131219 What Does Prosperity Have to do with Politics?

On Facebook, I post a verse a day, but today's verse inspired a long message.

2 Corinthians 8:14
  But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

I have heard people argue that this proves that God is for communism. Saying so demonstrates that they know neither the heart nor the scope of what God has written. There are differences between sharing,  coercion, and actively stealing. Communism steals. There is nothing voluntary about it.

The previous two verses clarify:

2 Corinthians 8:12-14
  For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
  For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
  But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

An unwilling mind may be undesirable, but it is a choice that God allows. Also, we must choose not to give until it hurts! Communism and socialism give only superficial equality, and they hurt. They hurt individuals who are different from the established norms, they hurt creativity, they hurt innovation, and they hurt the collective hearts of the people. The theory may look good on paper, but it ignores reality and practice. The omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God and Father of our lord Jesus Christ understands practical reality.
God wants us to give out of our abundance, which includes the abundance of the heart. Give to whom? Not the government. The government is not God. Give to God. If God is Spirit, how do we give to Him? Seek those who have dedicated their lives to speaking, teaching, and living God's Word. For most of us, this means finding an organization that puts God first.

Use a concordance and check out how many times the words 'give', and 'heart' lead to 'abundance' and 'prosperity' in the Bible. Even to simply list the verses takes more room than I have here!

3 John 2  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Luke_6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

God's Word is truth. There is a reason that the wisdom of the ages got to be so old. It works. Don't press it into a false mold by trying to make it fit a modern philosophy. Stick with the original. Use what works. Believe God.