While this list is not exhaustive, it is thorough; it establishes conclusively that the Bible affirms individual rights to own and manage property and other resources. It also commands charity and compassion for the poor and others in need; we need to realize that property rights make charity possible.
For a thorough examination (and refutation) of ways so-called “progressives use other Bible passages to make the case for redistribution of resources, read Dr. Calvin Beisner’s booklet Social Justice: How Good Intentions Undermine Justice and Gospel.
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- Old Testament passages: Genesis 23; Exodus 20:15,17; Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 31:10-31; Jeremiah 32:6-10
- Passages from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes on work and productivity: Proverbs 6:6-11; Proverbs 10:4-5; Proverbs 12:11,14,24,27; Proverbs 13:2,4,7,11,22,25; Proverbs 14:4,23; Proverbs 16:26; Proverbs 20:4; Proverbs 21:25-26; Proverbs 24:30-34; Proverbs 28:19; Ecclesiastes 3:9-13
- Parables of Jesus that affirm the validity of property ownership and property rights, even if they do so indirectly: Matthew 7:24-27; Matthew 13:24-30; 44; 45-46; Matthew 20:1-16; 24:45-51; 25:1-13; 25:14-30; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 7:41-43; 10:25-37; Luke 19:11-27
- Additional passages from the New Testament: Acts 5:1-4; Ephesians 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Timothy 6:17-19
- Many claim that the early church practiced socialism in Acts 2:40-47 and 4:32-37, but the exchange of money and resources described in these passages was voluntary and without government involvement or coercion. Giving was spontaneous rather than planned. Gifts were given freely and willingly, not gathered up and redistributed. In Acts 5:1-11, especially verses 3-4, Peter explicitly upheld property rights. Thus, private property and private property rights were recognized and affirmed in the early church. In fact, the truth that those who gave gave from that which they owned makes their giving true charity as opposed to forced redistribution (an inherent trait of socialism). The source for this information (some of which is quoted), can be found here. A more thorough article is available here.
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A PDF file of the information on this page is available here.
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