also with what is required of us. So when our Lord summarized the law with the law of love to God and our neighbor we must see that this Commandment addresses that matter as well. So also we realize that though the words of the Eighth Commandment are few they address and summarize a great deal of Biblical teaching concerning the getting, possessing, using and bestowing of wealth and things of this world concerning how we get them, how we possess them, and spend them lawfully.
I. Is it right and proper for the Christian to own things?
Now I would suppose that this sounds a little bit obvious as a question. However, we live in a day in which there is a great deal of confusion about the very matters which this Eighth Commandment addresses in terms of where or not is is ethical for Christians, or anyone for that matter, to own things. You will hear radical calls for economic justice and the ordinary Christian thinks: Well, of course I am for justice. And of course I hate getting swindled. We think of some kind of dishonest situation when we think of injustice: There was some slight of hand in the selling of that used car and it turned out to be a piece of junk! There was some fine print in a contract which means the insurance company doesn’t have to pay or my warranty is invalid or something of this nature. However they are not speaking of these kinds of things, but rather in the name of Christian ethics or a Biblical view of economics we are confronted by progressive evangelicals who call for the redistribution of wealth and the destruction of what they call unjust economic structures where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few-namely the United States or the Christian West or simply in the hands of those who by hard work and the blessings of providence have accumulated some – in order to give it to what are called exploited poor in undeveloped nations or simply your neighbor across town. The very fact that you have more than someone living elsewhere in the county points to the unjust system which must be dismantled. We often talk about these kinds of things in terms of a political or social matter, but it is very much a biblical an ethical matter. At the time of the Reformation in the early to mid 1500’s the radical Anabaptists also were for a kind of radical redistribution, a forced Christian socialism, the episode at Muenster was dramatically illustrative. So what about it? Is it ethical for people to own property, things, money? You see that really we must answer this question in conjunction with looking into What is required in the 8th Com? …requires the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others.
A. The Eight Commandment and the sanctity of private property.
The proper owning and possessing of goods in not prohibited by the Eighth Commandment. Rather we need to see that the Eighth Commandment sets out the unchangeable moral law of God that the proper owning of property is lawfully ordained and firmly established by God as an inalienable right. The Eighth Commandment establishes the sanctity of property just as the Sixth Commandment codifies the sanctity of human life. This means that the private ownership of property is not founded on human invention, societal opinions, that is, in this primitive and more pristine culture they have everything in common, but in greedy societies there is private ownership. No: This is not a matter of custom, social experimentation, political power or even the greed of fallen men. The sanctity of private ownership of property is established by God Himself in the eternal and ever binding moral law of God. Because God forbids theft, then positively He ordains the proper owning of material property. Think about it: What can you steal if everything is held in common with others? If you steal it you are only stealing what was yours in the first place??!! What you took was yours and not another person’s property when you took it from him. But God forbids theft and so establishes the proper possession of our own property.
B. The ratification of private property from the Old Testament.
Here are some examples ratifying the possession of our own private property in the Old Testament: Abraham is called the Father of the faith. What do we find? In Gen. 24:35, Eliezer, Abraham’s servant says, “I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.” Then note the passing of this inheritance by Abraham to whom he will: “And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has.” So Abraham was wealthy and had a God-given right to all the property and had such a title to it that he could pass it on as an inheritance to Isaac. Therefore both Isaac and Jacob legitimately and rightly possessed their own private property.
Another example: When Moses brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt and into the land of promise. How was that land apportioned? Joshua was appointed to be the next leader as Nu. 27, sets out, and when they came into the land and the land was subdued, Josh. 18, shows that it was apportioned by lot from the Lord to each tribe. So sacred was this division that Lev. 25, provided that the land could not ultimately be divided away to other people or the land mingled together.
Of course there are many texts in Proverbs about private property as well as in the prophets. However, I know that there are those folks who will want to say, Well, that is just in the Old Testament. The abiding principles of the moral law demonstrated in the cases of the OT are certainly of continuing validity and binding. But let us turn to see….
