This July 4th, Let the Revolution Continue

The Reality of Socialism

                The cancer of Socialism is spreading in our land. Unbelief in God and rejection of his law breeds revolution in society. Socialism is part of the revolution against God. It is a naïve and deadly religion that believes in state or collectivist control of the means of production. It believes in a strong central state to make sure that income and wealth is distributed more “equitably.” It believes that everyone should have free education, housing, and healthcare. Socialism is parasitic. Wherever socialism has taken root, famine, poverty, greater extremes of wealth disparity, and death have been the bitter fruits.

                Socialism in this narcissistic land has been joined to cries of “democracy,” which is code for universal acceptance and imposition of sodomy, cross-dressing, and pedophilia. One wonders if our particular Socialism cancer is the craving of a very thin layer of the population who are committed to immoral behaviors, deficit spending, and destructive lifestyles that make them unable to work, save, and lead orderly lives that will benefit themselves and others.

The Allure of Socialism

                Why has Socialism taken root here, now? Socialism is political and historical victimization. Wealth inequities and personal financial difficulties are someone else’s fault: the rich, corporations, slave owners, white people, any and everyone is subject to being dug up and burned in effigy. It was inevitable that the “Me-Too” movement in all its twisted branches – left and right – would settle in the soil of Socialism. Socialism vilifies personal responsibility and denies that personal actions should have negative consequences. I should be able to live as I please, make bad decisions, and still be rich and happy. Socialism is thus atheism – there is no Divine Providence, Purpose, Covenant, or Redemption.

                Socialism is alluring because we easily forget the last time. No one wants to talk about the economic realities of Democratic Socialism in Nazi Germany, or Communistic Socialism in Russia, or tribal Socialism throughout Africa and Central and South America. Socialism always leaves in its wake failed economies, widespread enrichment of the “lords” of the system, systematic oppression of dissenting voices, gulags, ethnic genocide, and generational poverty and despair.

                With these historical warnings and tens of millions of deaths in the last century, Socialism appeals to the hungry and marginalized. Capitalism has cut off its own legs by indulging in Socialist programs – money printing, social support programs, universal free education, graduated income tax, militarism, paper money without hard asset backing, Social Security – and not defending a true, principled social theory based upon God’s word. Socialism feeds upon the sinner’s craving and covetousness. Spend and spend, borrow and borrow – there is no problem with this economic philosophy. Just mint trillion-dollar coins, says the Socialist. The point is to get the rich bums out and put the poor bums in. Then, we’ll do it all again. This is Socialism’s ultimate cycle of despair – dogs fighting each other for scraps, until bigger dogs come in. It is evolution’s black hole.

Christ and Socialism

                History has also shown that there is one and only one group that has endured the pogroms of Socialism: Bible-believing Christians. Many have died in these regimes. Socialism never grows in the soil of Christianity, and no self-conscious Christian will affirm Socialism. Here are the reasons – and our hopeful message in the present hour.

                First, Christ Jesus our Lord is no statist. He calls kings to submit to him (Ps. 2:12). He alone is Lord and Christ. He is the Prince of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5). The state and human governments are legitimate to uphold public righteousness, punish evildoers, and protect people from foreign invasions. Modern governments should not function as relief agencies, substitutes for parents, or safety nets for the lazy and careless. When they do, they claim to be God, and they go bankrupt. Because Christ is King, not man, security and prosperity for men and nations are the fruit of faith in him and obedience to his word. National prosperity is not printed or legislated; it is the fruit of repentance and faith.

                Second, all the tenets of Socialism are Satan’s opposition to Scripture. God’s word teaches a just weight and balance in economics, local poor relief, and contentment with little. Socialism encourages discontentedness, laziness, and covetousness; Christ empowers contentment with one’s lot in life and repentance of the idolatry of covetousness (Col. 3:5). Socialism looks to the state for solutions, or to revolutionaries; Christ Jesus commands us to look to Him and believe in his name, not man’s promises.

                Third, instead of seeing ourselves as victims of systemic oppression, whether racial, economic, familial, or ecclesiastical, our Lord Jesus tells us we are sinners. Yes, other people can do bad things to us, but even the bad things are under his dominion. He will rectify them in his own time and way. Until he works for us, we must continue to believe in him as the only Savior from sin. We must believe that sin, our breaking of God’s law, is the primary issue in society, not economic inequities. God’s honor, not man’s comfort, is the goal of civil order. Jesus Christ is the only sacrifice for sin. Forgiven by him, we forgive others freely.

                Therefore, we must point men continually to Jesus Christ. Oppose Socialism with a robust, whole-Bible, cross-centered gospel of Jesus Christ crucified and reigning for us. In union with him, we can overcome the world, endure its injustices patiently, and be content with such things as we have. He has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Having him is enough, even if we lose everything else. This is the merciful dagger of Jesus Christ into the blighted, Satan-worshipping soul of Socialism. It is the true revolution we need in the church this July 4th – renewed commitment to speak up for the Lord of glory, his righteous kingdom, and his gift of forgiveness and everlasting life.