[David Horvath] As I get older – and I am not old by any means – but I will be turning 50 in a matter of months and with kids – you know I have children that are millennials – these things often cross my mind and certainly this political season makes me think more about certain things.

There is no doubt that the youth are the future of the world around us and, of course, within God’s church. Demographers, of course, like labels and the word millennials generally refers to the age group or age category, 18 to 35. I’ve got three children – my wife and I – in that age group, so personally that is what got me interested in this subject. And that group represents 24% of the population of the United States, basically the same size demographically as the Baby boomers which are, of course, moving into retirement and obviously just life expectancy...just the way things…that group obviously will eventually go away and be replaced by the decision makers, the politicians, the business leaders and so forth of the Millennial group.

If you would turn to 2 Corinthians 6:14, I would like to read this passage as it relates to all of us – not just millennials. We can see it is obviously applicable to every man, woman and child on earth, and certainly us, as Christians.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 – Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord. “Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

V-17 - Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, …”

It is not often a line that we like to hear. We don’t like to think that we are better – and we are not better, but there is a separation that should take place. It is not just the, what I might call, your common sins or typically, sins. Often we look at things and say, “Well, stealing or lust or lying, adultery, pride, anger, greed, profanity, drunkenness, these are sins, of course, I need to separate myself from, within the world.” It certainly goes beyond that to thoughts, ideology, the processes, how people think. It is not just those typical sins. We have to be careful more so, how we are tainted in the way we think, the way we view things, the systems that we live in – education, life care, government. All these things can have an effect that seems soft to us. They don’t seem pressing as a sin, but we can be conditioned.

Which would be more dangerous to you – and it is your opinion – a roaring lion or a crippling breeze or wind? Personally I would rather have to defend myself from a lion that I can see. I can prepare myself. I can defend myself but something that may be constant, subtle but dangerous – , poisonous gas that just kind of builds in the wind, carbon monoxide – you wouldn’t even know if it kills you. A lion – at least you would see it. You’d understand your enemy. And that’s how, oftentimes, thoughts around us can be. I think the millennials in the education system that’s dominated by a liberal thought process – I mean we can prove it statistically, it is there – so they are bombarded by certain things and that is what we are going to talk about today.

Recently Carly, Regene and myself went to Ventura, California, where Cassidy and Simon are living – beautiful place. I can’t say too much nice about it, because I will be in trouble with my wife. She wants me to say nothing but bad things about Ventura even though the weather is perfect. It is just so …. Oh, okay, enough, but she wants me to always say it is a terrible place. Don’t encourage her!

We went to the mountains right there. Ventura backs up in between the mountains and the ocean. We went up there and went to a park. It is just a bluff overlooking Ventura and all the trees were leaning in one direction. From the trunk, all the branches, everything was leaning in one direction. Of course that direction was in-land because the wind, the constant wind, that has been blowing for centuries, millennia there, has made them grow that way. None of those trees naturally grow like this. They all want to be upright, strong, straight, but they are all leaning in a certain direction and that is how the society around us can have an effect on us.

It is that soft, blowing wind, the soft beat of the drum that never goes away and you become accustomed to it. The world around us has these social pressures – these social winds, if you will – that are constant, well packaged deceptions that we are subject to – each one of us. But the fight for that Millennial generation – the youth – is even greater. Why? The rest of us are going to die off. It is hard to take and transform things quickly. Like that tree – the heavy strong wind came and just snapped and broke it. No value to that, but if you keep a constant ongoing pressure on it, you’ll get what you want as a society. Satan knows that. So the most commonly used thing that never stops, is that wind, that social wind that we are exposed to.

Let me ask you a question: Who likes these words and who would be in favor of these words? Social justice – who begins that? How about social democracy? That sounds good. Cooperation. Well, I am for cooperation. How about sharing or income equality? How about wealth distribution? How about fairness? These are things that we hear, especially now in a political season that are non-stop. They are certainly non-stop in education, in the media, the print, advertising on-line, you name it. These are things that sound so good and, quite frankly, you can sell me easily on these things, if it weren’t for the Word of God.

The world around us, again, in these social winds that we are exposed to…you know abortion is pro-choice. Who is not for choice? Everyone here not for choice? I am for choice. I don’t want to be forced to do anything. It sounds good. It is a social wind.

You know the LGBT is equality or, if you are opposed to it, it is bigotry. I am all for equality, quite frankly, so it starts to have an effect again on how we think. Same sex marriage is equality, right? It is a right. You can’t tell me who I can love. No, no, I wouldn’t do that, but, again, it starts to have an effect, doesn’t it? It is taking root. We can look at the country in the last 12 months, 24 months, and see that there have been big social winds that are making us, as a nation, do this – to lean – to start to give and bend and bow and reshape the country. Our youth will live in that country longer than we will as older adults.

