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Socialism and Christianity: What Creates True Community?

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I’m about to bite off more than I can chew in a blog entry. I’m about to overstate and understate, and probably misstate, some important things, but hopefully this train of thought will make some sense and inspire you to think about some things for yourself. This came to mind as I was reflecting on Acts 2:42-47 and the genius of God in the creation of true community. Here we go…

In the heart of every person is the innate knowledge that we are designed to live in community, but the question is this: what creates true community? On the one hand, socialism attempts to force from the outside what can only emanate from the inside, namely, a genuine love of neighbor. On the other hand, the Bible argues that true community, in which every member contributes what they can and every member receives what they need, is the fruit of the Spirit of God at work in each person’s life (see, for example, Acts 2:42-47).

The attempt to force from the outside what can only emerge from the inside, by the work of the Spirit, is to kill the very community one tries to create, for true community requires love and willingness. It simply cannot be forced, rather, it has to be formed by the transformative work of God in the hearts of men and women.

For example, when it comes to helping the poor among us (broadly defined as those who are in some weakened state relative to the community), God values cheerful helpers. God values those who are grateful for the grace that he has lavished on their lives, and in turn lavish that grace on others. Of course, there are times when we must discipline ourselves to love the poor despite our prejudices or laziness or what have you, but ultimately this discipline must flow from within as the grace of God flows upon the life of the helper. We can and should encourage one another, and even lovingly pressure one another, but at the end of the day we cannot force one another to do what God has so clearly called us to do. Love just doesn’t work that way.

Now, I am not saying that the lack of volition or action is okay. It is sin—plain and simple. Human beings were created to “image” God, part of which is his care for the poor, the naked, the imprisoned, the hungry, the thirsty, and so on. God is enormously wealthy and generous and gracious to all, and when we fail to love the poor we fail to image these aspects of his being. This failure is sin, but the solution to this sin is not forced compassion, for there is no such thing. Rather, the solution is for the sinner to be confronted with his actions and his inability to overcome his selfish nature so that he falls on the mercy of Christ and seeks the transformation that can only come by the grace of Christ. As his or her heart is transformed, he or she will learn to love others for the glory of God and the common good, and true community will emerge.

True community, and all it implies, emerges and thrives when the Spirit of Christ causes each individual to gladly use what’s in his or her power to bless others for the glory of God and the common good (see 1 Corinthians 12:7). This cannot be forced from the outside, rather, it must emanate from the inside as God transforms the heart.

The moral of the entry: God is a genius and he knows a thing or two about how we’re wired, and how to create the community for which we were created.


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