Corruption isn’t restricted to third world depots with Swiss bank accounts and London townhouses. Leaders of some of our most sophisticated countries will leave the office with pockets much fatter than when they entered. Amazingly, the thing that they all seem to have in common is the ability to convince people that they care about the poor more than they care about themselves. You would think that someone might ask them if their gated communities have any housing for orphans, widows, and crack heads.
I do not begrudge an honest man his riches. As a Christian, I must never call an honest man a thief, but I also must never call a thief an honest man. The admiration that some Christians have for “the parasitic people of influence” is shameful.
The Christian, rich or otherwise, serves God as a steward of God’s blessings. If he is honest, bless him. If he is dishonest, take care lest you learn his ways.
No one except Ananias and Sapphire would ever have known about their secret sin if the Holy Spirit had not exposed it. Their conspiracy to defraud the Holy Spirit cost them their lives (Acts 5).
One of the reasons that Christians give up reading the Bible is because of its ability to “judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb.4:12). After all, who wants the Holy Spirit creating conscience issues when one is secretly planning to carry out evil?
The vast majority of Christians are good and generous souls. They are infinitely more likely to be victims of the unscrupulous than to ever be counted in their ranks. Sadly, falling prey to the schemes of the unscrupulous will not cease this side of judgement. Ponzi schemes will always be with us, bigamists will continue to lie their way through their vows, debts will be conveniently forgotten, and lies will ever be covered over with a smile.
The wise Christian seeks wisdom to discern and protects the church from all sin hidden in plain sight.
John Staiger
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