We can look at, well, what’s next? Polygamy? Of course, it is next. Why wouldn’t it be? All these things – education, drugs, prescription drugs, marijuana, whatever – all these things start to soften the way we think about things – childrearing, fashion. We can take any part of this world around us in today’s discussion – could use any aspect. I am only going to use one, because it really caught my attention in the last twelve months, but we could use any of these. So some people would probably prefer I did use another one, but let me read you something, and tell me if you know what the word is, or the subject, that I will be discussing. You fill in the blank. I am going to leave the blank here. This is from Wikipedia.

“The (blank) is a concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the social and economic well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life.”

Who would be against that? Really, I mean, “protection, promotion of the social and economic well-being of its citizens”. Yes, I am all for that. It is a soft breeze and you will see why.

“Equality of opportunity”. These are phrases, that again, they are well packaged, cleverly disguised – and you will see why I say that. So what am I speaking about? What is socialism? I am speaking about socialism. Now, that is just a word. If you want to use another word, please do. I realize that it sounds – maybe you don’t like to talk politics. Well, I am not talking politics. I am not saying democrat, republican. We are talking about an ideology that is taking root and has an effect. 

Based on Wikipedia, here is the definition of socialism. The one I just read you was a welfare state. It is effectively the same thing.

“Socialism is an economic system where the ways of making money (factories, offices, etc.) are owned by a society as a whole, meaning the value made belongs to everyone in that society, instead of a small group of private owners. People who agree with this type of system are called socialists.”

“There are two ways socialists think that society can own the means of makingwealth:” (here’s the key) “either the state (the government of the country) is used or worker-owned cooperatives are used.” (Which of course is never the case. The politicians want the state to be in control. The politicians want that power, of course.) “Another important belief is that management and sharing are supposed to be based on public interests.”

Again, socialism is a summary word I gave. If you don’t like that word, use another one, but the ideology is there and you will see, as we go through this, it’s opposed to virtually everything God stands for – what God teaches, the examples He gives in the Bible.

It is harmful. It doesn’t seem like it would be. Why would equitable distribution of wealth be harmful? Why would social and economic well-being of its citizens ever be in question? You will see why.

So again, if you want to substitute another word, please do. We could use any number of topics.

We could use health care. You know the government wants health care. Once government is providing your health care the government can tell you what to do effectively. They can answer the questions of beginning of life and end of life – if it is controlled health care. So there are things – any number of subjects – education – all of these things Satan wants as prince of the power of the air. As god of this world, he wants and has control of them.

So, if we are not doing this terrible sin – “I am not committing adultery. I am not fornicating. I am not doing drugs. I am not beating up on people.” – whatever these common sins, whatever you want to put in that category, but we can allow our minds to be duped, to be conditioned like that wind to where our thinking is no longer upright, where we are twisted and distorted from what God would have us be.

Sometimes it is so hard to see it, because I would personally, if it weren’t for God’s truth, I would subscribe to most of those words and phrases. Why? Because they make sense to me. Truthfully, they do and these winds don’t have to be state ownership. You know, some people get caught up in the how it would happen. All the government needs to do is to have all the laws, all the regulations, all the taxation – and it has happened. And we will be talk about some of these things, not in great detail.

So again, a disclaimer is, understand that we don’t talk politics at church. I talked to our children about this. Why not? I mean it is one of the most influential aspects of our life. There is no part of our life that politics doesn’t touch. We can’t talk about that? Not disagree. It affects your education, your health care, the vehicle you drive, how you live, where you live. Everything is subject to the political environment around us and we have to be careful, obviously, not to be enthralled or engrossed in it, but we have to be aware of it because that constant beating, that constant wind, does have an effect. We will see the statistic that says the millennials have already bought it. We are one generation away from what we hear and see. We will see that.

What does a – this is a kind of a little caveat because I got answers doing this in preparing this because I thought it was such a contrast. What is a dystopian society? One of those neat words. It sounds kind of cool. It is the opposite of a utopian society. A dystopian society – here’s what some of the definitions – we are just putting a definition together:

“A dystopian society is usually described with words like unliveable, stark, and dreary.”  “Often associated with widespread hardships and lack of personal freedoms, political oppression, or systematic discrimination based on sex, age or IQ or abilities”.

Let me ask this question – I’ve already given it away but – what is one of the most common themes in movies that the millennials love? They are all about dystopian societies. I thought this is ironic.

