I’ve written here and here and here that free markets are most in alignment with God’s plan in a fallen world, and I argue that true private property rights (e.g., the right to not only use but exchange or sell the right to property) leads to the emergence of markets naturally, as we have differing subjective values of goods and services. Our very diversity in preferences and God-given talents will inexorably lead to the emergence of markets where the threat of violence (e.g., the prohibition by the state) does not exist. I was recently asked if New Testament language, which often seems hostile to wealth, means that community property should be the norm. My answer was no, even without the benefit of really seeing an argument, and so I’ll briefly lay out my points here.*

First, private property rights, which we better understand as delegated stewardship responsibilities, are an implicit necessity to carry out Godly dominion and to grow into the people God has created us to become. Stewardship is a key part of our sanctification process. Yes, someone can be sanctified in a totalitarian state, but not the way God intends. How we handle all the gifts God gives us (not only material, but certainly not excluding material) is a key part of our testing and spiritual growth.

Second, God created us individually with our own talents and gifts and we use these to image God to others by their use. Community property exclusively would give no venue for the individual to pursue their productive calling. For example, if I want to be an artist, but the collective choice process does not allow me to set up a painting studio, I am denied the ability to pursue my vision of what God has created me to be.

Third, while private property rights are not explicitly stated in the Bible, they are implicitly found everywhere (both Old and New Testaments) such that we have no basis to assume they are incidental to God’s redemptive narrative. For example, we would all agree that a correct understanding of God’s trinitarian nature is essential to the Christian faith, and yet even a moderate grasping of that mystery requires a systematic view of scripture. There is no verse which we can strongly point to that says “God is three persons in one essence.” Yet the implicit nature of the Trinity is found throughout the Bible, beginning in the 2nd verse of Genesis. So too do we see the links between property and stewardship, beginning with Genesis 1-3, strongly implicit in both the 8th and 10th Commandments, and continuing in the New Testament (e.g. Acts 5:4).

Fourth, the argument underpinning this claim, i.e., that the NT is hostile to wealth (so let’s just get rid of that problem by making everything communal), greatly misses the mark. It begins by failing to see the depth of sin–as if wealth were somehow the problem, rather than the darkness within my own heart. It make the outward manifestation of sin the problem while ignoring the root cause. We know that money is not the real problem but rather its easily an idol for many. Anything that we put our trust in becomes our idol. How many people trust in the Government for their provision today? Is that not idolatrous? Is there any reason to believe that my idol factory making heart will somehow change if private property doesn’t exist? Further, it merely substitutes a more benign evil, that of an individual greedily loving his money, for a much more problematic evil–those pursuing the power to run the collective distribution of the goods in common who will now have the firm say on who lives and who dies. As Trotsky wrote, criticizing Lenin:

“The old principle: who does not work shall not eat, has been replaced with a new one: who does not obey shall not eat.”

Finally, to expand on the idea of becoming who God has called us to be, to image Him correctly, requires us to cultivate hearts of hesed, or mercy. To a large degree, this attribute of God can only be grown and demonstrated when we have resources under our control that we have the freedom to keep for ourselves or surrender for the benefit of others. The voluntary release to others of what we have the right to keep for ourselves is part of the process of renewing the image of God within us. Yes, we must be just in our dealing with others. But to glorify God even more, we must be merciful. And private property is essential in the ability to serve others.

* This individual had heard this argument made and wanted to understand my response. I’m hoping to get a look at this theory to do a more critical examination; if I find it (I asked for the source of the argument), I’ll do a more detailed look in the future.