Some in the religious left who embrace ideas like wealth redistribution under the guise of social justice. Many liberal churches in the 60s & 70s embraced liberation theology which embraces Marxist ideals and wraps them around the Cross.
So that begs the question is communism biblical? Is Christianity and Communism compatible? D.B. Kuiper (1886-1966) who served as a Christian Reformed pastor, later becoming President of Calvin Theological Seminary, tackled this question in his book, The Glorious Body of Christ.
The members of the church at Jerusalem had all material things in common. It hardly needs to be said that this communism was something quite different from the communism for which so may clamor today. It was communism among Christians only. It was local in its scope, there being no evidence in the New Testament that it was practiced in any church other than that at Jerusalem. Even in the Jerusalem church it was a temporary arrangement. There was nothing compulsory about it, for when a member of the church sold a possession and pretended to give the whole price to the church, although actually he gave but part, Peter said to him: “Whiles it remained was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power?” (Acts 5:4). And the spirit behind this communism was radically different from that which often comes to expression in present-day communism. Someone has aptly said: “The Christians at Jerusalem said, ‘All mine is thine’; communists today say, ‘All thine is mine.’” (pg. 150-151).
One represents love and self-sacrifice, the other greed and entitlement. There is nothing about involuntary wealth redistribution that is biblical or godly. It is simply state-sanctioned theft.
HT: Noah Braymen