If you think of these movies – again, the millennials in the room, or kids in general, they’ll know every single one of these movies: Hunger games, 2012; Catching fire, (again, part of the series) 2013; Mockingjay Part 1, 2014; Mockingjay, Part 2, 2015; Divergent, 2014; Insurgent, 2015; Allegiant, 2016; The Maze Runner, 2014; The Maze Runner – The Scorched Trials, 2015; The Maze Runner – The Death Cure, coming in 2018. They are all about…and another one is Equals, which just came out recently, 2016. Ironically, they are all about a centralized strong government that controls everything – no freedoms, no individualism. You are told what to do. You’re this faction – you are assigned to do this; this faction – you are assigned to do that. It is all about that strong centralized government. And the hero, you know, Katniss or whoever, rises up as an individual against that.

I thought that was interesting. Yet the contradiction – the ironic contradiction to me – we look at the 2016 US Presidential Democratic Primary – the success of Bernie Sanders. This is what caught my attention months ago. He won 82% of the earned Democratic Delegates, and he is openly really proud of it to say that he is a Democratic Socialist. The youth, the millennials, loved Bernie Sanders. They loved Bernie Sanders. If it weren’t for super delegates – I know this doesn’t count for super delegates, which is an interesting story – but 82% of all Democrats. The millennials is much higher. They don’t like Hillary Clinton. They don’t like, of course, the Republican side as much, generally. Bernie Sanders, 78 years old, white hair, kind of crazy looking. What if Bernie was 48 years old, 6’3”, sharp, well-spoken, great background and he wanted to put socialism in place in America? He would be the next President. Think about that.

On one hand, we love movies where we don’t want strong centralized government. We don’t want to be told what to do, where to work. We don’t want to collect the boar. We don’t subscribe to that, but when it comes to our voting, sign us up. Why, why is that true? Well, I will tell you why – and this is what scares me the most. Economic conditions facing this generation – the millennials. They have the highest rate of college attendance in the history of America. They are the smartest generation. They are smarter than us – us old people. Most of us didn’t even go to college, right? A generation ago that wasn’t that big a deal. millennials, they all go to school. They’ve got 1, 2 degrees. They are smart. They are dedicated. They are hard-working, in that sense, but a high student debt – the highest rate of debt – 70% plus of them have an average debt of $35,000 – or is it greater?

Most are living at home. The lowest US home ownership rate, 63.4%, the lowest in fifty years. The census bureau: Unemployment: for 22-year-old college graduates is 12% plus. The census bureau: Underemployment (holding a job that you are way over qualified for and get paid a $12 an hour and making $62,000 a year – that’s under employment). It is 60% plus for the millennials. They spent all that time, money, energy, effort and brain power to get that degree and now they are not getting paid for it. That hurts. It is an opportunity for society to offer a solution. Life-style, postponing marriage, child-bearing, starting a business – they don’t do those things like the generation before.

So what’s the carrot? Well, if you are a politician, if you’re…Satan is in control. It is his world. It is his society. He is going to bring it down one way or the other. What’s the carrot? It doesn’t take rocket science. The millennials should know this. Well, how about higher minimum wage? Just pay people $15, $20, $17 – whatever it is – a higher wage. Why? Because they are not earning a good wage. Again, I’m not…whether you are worth it or not, “just pay me more.”

Health care – free health care. It sounds good. You know two years ago, I was paying $540 a month for health care for my family. It went up to $860. It went up to $1150. I got a letter – the date of the letter…I did write it down, didn’t I? – anyhow I got a letter in the last 60 days – in Tennessee, there are only three carriers – and it is going to up from 44% to 60% plus. My health care will cost me $1700 and something a month. And the cost is to me, because of paying for other people. Again, those are things, if you are the other people, that sounds great! It is a carrot. Yeah, I would much rather have all of that, or the next guy or the next guy or the next guy pay for these things. It is a carrot.

How about cell phones, food, housing, free education, day care. I mean the number of welfare programs are virtually unending. We will look at some numbers in a minute that will be astounding to most people. So again, if you are going to take control of the millennials’ minds, you are going to get their vote. You are going to bring this country down, or whatever you feel about it. That is the way I think it is going and it is pretty clear. If you are Satan, you are not stupid. You are a roaring lion, but you are also the unrelenting, pressing, never stopping wind that can get that tree to do this – to lean to grow in any direction you want it to.

Again we have to be aware of that. We can’t just say, “Well, these big sins I’ve got under control, but I am all for this or that. We could substitute for socialism any number of words that describe ideologies – thought processes – that are being foisted onto our people and all of us – our children.

Well, today I want to cover, in the time remaining – and we will point out some facts and figures as we go through, but not many – the dangers of socialism and the Christian values – the biblical principles – it destroys – that it undermines, that it erodes, that it replaces.

