How can what feels so good be so wrong? Easy answer, right? We understand from the Bible that we can't judge whether something is right or wrong just by the way it makes us feel. As our government grows we need to apply this answer to Socialism. Socialism is not right, and- as all things that are not right- it doesn't work, not in the long run. Things may feel good in the moment, but the consequences are disastrous.

Why does Socialism feel so good? Because it is good- in the right setting. Socialism is basically having all things in common. We see it in the New Testament. "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need." (Acts 2: 44-45) The church was practicing "the redistributing of wealth"- a phrase we have heard a lot of recently from President Obama's administration. So why shouldn't the United States of American move towards Socialism?

In a word, it is because having all things in common can't be imposed on people. Notice that the above quoted verses from Acts start with, "And all who believed..." That is the key. They believed in Christ, therefore their basic inclination was now to love other people. The love was from the Spirit of God, rising up from within their own hearts. It was, and is, a beautiful thing when Christians decide to sacrifice their own possessions for the poor. But it is an entirely different thing to try to apply this model outside of the believing church community.

For believers in Christ, wealth redistribution is motivated by love. But government Socialism turns the motivation into fear. To make laws requiring people to give more and more of their wealth, through taxes, is to force them to "love". But we all know that you can't force another person to love, and if you were to try the reaction is, "Back off!" If you want to motivate others to love it must be through persuasion, not law, through prayer, not force, through example, not telling.

The church, and our government, must be realistic, not utopian idealists. The real situation is that people, even Christians much of the time, are motivated by self-interest, not an interest in others welfare. That is the cold, hard, truth. Capitalism is realistic. It realizes that people are going work for their own benefit first, and then, if they get beyond survival mode, they may- just may- start looking to the interests of others. Oh, how sad! But oh, how true! With Capitalism and low taxes we see people getting very wealthy for themselves. They have grown and grown their business, and created more and more jobs because with low taxes they have more money to reinvest in their business by taking the risk of hiring (and paying for) yet another person. As people in general begin to acquire money, some will choose out of love to give to the needy, some will choose out of a desire for tax deductions (maybe mixed with love- which is good!) to give to the needy, and some will spend all their money on themselves. But notice, even in the third scenario, where people are spending just on themselves, they pay other businesses to satisfy their materialism. You see, as the rich get richer, the poor get richer. It is a complete misunderstanding that the only way people get rich is on the backs of the poor. The poor would not have jobs, or the opportunity to get a raise or promotion, without the rich.

Mild Socialism tries to fill the gap. It tries to take more money from the rich and give it directly to the poor who are still poor. This is understandable, but wrong-headed. It is here where many Christians say, "If the church was doing its job there wouldn't be any need for welfare or wealth redistribution." The answer to that is that the church needs to start doing its job better. Notice I said "better". That is because no people have been more giving than those who know that Christ gave His very life for their forgiveness on the cross. True believers love the One Who gave Himself to be punished for their sins, the One Who sacrificed Himself. Those who love Him, practice more and more a similar love towards others- giving of their time, talents, and treasure. Yes, there is room for growth in the church! But having the government fill the gaps will not be any incentive for that growth. And it burdens businesses who are already providing for so many people simply through pursuing The American Dream.

Socialism is good-hearted but wrong-headed. It is short-sighted, as sin is for all people. What works and feels good right now ends up destroying not only future happiness, but the happiness we have right now but don't appreciate. Our country has been blessed by caution, by realism, and by many people knowing that the Kingdom of God is within, not forced by the government.