C. The ratification of private property from the New Testament.
The Lord Jesus urged His disciples to works of mercy exercised toward one another – Mt. 25:31ff, “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Did what for My brethren? Works of mercy, feeding them, giving drink to them when thirsty, clothing those who were without clothing, visiting the sick and prisoners of Christ’s brethren, providing shelter for them. Christ must therefore grant to His disciples the right of the possession of their own private property by which they could do good to others and help those in need. If the right of private property is taken away, then with what are they to do these things? It is impossible. If everything is to belong to everyone, then you give nothing which is yours, but all you spend is from the common ownership. But what does the Apostle Paul tell the Corinthians? I Cor. 16:1f, “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collection when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.” Then too look at the manner: II Cor. 8:11-15, “It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.” Notice that one gives as he may prosper and according to what one has – What one possesses not according to what he does not have. At the same time they are not to give to others so that others would have more than enough and those who gave would be put into poverty or lacking necessary things ( II Cor. 8:13f). There is that element of personal and familial responsiblity. So II Cor. 9:6,7, “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
The Apostle Paul also writes: I Thess. 4:11,12, “That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” The individual and family were to look out and be responsible for themselves which is not some wrong-headed Western individualism. We could look at a number of other texts which he writes which establish the right of private property, but you see clearly that both Testaments establish personal private property!
D. What about everything being common in the NT Church?
Luke writes in Acts 4:32, “….neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” But note that these early Christians possessed houses, property, and other wealth by the biblical right of property. Now this text tells us how they viewed them, but they certainly remained their own private property in their possession. This is confirmed when you read on concerning what happened. What if a fellow Christian was in great need? “all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet…” If they sold them those things were their own before! They were not selling someone else’s property. This is confirmed in Acts 5:3,4, in the whole Ananias and Sapphira episode: “Annanias, Why has satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it [the land] remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control [the price he received]? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God?” Annanias could have rightfully sold it or not sold it. When he sold it he could have kept the money, but having committed to sell for this purpose of relieving fellow Christians he lied, he broke contract as it were with the Spirit of God. So today people may sell or not sell and bestow the proceeds as they see fit. So this place does not annul the right to property nor command a kind of communal system.
Further the statement they had all things in common does not require us to understand this as if they all moved into one house. Actually we learn from context in Acts 2:46, that they “continued daily with one according in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.” If this was the Lord’s Supper and house churches or simply enjoying meals at this and then another Christian’s home, it is all the same — The faithful owned homes. Their unity was in the teaching of the Apostles and their uniting together in worship at the Temple.
Therefore, the sharing or providing of goods among these early Christians was nothing else than the selling by wealthier members of the Church of their lands or houses so that they would be able to relieve the poor among them.
E. Other Christians kept their homes and the use of them:
In Acts 9:36, we are told about a disciple named Tabitha “which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.” She made coats and other clothing for widows and the poor – which is how she used her private property. Acts 12, Peter is miraculously brought out of prison and where does he go? v.12, “So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.” A congregation of disciples was there praying in the private house of Mary. Peter stays a number of days in the house of Simon the Tanner. Clearly many early Christians owned home and it was not a violation of charity or justice that they did so.
In Acts 11:29, “Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.” Now what ability could any of them had if they did not own property themselves? In Acts 16:11f, we learn of woman named Lydia for whom we read, “The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.” After she and her household were baptized she said this: “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” Why did she not upon baptism as a new Christian say, Please sell my house? She was not required out of obedience to godly principles or as a disciple of Christ to sell her house or give it as a common possession to the Apostles. In Acts 20, the Apostle addresses the Ephesian Presbytery and he declares in v. 33, “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel.” What does that mean and how can that have any bearing at all unless it is lawful and right for Christians to keep and have possessions which are actually their own property? Indeed he goes on to say how he got his own property: By working with his own hands. In Acts 21:8, we learn that Philip the evangelist had a house in Caesarea with four daughters. He did not sell his house, but provided for his daughters. Philemon 16-22, (after Titus and before Hebrews!) had a house and a servant too, with a guest room, where the Apostle stayed Philemon being his host.
