“The Eighth Commandment: Fostering Prosperity” (Exodus 20:15)

What this episode covers

The Eighth Commandment: Fostering Prosperity The U.S. is, by any measure, the wealthiest, most powerful, and most influential country in the history of the world. It is not difficult to understand why so many immigrants want to come here to pursue their dreams. The United States is far and away the most likely destination for immigrants (5x more than the second country). That is true of those wanting to come through legal channels as well as those who will risk their lives in order to cross the border illegally. Either people are feeling pushed out by oppressive regimes, or they are being pulled by opportunities for economic prosperity. The image of the American dream remains a strong motivation for moving here. However, something that has been gaining interest over the past decade is an obsession with the origins of America’s prosperity. For some, that interest goes back before the founding of our nation. Revisionist historians want to paint a timeline of our nation that is almost entirely evil, even before any of the founding documents were written. They point to various economic disparities as proof that our nation remains infected by racism from top to bottom. The only question for them is how we ought to go about correcting these disparities. This inevitably leads to a discussion about reparations. Is the present generation responsible for reparations, the repayment of the devastating impact that chattel slavery has had upon the Black community? The subject of reparations was debated before congress in June 2019. California Governor, Gavin Newsom, just instituted a nine-member task force to study how we might practice reparations in this state. It seems almost inevitable that some system will be developed in this state that will eventually be replicated in every other state. In an episode on Uncommon Knowledge, Thomas Sowell, makes the point: Slavery has been a universal institution for thousands of years, as far back as you can trace human history. But the situation is portrayed as if slavery is something that happened to one race in one country, when in fact the spread of it was worldwide and included people from all ethnicities in almost every country on Earth. Sowell goes on to point at that for any attempt to provide reparations for slavery, we will need to repay half the population of the world. The eighth commandment, and the rest of Scripture, speaks to this subject in fairly clear terms. Obviously, this will not be a sermon about reparations, but the way we secure and distribute wealth as a nation ought to be influenced by the morality of owning private property. There is also a biblical concept for restitution that needs to be discussed. It is not as simple as declaring that reparations violates the eighth commandment. We love our neighbor by valuing their life (6th Commandment), their marriage (7th Commandment), and their right to private property (8th Commandment). While the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, it is possible to pursue money for the glory of God and the good of our neighbor. Money is not the problem, but the sinful ways people often obtain or spend it that is the problem. My goal is to encourage you to find contentment in gospel riches so that you will devote generous resources to its advancement. Read Exodus 20:15 As we have done with every other commandment, we will examine the positive implications this morning and consider the negative aspects next week. I. Wealth Allotment Far more important than sorting out reparations is the establishment of a just and equitable opportunity to generate wealth. We should not hesitate to remove any barriers to economic opportunities that are clearly defined. If anyone is going to be held responsible for a crime, they should be proven guilty. The freedom to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are not only defined in the Declaration of Independence as being endowed by our Creator, but they ar

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