All of us are influenced in three (3) general areas of life: 1.) religion, 2.) politics, and 3.) economics — it being within these three realms that our lives find motivation, purpose, and their ultimate expression.

Religion. L. religo, to bind anew; re and ligo, to bind.  This word seems originally to have signified an oath or vow to the gods, or the obligation of such an oath or vow, which was held very sacred by the Romans.

1. Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfection of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man’s obligation to obey his commands, in the state of reward and punishment, and in man’s accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties.  It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion.
—American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828.

By following the moral precepts outlined in Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, we might call our religion Christianity while those of us who are governed by our own standards of conduct — or those of a whimsical majority —would be practicing a religion known as secular humanism, be it called by whatever name.

Politics. The science of government. —ibid.

Politics. The administration of the spiritual or religious tenets or principles of a society. — BGM

America’s political tenets have changed dramatically over the last several decades, an indication that our fundamental religious views (or perceptions of Biblical principles) have been progressively altered knowingly or surreptitiously.  The political realm is where we impose our religious perspective upon others by way of legislative dictates.

Economy [Economics] Primarily, the management, regulation, and government of a family or the concerns of a household. — Webster, 1828

Since economics deals with the production and exchange of goods and services, this science is where we put our religion to work in a most practical sense.  Do we produce or plunder?  Do we pay now using money, or defer the obligation with credit instrument?

Some folks are surprised to learn that the Bible has ANYTHING to say about economics, having forgotten that Genesis 1:26 opens up the subject with reference to the dominion mandate, Genesis 2:1-3 highlights the labor of God during Creation, (production) and Genesis 23 records the first real estate transaction where Abraham purchased land with a 400 shekel quantity or weight of keceph (#3701 in Strong’s Concordance to the Bible) a Hebrew word translated as either silver or money.

Throughout Scripture we find countless references to economic activity: buying and selling, inheritance, commandments regarding just weights and measures, protection of private property, theft, payment of daily wages, and those governing usury or interest on loans of money to name a few.  Even the book of Revelation speaks of a time when no man will buy or sell in Babylon (literally or figuratively, a tyranny – Strong’s) except that he have a mark of the beast, a reference many see linked to the Social Security Account Number, Universal Product Code, and the banking system.

Without the exchange of goods and services, we would each have to be 100% self sufficient, a level of independence that would preclude both a division of labor and the need for any social interaction – even at the congregational level.  In 1 Corinthians 12, however, we find the spiritual gifts of: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discerning of spirits, tongues (languages), and interpretations thereof are divided among believers.  This creates a natural dependence upon — and interaction with — other believers since none of us possess all gifts.  Only God is omniscient and omnipotent, we being members of His body and partakers of a divinely appointed division of labor.  So too when it comes to the more earthly gifts and talents which are manifest and distributed in the realm of economics.

Without productive efforts (labor) there could be no exchanges (trade), and without constructive ideas there would be no useful labor, ideas being the spiritual seeds from which we develop useful production in the physical realm.  One might think that God only needed the ideas plus a few choice words in order to speak tangible things into existence.

“And God said let there be…” — Genesis 1:3,6,9,11, etc.

However, God may have expended a little more energy pursuant to a later verse:

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.  And of the seventh day God ended his work which he had made: and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” — Genesis 2:1,2

There’s really not much reason to rest — and tell mankind that’s what He did — unless God put forth a reasonable amount of effort to produce heaven and earth, and all of those things we see as evidence of his handiwork.  Which reminds us…

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. — Psalm 19:1

The Creation is evidence of God’s labor, manifest as what we call natural resources, and the Creator had dominion over his own creation.  All things were made by Him (Genesis 1:1 and John 1:3), He being the potter who fashioned the clay (Jeremiah 18:6 and Romans 9:11), creating all that is seen out of that which was not seen (Hebrews 11:3).

Man, by applying his labors to what God has already produced, transforms natural resources into wealth — something produced by human exertion with an exchange value in the marketplace — thereby acquiring a natural right of possession, ownership and property in that which he labored to produce.  To the owner belongs the power to do whatsoever he wants with what is his.  However, the ultimate ownership is still God’s for all commenced from His hands, even our ability to produce wealth.

“But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish his covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” — Deuteronomy 8:18

In Matthew 20:1-15, a parable is told of a householder who hired laborers to work in his vineyard.  All agreed to work for the same wage, although some were hired in the early hours and worked all the day while others were hired later and labored only a short time.  At sundown, when they were paid (per Leviticus 19:13 and Deuteronomy 24:14,15), those who worked longer supposed that they would receive more money, but were surprised to receive precisely what they had agreed to, the landowner saying:

“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?” — Matthew 20:15

So the owner can do what he wishes with the things that belong to him.  God has the final say, and we were given dominion (Gen. 1:26) as “earth managers” — but He still owns the place.

“The heavens are the LORD’s, but the earth He has given to man.” — Psalm 115:16

With the power to create or produce comes the correlative right to possess and use, comprehended in the word property — the highest right a man can have to anything, the right to possess and use.  (See Black’s Law Dictionary)  This, we usually refer to as ownership — which status is held either Absolute or Qualified.

“Ownership of property is either absolute dominion over it, and may use it or dispose of it according to his pleasure, subject only to general laws.  The ownership is qualified when it is shared with one or more persons, when the time of enjoyment is deferred or limited, or when the use is restricted.” — Black’s 6^th ed.