All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. Acts 4:32-35
“I am wronging no one,” you say, “I am merely holding on to what is mine.” What is yours? Who gave it to you so that you could bring it into life with you? Why, you are like a man who pinches a seat at the theater at the expense of latecomers, claiming ownership of what was for common use. That’s what the rich are like; having seized what belongs to all they claim it as their own on the basis of having got there first. Whereas if everyone took for himself enough to meet his immediate needs and released the rest for those in need of it, there would be no rich and no poor.”
Basil of Caesarea in Ownership: Early Christian Teaching by Charles Avila (Orbis, 1983).
Many read posts like this and think it aims to promote socialism, when in reality, it only promotes a biblical view of ownership and sharing. God owns everything and desires that His people share with others so that no one has need. This is illustrated in the early church in Acts.
But what we tend to see from believers and unbelievers today is the opposite.
I know this because it was me for about the first 40 years of my life. It looks like this. You agree that everything belongs to God, then you don’t act on that belief, but rather pinch all you can for yourself or your family claiming you are wronging no one because you earned it or are holding what is (in your minds) rightly yours.
What’s the lesson for us today from Basil?
We must not claim anything as our own (because God owns everything) and then act on that belief. When we do, as God supplies abundance we will appear as generous sharers. Also, the watching world will see God’s grace at work. This will bring God glory and draw many to Him.
Make it so through our obedience Lord.