Debates over Brexit are revealing about the state of our hearts.
In Matthew 8:28-34 we read how Jesus freed two men of strong demon possession. Since this resulted in a substantial financial loss for the owners of a herd of swine that was present, we are told that the whole town beseeched the Son of God to leave their region. It is a sad but classic proof of why Jesus said that we cannot serve both God and money (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13).
Somehow, this reminds us of the whole Brexit issue. This is because politics, the banking and corporate sectors, as well as the media, counterweight Britain’s prospective freedom from the EU with forecasts of a heavy economic loss. It’s easy, therefore, for people to get distracted from the more important spiritual and moral issues.
From a secular point of view, Britain must decide whether it really wants to leave an alleged safe haven and embark on an unknown path. In this framing of the argument, fear is made the driving force. From a biblical point of view, Britain must decide whether it wants to be free from political dictate or keep handing over its freedoms for the 'promise' of financial stability. Personal conviction is the motivating force here.
For all that, Brexit and its economic consequences are just fruits of a more foundational issue that believers, and indeed the whole nation, need to deal with: the question of whom they serve.
Britain must decide whether it wants to be free from political dictate or keep handing over its freedoms for the 'promise' of financial stability.
God or Money?
Jesus said the two most important laws that man must live by are (a) to love God with all that we are, and (b) to love our fellow men as ourselves (Matt 22:37-40; Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27). This also includes our enemies (Matt 5:43-44; Luke 6:27, 35). And Jesus left no doubt that if we love and serve God, we cannot love and serve money (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13). Yet, loving and serving money is exactly what the financial system of the world demands.
A good many Christians see no danger here for themselves. They are confident that they are by no means serving money. And who can blame them? Most people generally have very little insight into how our money system works and its negative and enslaving effects.
The Financial System of the World
I believe that today’s financial system has evolved as a consequence of man rejecting God as the source of his provision, and instead creating his own supply system as a substitute (Jer 2:13). This system has become the basis of our productive economies and the financial world today. But it is an unjust apparatus and of evil design – like everything the world produces without God (John 7:7).
Most Christians are unaware that it violates God's word in virtually every way; its general use of fiat money, fractional reserve banking, interest, extensive debts and limited liability laws renders it exploitative, destructive and unsustainable. It is based on illusions, incessantly demands continual growth at the expense of our available natural resources, ruthlessly expropriates the little wealth of the majority of the population for the benefit of the few capital holders, and ultimately forces its rule on man.
Unsurprisingly, therefore, our economies and the world of finance appear more like war zones: battles are raging in currencies, profits or market shares, ruthless competition, hostile takeovers, dominance through innovation, market leadership and so forth. Blackmail, exploitation, betrayal, nepotism, influence peddling, manipulation, bribery, theft, fraud, lies, falsification of documents, discrediting others, etc., are only some of the weapons being used.
The justified question then is how does that all fit in with God’s fundamental laws of love, honesty, faithfulness and truth? The straight answer is, it doesn’t!
Loving and serving money is exactly what the financial system of the world demands.
For this reason, as far as believers are concerned, Brexit cannot simply be a matter of leaving an artificial union of states that is increasingly usurping the political sovereignty of its members. It also offers the opportunity to break free from forced subjugation to an economic system directed against God's will.
Our financial wellbeing does not depend on human alliances, regardless on which level, nor does it depend on the use of a wicked monetary system that enslaves and ultimately destroys. It depends on God alone (Deut 8:18).
Concrete Instructions
The Bible contains a remarkable number of passages dealing with money and economic issues. Obviously, God felt it necessary to give us a comprehensive spiritual perspective on these themes – firstly, because money plays an essential role in everyday life, and secondly, because it carries a strong potential to conflict with God’s plans and purposes for our lives (individually, corporately and nationally).
The challenge for Christians, situated within a worldly system and vulnerable to its pressures and influences, is to find ways to shun the world and follow our God’s wise instructions, since through him and for him everything was created and in him everything holds together (Col 1:16-17; John 1:2-3; Rom 11:36). His ways are neither tied to nor limited by the mainstream school of thought. Their implementation, however, presupposes openness to a very different paradigm (Rom 12:2; John 15:5; 1 Cor 3:11).
Our financial wellbeing depends on God alone.
Do We Really Know?
No human being knows what will happen tomorrow (Prov 27:1; Luke 12:18-20; James 4:14). Realistically, man without God can only make assumptions about the future – we can neither predict nor plan it (Prov 19:21; 1 Cor 13:9). As a result, man tries to tie down this uncertainty by extrapolating things of the past into the future and adjusting them based on human expertise, imagination, ingenuity, intelligence and wisdom.
Yet, bottom line, it all remains more guesswork than fact. Natural disasters, epidemics, terror, civil unrest, wars, rumours, bankruptcies, manipulation, corruption, vested interests, change of governments, etc., can turn things upside-down in a moment.
Given all this, who is to say that breaking free from evil dictate will indeed result in economic and financial mayhem? We really have no way of knowing. The fear-mongering surrounding Brexit, then, is a reflection less of the facts than of whom we are trying to serve.
Gottfried Hetzer is the author of 'Money ... The Great Deception', which we reviewed earlier this year.
