Journal: Central Bible Quarterly
Volume: CENQ 13:2 (Summer 1970)
Article: Direct Teaching Of Christ On Economics
Author: Larry R. Thornton

CenQ 13:2 (Summer 1970) p. 2

Direct Teaching Of Christ On Economics

First of a series

Larry R. Thornton

Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Minneapolis

The Christian is in the world, but not of it. The world system is subject to the ruler of this world, Satan (Jn. 14:30; 16:11). The believer has been saved from a sinful state by faith in the efficacy of the blood of the Lamb of God. His is a life which must be lived to the glory of God so that others under the control of sin and Satan may be saved. He too must participate in the activities of the world, especially with respect to economics, for he can only sustain life and obtain the means for glorifying God by working.

The market place was mentioned as the center of occupation in the New Testament times frequently (Matt. 11:16 ff.; 20:3; 23:7; Acts 17:17). A Christian’s vocation is a divine calling no matter what that vocation may be (I Cor. 7:20). Sir William Petty attributed the economic power of Holland in the seventeenth century to the fact that the very numerous dissenters in that country (Calvinists and Baptists) were “for the most part thinking, sober men, and such as believe that Labour and Industry is their duty towards God.”

No work is higher than doing what God would have the Christian to do. Jn the economic area of life there is danger, for it pertains to money. Not that money or material possessions are wrong in themselves, but the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (I Tim. 6:10). For the Christian the standard in this area as in all other areas is the Word of God. Howard Kershner comments: “The Bible is the greatest book on business ever written. The most important thing a young man hoping for success in business can do is to acquire a sound knowledge of this old book. It contains all the precepts necessary for conquering poverty and achieving economic well-being.” It is these economic precepts that these studies endeavor to set forth. Scriptural quotations in these articles are either a translation

CenQ 13:2 (Summer 1970) p. 3

by the author from the original or taken from the American Standard Version of 1901.

A multitude of books exist on the subject of the economic relation of the Christian. The problem is that the majority of them have been written by those who espouse liberal tenets. As a result, even thos...