Now as we looked at the opening of Acts and then these texts we should not succumb to those notions which proclaim, that really, if we were really holy, really godly, really living like NT Christians and really following Christ, we would be for a kind of soft socialism or even for forced redistribution for a more just society–sort of a romantic communal living, as if that were the higher path of walking after Christ as His disciple. Rather every man should govern his own house and his own family, providing first for his own household, and then relieve the brethren who are suffering because they do not have necessities, according to his ability and as the family budget will allow. This view, this principle, is what the Apostle writes of in I Tim. 5:3ff, where those who are widows indeed, those who qualify for Church mercy support are identified. The Apostle says that a man is first to care for his own household, then his extended household, before the Church was called into the mercy equation. The same attention to home is set out in Titus 2, I Thess. 4, & II Thess. 3, where he warns against idleness, but enjoins work. Actually in all of his Epistles the Apostle points out the duties of masters, servants; parents and children, husband and wife in order to tell them how to keep their homes and families — All of which enforces what we see from this Commandment.
Then you should also note that the Scriptures tell us of any number of wealthy men and women who were genuine worshippers of God. Joseph of Arimathea (Mt. 27:57) was the wealthy man who provided a tomb for our Lord Jesus. He was both wealthy and a disciple of Jesus Christ. Lk. 8:1-3, talks about a number of women who were believers and who were able from their wealth to provide for the Lord and His disciples. Acts 8:26f, the Ethiopian eunuch who was a wealthy official of the court of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, was baptized a disciple of Christ. So down the line thinking of Tabitha of Joppa whom Peter raised from the dead who used her wealth so freely for the needy; and Lydia the wealthy seller of purple; and others were all godly, faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
What about Mt. 19:21, where our Lord addressed the Rich Young Ruler? “If you want to be perfect, go, sell, what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” This is not some general law which is applied to all men and certainly not something our Lord said in order to correct or set aside the Moral Law. Rather this Rich Young Ruler, who thought he had kept the law from his youth up and now since he was so good and such a law keeper and so righteous, what more could he possibly need to have eternal life? The Lord put His finger directly on this man’s golden god, his idol, and showed him that he was not righteous. The fact that the RYR went away sadly shows that his heart was more attached to his things and status, than to the voice of God. The point being, that our Lord did not prescribe to His disciples that they should simply be beggars. Indeed Christ’s Apostles did not shy back from addressing the rich and telling them how they should behave themselves as Christians: I Tim. 6:17f, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” This is in keeping with the various admonitions of our Savior: Mt. 6:24, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” 13:22, “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” 19:23,24, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to 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.” So those who have a larger portion of this worlds good things, they have some money, some property — These are not to be envied, disdained, or driven to discouragement that it is impossible for them to enter heaven, impossible for them to be saved, simply because they have things! But rather as Christian men and women they are to be admonished about the particular dangers that go with such wealth so that they do not fall prey to the idea that because they have wealth and are secure they find their security in those things rather than in Christ or that they abuse their wealth, but they should use it as the Apostle admonishes them.
I even found out that the Synod of Gangra which met in the mid 4th century after the Council of Nicea, dealt with a certain group who were basically following a kind of asceticism/communalism, declaring “..the rich also who do not alienate all their wealth, as having nothing to hope from God…” This kind of asceticism which denied marriage, marriage relations, and private possessions, was denounced by Augustine. Remember that our Lord’s dealings and the Apostle’s warnings are not that somehow simply things in themselves or the having of property is somehow evil. Rather they are to be received with thanks as good gifts from God. It is rather the abuse of these things, the love of money, setting it up in lust and covetousness, which is evil.
II. Lawful and right ways of obtaining property.
Since God is the One who grants the right to property, then He is the One who can legislate as to what are the lawful means to obtain and preserve our property.
Coming to this subject it is good to first take to heart the words of our Lord recorded in Luke 12:15, “And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” That is life is not about simply the accumulation of more and more at the expense of the soul “Then He spoke a parable to them, saying, “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided.?’”
Following Christ the Apostle Paul writes, I Ti. 6:6f, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” AMEN.