First, I want to ask the question: Does the Bible promote or teach socialism? You can actually go on line, Google, and you will find Barack Obama. You will find others – big name political people that quote the Bible in the defense of socialism. What they normally turn to – if you want to, please turn to Acts 2. So I want to cover this first. I literally had all these quotes and didn’t have time to keep them in my sermon, but it is amazing how they misquote and twist things so we will start here.

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

We are skipping to Acts 2:44 which is the verse that’s most commonly used.

V-44-45 – Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

So politicians, they will say that that sounds so good. “If we all just get along…. Let’s all just kind of congeal. Everybody sell their stuff. We will pool resources. Won’t that be great!”

Well, the first point I would make is, they voluntarily, of course, sold their possessions and goods. They had things to sell, right? It was theirs to begin with. It says they sold their possessions and goods. It wasn’t compelled. It wasn’t taken from them through ridiculous taxation rates. It wasn’t taken from them by saying, “Hey, next year your health care premiums will go from $500...within 24 months it is going to be $1800, because we are all going to get into this big group hug here and we will take care of each other.”

It sounds great, doesn’t it? It sounds great to the majority of the people and we can subscribe to that. We can be all for it and there is danger in it, but we know so generically, or as a broad statement, because it is not God’s system. So anytime something is not God’s way – His system – always be looking for “What I am being sold,” “How am I being trained,” “How am I being pushed in that direction eastward with that heavy, stiff, relenting breeze?” If there wasn’t a wind, it wasn’t offensive standing there, overlooking Ventura. It was pleasant. It was nice. I’d like to…no, I won’t live there. It is a terrible place. It was pleasant, but it changes everything.

Another point I’ll bring out: It was certainly a unique situation. There was persecution. Thousands were being added – foreigners – people that were traveling to the area – and there was a temporary, short-lived, pooling of resources.  It wasn’t required. It wasn’t a church action. The church didn’t say, “Hey you have to do this.” It wasn’t a simple action where he said, “Everybody go sell everything. Bring it all here. We are going to distribute it.” It didn’t work that way. It was a voluntary thing.

Another way we can look at this – as far as the idea that it was unique and short-lived – regarding elderly care or widows – that only certain elderly widows, without family support, were to be provided for from a church fund later. So, again, if everybody was all living together as far as funds and resources, 1 Timothy 5:8 wouldn’t read this way. It wouldn’t read this way, but it does.

1 Timothy 5:8 – But if anyone does not provide for his own – not everybody else – and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

It goes on, because this whole section is also about widows and even widows. So anybody that makes the argument that Acts 2 says, “Everybody pool your resources, sell it all, and we are going to have a socialized living community,” will be absolutely wrong, because even with widows, it is a soft spot in anybody’s heart. What does it say?

V- 9-10 – Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number – anybody who is a widow, they all of a sudden get provided for – it wasn’t the case – and not unless – there is even more criteria; not just an age requirement – not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works; if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

Even with widows in the church, the argument for socialized living arrangement or community – whatever you would call it – is simply not the case. So when they quote…if you look up or Google or look at YouTube for quotes, you’ll see politicians quoting Acts 2:44. Of course, why? Because they are making an appeal. They are making an appeal for something they want, for something they want to happen. Certainly no socialism in the Bible.

Another point about, again, does the Bible teach or promote or accept socialism, is, of course, private property rights remained. Involuntary charity led to blessings. Acts 5:1 – Mr. Petty read this recently in a sermon about stealing.

Acts 5:1 – But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. Sold a possession – something they owned! They had a right to own it.

V-2-3 – And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?

Of course the key:

V-4 – “While it remained – unsold – was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Look Ananias, Sapphira, it is your house. It is your property. The church isn’t making you do anything. We are not forcing charity. We are not forcing socialized communal arrangements here. It is your control. You do whatever you want with it. And when you sold it, you could have done anything you wanted to, Ananias, with the proceeds, but instead you lied. You are trying to dupe everybody into the thinking that you are super generous and that you gave it all. That’s the problem. Of course, he is lying to God.

V-4 – ...Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

That’s the whole point there. So again, just a brief…you can certainly cover many more scriptures about how socialism is not promoted or accepted or taught in the Bible. By no means is it taught in the Bible.

If you hear somebody quote charity and love your neighbor – “Shouldn’t we all love each other so well should all just…if you’ve got a bond, shouldn’t we all just sell everything, kind of get together or tax everybody else, so we can all become like this? We can all become equal, the same.” No, no, no! Divergent, insurgent, allegiant – no we don’t want them to say – but actually we do, because we are going to vote for it.

