Getting Biblical in Daily Life
Income Distribution
Money is a huge deal today. Who has it? Who doesn't? Who can take it from you and give it to other people? (Hey there, taxes.) Lots of economic systems have tried to address the way that wealth is distributed in the world. But how did the early Christians try to solve this issue?
Good Money
Acts lays out the way that Christians are supposed to use their wealth and possessions. Hint: it's not for buying multiple iPads.
All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. (2:44-45)
The whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common […] There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (4:32, 34-35)
So the very first Christians didn't individually own things. They pooled all their resources and shared. Those who had a lot gave to those who didn't. Sounds a bit like a hippie commune. Or some kind of utopian version of communism.
Bad Money
What's more, money is usually seen as a barrier to a life with God. Over and over again, people fall a little too in love with money or think that money can get them further with God. They are so wrong.
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money […] But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's gift with money!" (8:18, 20)
But when [the slave girl's] owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. (16:19)
[Demetrius] said, "Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business. You also see and hear that […] this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods." (19:25-26)
The tribune answered, "It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen." (22:28)
[Felix] hoped that money would be given him by Paul, and for that reason he used to send for him very often and converse with him. (24:26)
But the folks who have the biggest issues with money are Ananias and Sapphira. They sold their land and gave some of the money to the apostles… just not all of it. Worse yet, they lied about it. How does God treat them?
Peter asked, "Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!" Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. (5:3-5)
It's clear from the story that it's not the fact that the couple held back money that's worthy of death, it's that they lied to the rest of the community. Clearly, Christians have a responsibility to each other.
Treasure In Heaven
Today in the United States, 10% of the people control 75% of the total wealth. Yeah, it's kind of crazy when you think about it. Some people argue that if you work hard to earn your money, you should keep it. How else can we encourage growth and investment and all those fancy things? It's the capitalist way!
But Luke doesn't quite see it this way. So if you're rich and looking to make it into Heaven, Acts has a simple formula for you—sell all your possessions, give the money to the poor, and then we'll talk. Good luck, Warren Buffet!
Capital Punishment
The death penalty is used throughout the Hebrew Bible and New Testament and no one seems to bat an eye. People are routinely stoned, beheaded, or crucified. It wasn't exactly a super friendly time.
What Does Acts Say?
In Acts, several people are sentenced to death:
- Jesus is crucified by Roman authorities. (2:23)
- Stephen is stoned to death by an angry mob. (7:58)
- James is beheaded by King Herod. (12:2)
- Paul is stoned, but luckily recovers and goes on to wreak more havoc. (14:19)
We lost track of the number of times someone plots to kill a disciple or a Roman governor has to restrain an angry mob from ripping a believer limb from limb. It was kind of gruesome.
Pro-Capital Punishment
Despite all this government sanctioned death and destruction against the apostle, folks who support the death penalty argue Paul's words during his trial before Festus indicate that he might still have been okay with sentencing people to die:
If I am in the wrong and have committed something for which I deserve to die, I am not trying to escape death; but if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can turn me over to them. I appeal to the emperor. (25:11)
There actually might be something to this. Throughout the story, the apostles never say that no one should ever be put to death. They're just saying that they shouldn't be. If someone is guilty, by all means stone his brains out. Jesus and his disciples aren't guilty of anything, though. They're innocent, we tell you! Yeah, that's what they all say.
Anti-Capital Punishment
Of course, one of the big things that opponents to the death penalty talk about is the danger of executing innocent people. According to Acts and church history, this is exactly what happened to Jesus, Stephen, James, Peter, Paul, and probably the rest of the apostles.
That means that while God might give the state the right to execute people, it doesn't mean the state is wise to act on it. After all, judges and governors are just fallible humans who make mistakes all the time. Should we as a society risk executing an innocent guy like Paul just so that we'll still have the opportunity to stone some other guy who's guilty of adultery? Maybe not.
Now What?
Capital punishment was simply part of the landscape of the Bible and something first-century people would have been exposed to regularly. Today, our Constitution outlaws cruel and unusual punishments, and our trial and appeals process is a lot more extensive than the ones that the disciples went through. Stoning, beheading, and crucifixion are out, but hanging, electrocution, and lethal injection are in. You can bet that causes a lot of controversy.
Circumcision
To snip or not to snip? That is the question. More specifically, it was a big question among first-century Christians. Did converts to Christianity have to also follow Jewish law? Did Gentile men who wanted to follow Christ have to be circumcised? And what does this mean for us today?
Hey, Put Those Scissors Down
The apostles and elders in Jerusalem come down pretty clearly on the "No" side of this argument. When they meet to discuss the issue, they decide:
"We should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood." (15:19-20)
So Jewish law is out, right? Intact penises for everyone! Not quite.
Snip, Snip
The Council of Jerusalem makes it clear that Gentiles who follow Jesus don't have to abide by all of Jewish law, but it doesn't say that Jews who follow Jesus don't have to. In fact, that's one of the things other not-too-nice Christians accused Paul of teaching:
They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs. (21:21)
Say it ain't so, Paul! Don't worry, it ain't. At least according to Acts. Right after the Council of Jerusalem, Paul meets up with Timothy—a guy with a Jewish mother and a Gentile father. He asks the lad to be circumcised so that things will go a little smoother on their mission trips (16:3). Clearly Paul doesn't think the whole circumcision thing is worthless.
Penises Today
Today, there are no Jewish-Christians (unless of course you belong to Jews for Jesus, and even then you probably don't count). That means there aren't any groups of Christians that are required to be circumcised as a matter of faith. Despite this, circumcision is a standard practice in most American hospitals. Many parents undergo the procedure for aesthetic reasons (doesn't everyone want their son to have a pretty penis?). The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends circumcision for newborn boys because it can help prevent the spread of STDs. Sounds like a good reason.
But there are a growing number of parents and organizations who see infant circumcision as immoral and dangerous. Since babies can't consent to the procedure, some parents don't think it's fair to remove healthy skin that can't be put back if the kid decides he wants it later. Other folks regard circumcision as nothing more than genital mutilation. Yikes.
What does Acts think? It seems more like it's a personal choice. If you want to get really strict about the laws of Moses, go ahead. If not, no big deal. Basically, Christians are free to do what they like with their penises. Within reason, of course.