Christians must use lawful means to keep government from seizing inheritances.

“And you shall speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter. And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. And it shall be for the people of Israel a statute and a rule, as the LORD commanded Moses.’” Numbers 27.8-11

Christians, in order to practice proper stewardship of the property entrusted to them, should seek out every lawful means for keeping their inheritances from falling into the hands of the State. They should also work for laws which will keep the hand of the State out of the inheritances families build up over time. Where laws and policies cannot be changed to preclude the State seizing a share of such transactions, the grasping power of government should be frustrated by every lawful means.

The transfer of private property within the bounds of family should not provide the State an occasion for lining its coffers. All property belongs to the Lord, not the State, and to the individuals and families to whom God entrusts it. The Law of God, interpreted into this arena of public policy, would provide what even nonbelievers would, I suspect, regard as a helpful restraint against the grasping powers of the State over family treasure.

T. M. Moore

Visit our website, www.ailbe.org, and sign up to receive our thrice-weekly devotional, Crosfigell, featuring writers from the period of the Celtic Revival and T. M.’s reflections on Scripture and the Celtic Christian tradition. Does the Law of God still apply today? Order a copy of T. M.’s book, The Ground for Christian Ethics, and study the question for yourself.