Why? Because we are being duped. The millennials certainly are. I am sorry to say that, but it is again, there is a reason. It is the carrot we talked about. If you don’t have a job, if you’ve just spent four years, six years, eight years, now you can’t get a job in your degree and you’ve got debt, and somebody comes along and says, “Free education!” That’s all it took! Bernie was on his own! Sign here for Bernie. “Not only is he going to pay my debt – no college debt – I will go back to college. Why not? I love college. It is fun.” I don’t know what the thought is, but he had them. Bernie had them at free education. It seems ridiculously simple. It seems ridiculously simple. It is not free. Somebody else is paying for it.

Why is that a good thing? Why should somebody else pay for your education? Why should somebody else pay for your health care? Why should somebody else pay for your food, your housing, your transportation?  Why, why why?

There is no Biblical reason to answer that question and you will see as we go through this.

Let’s look at some more affirmative points that the Bible makes. You have personal responsibility and control of your possessions. We have already touched on that, but Matthew 20:1, if you would turn there. Again, about this, you have personal responsibility and control of your possessions. Socialism goes against that – teaches against that. Matthew 20 – of course, the parable of the workers in the vineyard.

Matthew 20:1 – “For the kingdom of heaven – that is a pretty important phrase for us – something we are looking forward to, as the Feast comes one month away – is like a landowner…. Well, wait a bit. There won’t be any landownership. It will just be like, “It’s ours – community owned. No, sorry, wrong! …who went out early in the morning to hire laborers– wait a minute. So he is in control. He has a business. He is out hiring people. They didn’t set themselves there. It doesn’t sound like equal ownership of land and business – for his vineyard.

Wait a minute. That is wrong too. It is supposed to be our vineyard? Skipping down to verse 13.

V-13-15 – “But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Again, people on the socialist side of things get offended that there are people that have success – that success may be a result of a direct blessing from God for doing the right thing. “I am still envious of you. You don’t have the right to be rich. You don’t have the right to have a better car than me. How dare you! We should be equal. We are all people here. Let’s just split this up. Government, I’ll vote for you. You tax them to death and give it to me. I can fall for that. That sounds like a good idea because economically I am going through a little tough time right now.” I mean, if that is all it takes and you’re on board with it, that’s dangerous. It is dangerous. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? “I don’t care what I said. It is not fair. It is not equitable any more.” ‘Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do – me to do – what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ “Or is your eye evil because I’ve got more money? Or is your eye evil because I worked 85 hours a week and as a result have more income?” “Yeah, I don’t want to work at all and I want to have half of what you’ve got. Of course!”

Again, it is an important point. This parable…you can draw conclusions about business ownership, discretion, charity, choices, blessings, liberty, freedom. It is all wrapped up in that parable. But if we subscribe, if we fall prey to the story line that Satan is going to keep on pushing and pushing, because he is only one generation away from having it, where a centralized government that does not have everybody’s best interest is in complete control.

Another affirmative point the Bible makes is, you should benefit from your labor. It is a simple point.

1 Timothy 5:18 – For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

You know, God expects even animals, beasts, oxen to benefit directly from their labor – not let them work all day, risk everything they own, everything they have in a business or whatever, put in the time, etc., the energy, the effort, the creativity, but that that blessing that they produce goes to somebody else. Not even an animal should be treated that way! Think about that.

You’ve got people who work hard to have talents – abilities – that literally put their life into something, and socialism says, “Well, that is great. We appreciate it, but you didn’t earn that.”
You know, “He didn’t build that, I kind of think. He didn’t actually build that. Let’s spread it around.” God says not even an animal should be treated that way. An ox treads the grain. The ox should benefit from that. That ox doesn’t tread the grain and then some other ox comes in and eats. That is being absurd.

Another point is, that work is an honorable responsibility, not a curse to be escaped. A labourer is worthy of his wages.

Another affirmative point that the Bible makes, which is undermined by socialism, that feeling –  if you want to change that word, go ahead – by the ideology it represents. You should support yourself and the slothful should suffer hardship. That doesn’t sound like Christ, and love, and love your neighbor in kindness and gentleness and meekness and patience and long-suffering. “That sounds harsh, Dave.” You should support yourself and the slothful should suffer hardship. That’s what the Bible says. That’s what God says. Why? Because it is a tool for God to get you somewhere. As soon as that is removed, that tool is no longer useful.

If you would turn to 2 Thessalonians 3:6, this is a strong passage

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 – But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. Now he goes on and explains how and what he means. For you yourselves knowhow you ought to follow us for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you – not because we do not have authority – again, through tithes, through offerings. The ministers have a right to be supported. Paul is saying, “We didn’t even take advantage of that. Because the principle is so strong, so prevalent, it is such an embodied part of the character of Christ, we are going to set the example for you.” Paul says, “You know we didn’t do that. We worked all the time and did not want to be a burden to you.” …not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

You can’t really mean that! You don’t work, God will say, starve to death. Why? Because you probably won’t. At some point you are going to say, this isn’t working. I am starving. I’d better go and work. God can work with that.

