The Road Home

I sometimes feel inclined to loosely quote Christ from the cross regarding the haphazard moves toward fixing our national financial crisis, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Seldom if ever, have American economists been so confused. Congress has allotted billions of dollars to failing banks and organizations, and now there is talk of even more. It is awarding more money to the miscreants, banks, brokerage houses, insurance companies, mortgage lenders and, in the near future, auto makers, credit card companies, and perhaps even cites and states. It all adds up to "trillionizing" our plight. I have no concept of what that even means.

Conservative Republicanism has been turned on its ear, detouring to a parallel road described by "Joe the Plumber" as "socialism"—inadvertent perhaps, but socialism nonetheless. The government is promising loans and grants, taking from the ordinary taxpayer his financial freedom for years to come, and spreading it among spendthrift and mindless financiers. The world’s largest insurance company, AIG, is now largely nationalized as others may well be. That is socialism by any account.

Socialism is defined as group ownership of the means of production and distribution as opposed to the individual doing so. More tragically understood, it is taking from the ambitious and giving to the less ambitious, which means we soon run out of ambitious people. Put another way, "When we rob Peter to pay Paul, we find lots of support coming from Paul."

The country has lost its collective mind. This is financial insanity, and we are told the only way to remedy its financial health disorder is deeper bankruptcy. The government has no money, and budget deficits and national debt have been mounting for decades. Like the prodigal son, bankers have been dwelling in riotous living in a foreign land of nonsense. Now that they are in want, they are trying to figure out a route home. The roads may be washed out, and the father’s amnesty may have expired.

Interestingly, in the story of the prodigal son, it says "he came to himself." It really means he looked into himself and saw what he really was and returned to sanity. He had been living in unreality and had gone somewhat insane. (The story of the prodigal son is in Luke 15:11-32. Read it for yourself.)

General unbelief produces mental instability according to Romans 1:21-23, which reads, in part, "… although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools …" "Fool" in this text is the same word from which we derive "moron." "Foolish" is a term meaning "unable to put the pieces together," that is, having all the facts but unable to assemble them meaningfully. "Thoughts" is a word from which we get "dialogue," typical of endless and empty discussions. Spiritual ignorance of God has translated into financial folly.

This end-times scenario is likely predicted by Christ in Luke 21:25-26. "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken" (emphasis mine). "Distress" seems to mean "intense pressure." "Perplexity" is defined as "anxiety" or "distress," so much so as "having no way out." It is a quandary, to be at a loss, perhaps inadvertently describing the huge financial loss of recent weeks.

We hope that there is a road home and our economy regains equilibrium to live another day. If the story of the prodigal gives any hope, it requires of modern runaways that they repent and confess their sins. Financial disorder of the current magnitude indicates a kind of spiritual insanity that requires divine healing. Many have ignored the "unsearchable riches of Christ" in their mad scramble for wealth.

If the movers and shakers proceed only with human wisdom, the catastrophe may become permanent, and our nation will be devoured by strangers (aliens) as Isaiah 1:7 says. If sweeping repentance and confession occur, we can abide in the truth of 1 John 2:17: "And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

In my opening sentence I lifted Jesus’ quote from the Cross. "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…" (Luke 23:34). "Forgive" may also be translated, "Let be," as found in Matt. 27:49. Christ was likely saying, "Let the crucifixion continue to its end." Someone noted that there was something more important than judging sinners; Christ was judging sin by letting the crucifixion continue to its end. He paid the full price so that we never have to pay any price for salvation. That is the superior economics of redemption.

Dave Virkler