Skip to content

Kingdom of God

Is a ‘Wealth Tax’ Biblical?

In an era of Robin Hood taxation ideologies, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) recently proposed a devastatingly delusional 70% tax on the wealthiest citizens. And now Elizabeth Warren is greedily scheming up a new ‘wealth tax’ to correct the evils of wealthy Americans.

‘New’ because we already have multiple tax penalties for the wealthier: the existing estate or death tax along with higher tax brackets for higher income. Sounds more like Rob’em Good to me.

But since all of this chicanery is couched in the name of compassion and care (cue Friar Tuck), what would Jesus do? The implication is that a wealth tax is the ‘Christian’ thing to do. Would the consummate compassionate and caring God of the Universe force the rich to pay disproportionately more than the poor and middle-class?Read More »Is a ‘Wealth Tax’ Biblical?

Haggai and the Kingdom of God

  • by

As with the whole of scripture, the Law and the Prophets — even the so-called “minor prophets,” such as Haggai and Zechariah —provide a future picture of the coming King of all kings, Jesus Christ, and an eternal Temple not made with hands.

The Theme

Around 520 BC, the Lord is speaking to His people through the prophet Haggai. The message is clear: return to the first work of building the Temple of the Lord and glorifying God!

  1. The Lord exposes their sin of apathy and self-serving lifestyle and explains that this is why the work of their hands are being cursed by Him, rather than blessed. Chastisement for disobedience.
  2. Haggai warns the people to turn (repent) from first building/serving their own lives and rather to lay down their lives for the sake of rebuilding the Temple of the Lord.
  3. Upon the people hearing and turning their hearts, the Lord comforts His repentant people with the reassuring words of “I am with you!”
  4. The physical Temple is rebuilt five years later
  5. The prophetic fulfillment of Haggai is finally exposed when Jesus inaugurates the eternal foundation of the Living Temple of the Holy Spirit, His Body on earth. (John 15:18-21)

A historical reading of Haggai shows us how the people of the Haggai’s day allowed the cares of this life to choke out the work of serving the Lord. (Matthew 13:22)

Much like today, people were busy with their own lives, their own houses, fulfilling their own needs over the needs of the Lord and others. (Luke 9:57-62, Romans 15:1-3)

But a spiritual reading of Haggai reveals a coming Kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28) and a Temple that will be rebuilt on an eternal foundation of Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself as the Cornerstone.Read More »Haggai and the Kingdom of God

Give and it will be given to you

  • by

“Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over — will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

Give

This one word frames the whole of Jesus’ life. The One who had it all GAVE His all that we would follow His example.

Why did Christ GIVE Himself so radically and extravagantly? Each context below says because Christ LOVED us!Read More »Give and it will be given to you