There are people that will not work. In God’s system you would not eat. Again, it’s not saying there is not charity. There is. But there is a way to take care of the poor – and that is a whole other subject, and we can cover those things – but for the person who says, “I am not going to work. I’d rather not work and receive the benefit of this socialized, communal arrangement – whatever it is. Again, it doesn’t need to be called socialism. It can be called something else. The government most likely won’t call it socialism. It will just be called Congress. It can be called Senate. They can do it through laws and that is where we are heading.

V-10-11 – …. If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner – which is what this is – it is disorderly to think that way – to live that way – not working at all,

It is a sin! Six days a week you shall work – not benefit from everybody else’s labor. And it is an easy sell. That’s why politicians, like Bernie…again, he had that group at free education. What happens when the economy takes a serious dive? Then the government says, “Hey, we’ll take care of you. We will take care of your health care, your income, even your housing, your food. We will take care of all the stuff. All you’ve got to do is go to Church on Sunday. All you’ve got to do, is do this.” You’ll do anything they ask you at that point. Right? Well, that’s what I fear. That’s what I fear. Continuing:

V-12 – Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.

“Through our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is Jesus Christ saying this. This is what Paul is saying. It is not being harsh. It is a tool. God is concerned about eternity of every man, woman and child ever born. If you have people that want to melt into a collective – where they kind of escape; don’t work – “I still get to eat; don’t work – I’ve still got a cell phone; don’t work – I still have a house; don’t work – I get whatever.” There is no way to change behavior in that scenario.

I’ve got a Margaret Thatcher quote here – a simple one I liked. “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

If you can’t work, then we can historically prove that it won’t work, but that is a whole another subject too.

Another point that socialism undermines within God’s word is this: Your work reflects your heart in respect and service to God. Let me say that again. It is not just paying bills. It is not just a way that is a means to an end. It is not. Your work reflects your heart in respect and service to God.

Why do you think Satan is using this socialism flavor – this socialism wind that is getting stronger? Because it undermines all those things. It reflects your heart and respect and service to God.

Colossians 3:22-25 – Bondservants – workers – in this passage, that is talking to everybody – we are all workers of some sort – obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. 

That is as strong an anti-socialism passage that you can get. It talks about rewards – no partiality. There is no partiality if you are a billionaire. Amen. You are not trained any differently in God’s law and God’s word than a poor person. “Even in the Kingdom, there will always be poor among you,” Christ says. Always poor among you. Why? Because God doesn’t need it to be any other way. He gives some more talents, some fewer. Some more – and you can have very little and do well with it and get the same eternal reward as the billionaire. So God doesn’t care. There is no partiality. Also no partiality in how we should treat people.

Taxation: “Tax them to death and give it to me in some form of a benefit. Boy, I am so excited to get this stuff for free. It is awesome.” Again, you are being duped. You are one step away from being told what to do with the rest of your life.

Your faithful productive labor is how God blesses – one of the ways God blesses. It is one of the ways God gets people to do things, to change their behavior. Blessings and curses. “I’ve set before you both. You choose.” Work is one of those tools.

I read an article. I am only going to quote a few things. The title was, Welfare Pays More than Minimum Wage in 35 States. It’s a chart and it gives every state, what the wage equivalent is for welfare – “I don’t want to work. Why bother?” Here is what you can earn on welfare. I am only going to read maybe 5 States.

Wyoming: $32,620 a year equivalent
Minnesota: $29,350 equivalent
New York: $43,700 a year, equivalent
North Carolina: $25,760 a year equivalent
California: $37,160 a year equivalent
Hawaii: (I want to move to Hawaii!) $60,590 equivalent - a year.

Why work – which is honorable? Why work, which should be a blessing? Why work? It shows your mindset, your attitude towards God. Why bother? You could stay at home, sign up for a new program and do better. That is a problem for the entire political system.

Again, we can point fingers at everybody for allowing those things, but that is not the way God would have it. Satan would have it that way. Why? Because you’ve got control of everybody sitting at home – how much you…. “If I am sitting at home in Hawaii with a $61,000 a year income, you tell me what you want to do. I’m there!” That’s control. All those movies we talked about? “Oh, you will never dupe me into being in control of me, because I want to be Katniss. I want to be the individual who rises against the oppression – unless you give me a check, then maybe I’ll change my tune.” That is what the millennials are saying and it scares me. I’ve got three in that category. My wife and I have three children in that age group. They are soon to be in charge.

