Doing the right thing, or pursuing righteousness, is essential to our pleasing God, enjoying healthy relationships, and experiencing happiness.

Happiness and health are dependent upon doing right!

One’s health and happiness is dependent upon doing the right thing for the right reason. Proof of this may be found in many areas, for instance, doing “wrong” results in a sense of guilt which compels one to seek justification. Whether that need for justification results in the pursuit of the forgiveness of God and man, or simply making excuses for the moral failing, it points to the need of the conscience to be right. This compelling need to be perceived as right by God, self, and others is directly related to the demand of our conscience that we do right. Of course, another way
of saying this is that our sense of guilt when we fail morally is proof that we feel the need to do right.

Anytime a “need” is not met it negatively impacts the system associated with the need. A work quota is a need that if not met negatively effects our job. If our nutritional needs are not met it depresses our body. So, if the “needs” of the conscience are not met it produces a depressing effect on our emotions.

Cain Proves that Moral Failure Produces Emotional Depression

5 but for Cain and his offering God had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:5-7

Cain did not meet the demands of God and his own conscience when he failed to offer God his best. The result was emotional depression and God’s displeasure and rejection.

The Sinful Conscience is a Sensitive Thing

Happiness may result from sacrificing the right thing, but this is very shallow and fragile. We know this because the impropriety does not suffer questioning or challenge. If a man were challenged over loving his wife and children, he would pass off the objection as being absurd,
while a man who has abandoned his family might eagerly lay out all the good reasons he was compelled to do so, or try to avoid the examination. We do not feel the need to indignantly defend doing the right thing, but one intent on sin will hide it, deny it, or ferociously defend it.

Of Narcissists and Psychopaths

Some might object to this conclusion by pointing to the narcissist or psychopath who thrive on selfishness and perhaps even the abuse of others, but these are the exceptions that prove the rule.  Their rarity and the fact they are recognized as abnormal is proof they are contrary to design and acceptable behavior.

The Predictable Effect of Doing Right

As God loves the worship of the faithful, so, a good woman rejoices in the adoration of her husband, a child thrives on the counsel of wise and loving parents, and a friend cherishes the faithfulness of a true friend, for these are the predictable reactions to one who does good.

We do best when we do good, and we do good when we follow the will of God!

We can only understand what this requires if we understand what it means to love ourselves.

The background of the commandment

The Lord Jesus in Matthew 22:39 identifies the commandment “love your neighbor as you do yourself” as the second greatest in the Law of Moses, the first being, “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and mind.”  Jesus goes on to state that “On these two commandments depends all the Law and the Prophets.” Vs. 40  

Though it is important to note that the Lord was answering a Jewish lawyer about Jewish law (Deut. 6:5, Lev. 19:18), the universal applicability of these two commandments is necessarily implied in Romans 1:19-22 and Romans 13:8-10.  In fact, I believe these laws are written upon our hearts (Romans 2:14-16), in that all capable of moral judgment feel a desperate need to be dealt with fairly and therefore, to be consistent, should treat others fairly.  For instance, every man knows it is wrong for someone to steal his property, therefore he knows it is wrong for him to steal the property of another.  You see this codified in cultures and civil law around the world throughout history.

So, if love for self is to be the standard for loving others, what is involved in loving self?

We might equate “love ourselves” with selfishness, but we would be mistaken as it is the opposite of destructive selfishness.  The word “love” in our text is the Greek word “agape” which we might define as responsibly pursuing that which is best for self, or another.  If we agape self, we pursue that which is truly good for us and sacrifice selfish desire which is, in the end, always morally, physically, and socially destructive.  Therefore, loving self is appropriate and responsible, and is to be the standard for how we treat others.

The relationship between law and love can be seen in our own experience.  As we progress through life we learn rather quickly that others should keep their word and treat us fairly; we then begin to realize it is only fair that we treat others the same way. Paul, in Romans 13:8-10, reveals that it is love that prevents us from unjustly harming another when he said, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”  The purpose of law is to govern our relationship with God and man, and we now begin to see that love for God and oneself enforces all good law.

During the Battle of Okinawa, at the close of WWII, a young Army medic, Desmond Doss, saved the lives of fifty to one hundred wounded soldiers on a war-torn escarpment called Hacksaw Ridge.  Though wounded himself, Doss spent thirteen hours pulling the wounded to the edge of the escarpment and lowering them on ropes to awaiting soldiers below, who then transported the wounded to an aid station.  

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

Doss on Hacksaw Ridge

For saving the lives of so many others at the risk of his own,Doss was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by Congress on October 12, 1945. After placing the medal around Doss’ neck, President Truman shook Doss’ hand and held it the entire time the citation was being read and then said, “You really deserve this.  I consider this a greater honor than being President.”

Someone once said “Words are vehicles that convey ideas,” and it is true. However, they may be used to accurately present an idea or hide its flaws. In the Moral Civil War taking place throughout Western Civilization, those on opposing sides in the conflict seek to persuade the undecided middle through the use of words. Sometimes a story, if told well and often, is perceived as the truth in spite of contradicting facts. In this short treatise we are going to consider the effort made by leftists to convince the middle that socialism is the best form of government by presenting Jesus Christ as a Socialist.

What is a “socialist”?

In every example of national socialism, from Hitler’s Germany to Venezuela today, the regulation of “production, distribution, and exchange” is carried out by those in positions of governmental power, not direct voting by each citizen. Those in power use force to seize private property and labor to control and redistribute as they see fit. Force is usually necessary since most business people who have risked and sacrificed greatly to build a business will not surrender it to a polite request. Socialism is achieved through violence, or the threat of violence, not just artful articulation or propaganda.
If you doubt this, let me ask you, if a business owner refused to surrender ownership and/or control of his company to a socialistic government, what would be the result? The record is undeniable; property/business has always been taken by force.

Was Jesus a Socialist?

To answer that question, we must ask if Jesus promoted socialism or directed others to do so. Some claim that He did based on the following passages:

“render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”

Matthew 22:21 “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

In this passage Jesus directed His disciples to give Caesar/government that which it has a rightful claim to, but says nothing about authorizing government to take the business or income of one man and giving it to another man who has not labored for it.

“go, sell what you possess and give to the poor”

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Again, the Lord says nothing about government power. The passage involves a particular individual’s responsibility, not a collective responsibility.

Christians who owned property sold it and gave the money to the apostles to feed the poor.

Acts 4:34-35 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Again, the passage says nothing about government being granted authority to take the business or income of one man and give it to another man who has not labored for it. Rather, the issue here involves the responsibility of Christians to meet the needs of other Christians who were unavoidably destitute.

Leftist attempt to spit shine socialism with sophistry, empty promises, and associating it with Christ, but history and scripture expose it as a tragic failure. Socialism is simply the concentration of power/force in the hands of the state to control economic planning, to coercively redistribute wealth, and punish anyone inconvenient to that effort. Jesus Christ nowhere promoted this.

The “collective” responsibilities given by Christ primarily involve spiritual matters and very limited benevolence by local congregations toward Christians who were unavoidably destitute. In fact, through the Apostle Paul, the Lord instructed His people “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10-11

Using force to take the property of one man and giving it to another man who did not labor for it is antithetical to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

JESUS CHRIST WAS NOT A SOCIALIST!

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