‘Jesus Was a Socialist!’

What form of government does the Bible support? (And why that’s the wrong question to be asking)

You hear that a lot nowadays — the cry of a passionate, 20-something-year-old who stumbled across Acts 2 for the first time and is now convinced that Jesus and His disciples were socialists (or capitalists, or communists, or hippies, or whatever).

“They broke bread, rationed it out, and shared it amongst themselves. They must be communists!”

“Paul said that those who don’t work shouldn’t eat. See? Capitalism is good!”

“The apostles sold all that they had, put it in a big pot, and distributed to each other as needs arose. Are you kidding me? Marx and Engles were looking down (or most likely up?) at them and smiling!”

Or, at least they would have been, had they been born yet. But as it stands, these poor fellows wouldn’t come into our world for another 1,800 years or so.

“But why is that important? Ideas are birthed from somewhere, and just because an idea wasn’t fully laid out on paper during the time of Jesus doesn't mean the principles of socialism weren’t practiced!”

Actually, I would agree!

But Jesus also said that He only came for His nation and people group. Umm, nationalism much? Not cool, Jesus, not cool.

Or... maybe Jesus wasn’t in support of any of these things.

What political system does the Bible endorse?

No, Jesus was not a socialist. No, capitalism is not God’s ideal system. And while I’m at it, no, America is not God’s favorite nation.

(Actually, Jesus’s political stance is that of a dictatorship. When He returns it won’t be socialism or capitalism, it’ll be a dictatorship with Him sitting on the throne- the only Person fit to fill that role and rule justly without turning corrupt.)

The problem with claims like “socialism is backed by the Bible” has nothing to do with whether or not the apostles did some socialist things. They definitely did some things that, from first glance, seem to scream and support it!

But upon second glance, any studied person who understands the Bible as a whole will take notice that the Bible takes special caution never to take a political stance or endorse one system over another.

When we say things like Jesus was a socialist or a capitalist we’re missing the entire point of the story.

Let’s make this article short and just cut to the chase: the Bible doesn’t support one political system over another because God’s plan for salvation is not through a political system, it’s through Jesus Christ alone.

Jesus and the apostles shared with those in need, they sold their possessions to help others, and they lived much of their lives in community, under the rule of emperor Tiberius Caesar Augustus, without trying to overthrow him.

In John 6:15 it says that when the crowds came to make Jesus king and overthrow the government, He ran away to a mountain! Think about that for a minute.

Another time, in a well-known quote, Jesus said to “render to Caesar what is Caesar’s.”

In one of the very rare moments that he spoke on politics (in fact the only direct time), He simply says to obey your government and give them what is rightfully theirs. He didn’t give His opinion on which system of government was the best.

I hope you’re starting to see why.

Jesus and His disciples did many things, things that represent many different forms of government. We cannot choose one or two of their actions, insert a modern idea that they had never thought about, and then claim that they are in support of our political convictions.

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)

The Apostles never fell for the social gospel. They never took the gospel to a political level or tried to change the government to make it a more “Christian” system.

In fact, they weren’t focused on politics at all. (Daniel is a good book to study concerning a Christian’s role in politics).

Why do you think that the only hope the Bible points to is Jesus? Why would the Bible be strangely silent about such an important topic?

Maybe it’s on purpose.

One more time, but this time a little clearer:

The second that we believe the Bible endorses one political system over the other is the same second that our eyes will be taken off Christ and placed onto a new Savior. Our hope, our faith, will no longer be in Christ alone, but Christ plus capitalism, socialism, communism, etc.

The Bible is about the salvation of mankind from the sin of this world by grace through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ and His finished work. Period.