Another point this socialism order – ideology – whatever we want to call it – undermines or goes against is, we should never accept stealing in any form as reasonable or justifiable. I thought Mr. Petty gave an excellent sermon on the 8th Commandment about stealing. Theft is theft whether it is government sanctioned or not. You can steal by the use of the ballot box. “Everybody in this room in favor of this really rich guy here,” you know. “Everybody in favor of taking everything else and split it up? All in favor?” “Yeah, amen, brother.” Yeah, we voted it, so and it is easy sell if I am up here promoting that.

Romans 13:9 – For the commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal” – of course the 8th commandment – “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Think about this. Half the ten commandments are about stealing.
6th commandment – I must not steal my neighbor’s life by murder.
Number 7 – I must not steal my neighbor’s wife by adultery.
Number 8 – I must not steal my neighbor’s property.
Number 9 – I must not steal my neighbor’s reputation by false witness.
Number 10 – I must not even indulge my heart to covet what is my neighbors.

But I’ll vote for taking everything, for half of, what he’s worked for. I mean, it can’t be God’s way. “Oh yeah, he doesn’t need all that money. He is making $45 million a year. Take 44 of it. He’s still going to have a million dollars a year. You better believe I’d be for that if I get some of the action. You are going to pay my education? You’ve got my vote!”

It is dangerous. It is of Satan. It is stealing and you are excited about it. Here is another article I want to quote a couple of facts from. The title of the article is, Summary of the Latest Federal Income Tax Data – 2015 – An Update. So this is pretty recent. It is through the IRS. I am going to read two things here. Think about this in relation to stealing.

“In 2012, the top 50 percent of all taxpayers paid 97.2 percent of all income taxes, while the bottom 50 percent” – of the population – “paid the remaining 2.8 percent.”

Does God’s tithe work that way? Just 10% across the board. No partiality. No respect of persons. Why? Because tithing should be a blessing, right? Again the system obviously is skewed.

Another one sentence from this report:

“The top 1%” – again, we hear the 1%. “Go get them! Yeah, turn the dogs loose on these folks because they don’t deserve it because they used all of us to get the work done, so they don’t deserve that money.” I mean, that’s what we hear out there.

“The top 1% paid a greater share of income taxes (37.8 percent) than the bottom 90 percent combined (30.2 percent).”

It is from the IRS. The top 1% paid more than the bottom 90% of the population. And yet we keep hearing, “Go get them,” because it is easy sell. You’ve got 90% of the people on your side from the day one. “You had me at free education.”

I am embarrassed for this country that – that’s all it took and Bernie Sanders had 82% of earned democratic delegates. I am telling you, if he were young, handsome, he would have had it. He could have beaten Senator Clinton easily.

I’d like to read a quote from John Adams. This is 1787. I have a bunch of quotes and I would like to read a bunch of them. This is one I just couldn't cut out – maybe should have for time – but John Adam, 1787, said this, or wrote this:

 “Property is surely a right of mankind as really as liberty. Perhaps, at first, prejudice, habit, shame or fear, principle or religion, would restrain the poor from attacking the rich, and the idle from usurping on the industrious; but the time would not be long before courage and enterprise would come, and pretexts be invented by degrees, to countenance the majority in dividing all the property among them, or at least, in sharing it equally with its present possessors.”

“Debts would be abolished first” – hmm, sounds familiar – Bernie misread this. “Debts would be abolished first; taxes laid heavy on the rich, and not at all on the others; and at last a downright equal division of everything be demanded, and voted.”

“The moment the idea is admitted into society, that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If ‘Thou shalt not covet,’ and ‘Thou shalt not steal,’ were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society, before it can be civilized or made free.”

It is like a prophecy in there. First you wipe debts, then you tax everybody else, and the other people not at all, and then you start to divide things equally. Private ownership and land rights, that makes it pretty often. We can take your land for the general good of the public. It happens all the time. But that argument surfaces all the time, because they want to do it more and more. Why? Because we are heading towards socialism. It is not God’s way and as a result we have to be on guard from it.

Another point that socialism undermines: God’s way teaches and rewards personal stewardship of talents, not equality. God is not for equality? No, not the way we would define it, not the way Satan promotes it. Everybody has an equal opportunity for eternal life or will have an equal opportunity for eternal life, but everything between now and then is not intended to be equal.

Why do some people have blessings and other seem not to? Why do some have to suffer health conditions and other don’t? That’s not that equal. Why are you saying, “Don’t  run so fast. That’s not fair. They should make him run with weights in his pockets, right? That’s not fair that he is faster than everybody else. It’s not fair that you or you or you are so much smarter than I am. We should compensate for that.”

