In the Old Testament, God set laws in place for how the nation of Israel was to be governed. Whilst I do not want to recommend that we use these rules to run a modern state, I believe that it gives insight into God's heart and the sort of principle's we might want to base our laws on.
Contrary to popular myth and many right-wing Christians who often refer to the Old Testament, this does not show a God lacking in love. My contention is that the laws put down in Old Testament amount to probably the first welfare state that ever existed.
Take for instance these verses from the book of Deuteronomy Chapter 14
28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Throughout the Old Testament laws as expounded in the book of Moses concern is placed to look after the elderly, the sick, the widows and indeed the foreigner. Deuteronomy 10:18-19, 16:11-12, 24:17-21, are all good examples where those who are unable to fend for themselves are to well treated, some would say even given welfare, for out of the tithe, like a 10% tax on income, these groups of people were to be looked after.
Some argue that the Old Testamant is full of hatred and bloodshed, and perhaps this is Chronicled, but from the Law one can see that this is not God's heart, take Exodus 22:21 for example “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. Explicitly outlawing racist behaviour in the land Israel.
Therefore it is my contention that those on the right of politics have misunderstood God's heart if they have ever used christianity to promote policies that either seek to undermine the welfare state or promote any racist attitudes, because God's heart is to care for those less fotunate and indeed he was prepared to use the vehicle of the State to ensure those ends were met.
Contrary to popular myth and many right-wing Christians who often refer to the Old Testament, this does not show a God lacking in love. My contention is that the laws put down in Old Testament amount to probably the first welfare state that ever existed.
Take for instance these verses from the book of Deuteronomy Chapter 14
28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Throughout the Old Testament laws as expounded in the book of Moses concern is placed to look after the elderly, the sick, the widows and indeed the foreigner. Deuteronomy 10:18-19, 16:11-12, 24:17-21, are all good examples where those who are unable to fend for themselves are to well treated, some would say even given welfare, for out of the tithe, like a 10% tax on income, these groups of people were to be looked after.
Some argue that the Old Testamant is full of hatred and bloodshed, and perhaps this is Chronicled, but from the Law one can see that this is not God's heart, take Exodus 22:21 for example “You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. Explicitly outlawing racist behaviour in the land Israel.
Therefore it is my contention that those on the right of politics have misunderstood God's heart if they have ever used christianity to promote policies that either seek to undermine the welfare state or promote any racist attitudes, because God's heart is to care for those less fotunate and indeed he was prepared to use the vehicle of the State to ensure those ends were met.
