The United Order

A Letter to the Editor:05/29/2012 6:20 PM

On May 18, I read the opinion “It may be that God would prefer Communism.” I’d like to respond to two biblical interpretations made by R. Steele Selby.The first opinion I’ll address suggests God prefers communism based on the Book of Acts. In the Book of Acts, Christian converts did turn over all that they had to the church. They were in commune with the church, not Rome. They did not turn them over to Caesar to redistribute.In Matthew 22:21, Christ said “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars; and unto God things that are God’s.”Who would you rather give all that you have to, your church or to your government? I choose my church, just as the early Christian converts did.If you’re not Christian, it would make sense to give to your government. If you are a Christian and you choose to give unto Caesar rather than your church; maybe you’re at the wrong church.

Second, the opinion stated that Ananias and Sapphira died because they “kept half of their net worth for themselves.” That is only a part of the story. Verses 3, 4 and 9 of Acts chapter 5 explain that the couple was guilty of lying to God.Specifically, verse 3 reads “…why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost…” and verse 4 reads “…thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” Their transgression was lying to the Holy Ghost and God.

While we’re in chapter 5 of the Book of Acts, let us remember what Peter and the other apostles said when they were commanded not to teach in the name of Jesus Christ. They said, in 5:29 of the Book of Acts, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”Likewise, I encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ to obey God rather than men.

Don Bishop
Cumberland