God gives talents and abilities as He chooses and we can look, of course – Matthew 25 – you don’t need to turn there – but the parable of the one talent, the five talents, and ten talents. That guy who got one really has a gripe, doesn’t he? This other guy got 10 times – he got a 1,000% more to work with. To God that doesn’t matter. Faithful in little, faithful in much. God sees things differently.

Matthew 25:28 is the conclusion of that parable. Let me read:

Matthew 25:28 – Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

Ouch! That seem so cold, doesn’t it? That is not socialism, right? This guy over here doesn’t work – doesn’t use his talent. God says, “That’s fine. Take it from him and give it to the other guy. I am not worried about being equal here and this guy is productive. Let him do it.”

V-29 – For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance – why? Because God blesses. It says so – but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

No, no, no! Give him more so he can stay at home and earn an income in North Carolina of $25,760. God would say, “Let them starve to death. Why? Because he probably won’t. He’ll go out and be productive. He will start to use that talent, even if it is this – even if it is his back into shoveling motion. He will do something and from there I can work with that person.” God can teach every lesson needed on earth to a person earning minimum wage as effectively as He can a person earning a million dollars a year. So God is not worried about equality, like man is. Satan is, because it is a hook.

Another point: God’s way teaches the golden rule. “Well, as long as it is not me they are taking from, I don’t care.” Well, how is that “love your neighbor?” How is that the golden rule? God’s way teaches faith in God for needs, not in world government. That is a huge one and that can be a whole sermon by itself.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him - God.

“Well, the government is going to take care of me – health care, my education, my food, my housing, my cell phone bill, all these things – so I don’t need any faith in God. The government is my god. I have faith in the government to take care of me.” Where is that going to lead you? Who is in charge of that government? Satan is the prince of the power of the air and the ruler of the world. “Well, Satan is going to take care of me.”” I mean, that is a direct connection. I don’t want to work hard. I just want to be on the dole. Just give me….” That’s much better, much simpler, much easier.

Socialism will not exist in God’s Kingdom.

 Another point. I’d like to read a quote, because this is a popular thing. I have actually heard people in the church say some things to this effect. I am going to quote Andrew Carnegie:

January 1885 - “I believe socialism is the greatest theory ever presented and I am sure it will someday rule the world. Then we will have attained the millennium… Then men will be content to work for the general welfare & share their riches with their neighbors.”

Wrong. Way back in Isaiah it says:

Isaiah 65:21 – They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

All the principles we’ve already covered will still exist in the Kingdom. God gives everybody land and guess what? You lose it! You could lose it for 50 years! That is about the only difference, as it won’t be generational. So there will be poor people. They may get their own vineyard, their own land, and they don’t work hard. They have fallen in debt. There will be debt. They sell it – there will be selling of possessions in the Kingdom. They lose it and their family suffers for as long as 50 years as a result of their actions. It doesn’t sound like socialism in the Kingdom.

Why? Because God’s way never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The principles that He is working with us now will always exist, as long as there are humans. It is important to see that. The Kingdom – the Feast coming up – to think about the verses that we read, but they all still have agriculture. It takes work to grow stuff, if you think of that – a lot of work. There is still going to be work. There is still going to be all these principles in motion.

And there are other issues we won’t cover. I’ve just read a few just to throw them out there. God’s way teaches us not to envy and covet. We talked about that. I do have a Barack Obama quote here that I would like to read. “I think when you spread the wealth around it is good for everybody” – except certain people have money – except for everybody above you – except for the 1% that’s paying 90% of the taxes, or the top 50% that pay but all but 2% of the taxes. The bottom 50% – or if you want, 51% – you are always going to have 51% of people say, “Amen, brother, tax them.”

God’s way teaches family benevolence and responsibility. Socialism undermines the family unit. God’s way teaches impartiality. We’ve talked about it. God’s way teaches personal freedom versus public slavery through taxation and government borrowing, because a socialized government normally borrows more.

The world around us will continue to disregard God’s instruction and way of life. Satan is the prince and power of the air and the ruler of the world around us. So with the skills of a lion but as subtle as a continuous wind…like over in Ventura they have 79 degrees every day, sunny and it rains, it is beautiful. I am sorry. I daydreamed there for a minute, just to poke at my wife. Maybe cast in these listing.

Again, with the skills of a lion and with that continuous wind, that social wind that is relentless. It never ends. There is always an agenda there. Leaders, of course, will promote a destructive and enslaving but attractive solution, marked by words, or categorized by words, like social justice, social democracy, cooperation, sharing, fairness, equality, beneficial, kindness, generosity.

It sounds good but all of us, especially the youth who are the future around us and in the church, must be aware and come out from any social political personal ways that are not rooted in God’s righteousness. Beware of the winds of socialism.